How to Avoid Extra Shipping Charges: Six Insider Tips from a Trucking Company
As you are going over your profits for the last few weeks, you feel confident that you may not only meet your profit goals for this quarter, but you may actually exceed them—until you get the bill for your last shipment. The final transportation cost for the shipment is much higher than you expected. Unfortunately, there are several shipping charges tacked on to your bill that you did not expect, so it looks like you won’t be meeting your profit goals for this quarter after all.
Nothing is more frustrating that finding a bunch of unexpected fees and charges on your heavy equipment transport bill. But there are things you can do to avoid extra shipping charges. Below are six insider tips from a trucking company in Aurora, CO on how to avoid those annoying extra shipping charges:
- Be accurate with your shipment measurements: When planning your shipment, be sure you’re length, width, height and weight measurements are accurate before contacting any specialized hauling services. Any variation in measurements will result in additional charges. So, if you want an accurate price estimate, you need to be accurate in your measurements.
- Have your customs paperwork ready: If you are shipping across borders, be sure to have all of your customs paperwork carefully prepared ahead of time. If your shipment is delayed when going through customs, that lost time and the additional hassle is going on your bill.
- Plan your pickup locations carefully: If your pickup location has limited access, there will typically be an additional shipping charge. Plan your pickup location carefully to avoid additional charges due to limited access pickup locations.
- Be upfront about what you are shipping: If you think being vague about what items you are shipping will help you get a lower price, think again. If you’re inaccurate about what you are shipping, the transportation service may make an adjustment in price later on. Plus, being upfront about what you want to ship will help ensure that you are getting the right vehicle and an accurate quote for the transportation.
- Make sure to package your load correctly: When packaging your goods for shipment, be sure to follow the transportation company’s guidelines as to how your goods should be packaged. Packaging your goods incorrectly may not only cause delays for the transportation service, but it may also relieve the carrier of any liability should your goods be damaged in transit.
- Always get your price quote in writing: When working with the carrier to determine a price for the shipment, be sure to get a detailed quote in writing, including any special fees or charges, upfront. That way, if the carrier tries to add on additional charges later, you have an official quote to reference to directly from the company’s freight management system.
You won’t get stuck paying additional shipping charges on your next shipment when working with Osage Specialized Transport. By following these six simple tips from a trucking company in Aurora, CO, you can avoid unexpected shipping fees and keep your next transport hassle free. To learn more, contact us online.
