WHAT IS A FREIGHT HAULER?
A freight hauler or freight carrier is the company or person who directly handles your shipment via truck, train, boat, or airplane. If you are shipping Less Than Truckload (LTL) or international freight, several carriers may handle and transfer your shipment. For some shipments, you might hire a freight broker or a freight carrier—companies that contract with a network of carriers to arrange for your freight shipment.
Finding a Freight Hauler with uShip
By creating a listing with the details of your freight shipment on uShip, you will attract customer-rated freight forwarders who are capable of completing your job. Freight carriers are usually small companies or independent owner-operators who offer great services at reasonable prices.
Check Their Authority
The first thing to check when hiring a freight carrier is their authority. A carrier must be authorized by the Department of Transportation to transport goods for hire and should have a USDOT and MC number that can be verified on SAFER. These numbers can be found on their uShip profile. The only exceptions to these rules are freight brokers or freight forwarders. A freight broker or forwarder will only have an MC number. You can look up any company’s credentials by DOT number, MC number, or company name.
Check Their Authority
The first thing to check when hiring a freight carrier is their authority. A carrier must be authorized by the Department of Transportation to transport goods for hire and should have a USDOT and MC number that can be verified on SAFER. These numbers can be found on their uShip profile. The only exceptions to these rules are freight brokers or freight forwarders. A freight broker or forwarder will only have an MC number. You can look up any company’s credentials by DOT number, MC number, or company name.
Verify Cargo Insurance
Next, verify your freight carrier’s cargo insurance. All freight haulers are required to carry a minimum amount of insurance, but you may want to purchase additional protection from a third party. Ask your freight carrier for their claims-to-damage ratio. This statistic reveals the percentage of claims that have been paid as a result of loss, damage, or theft. A reliable company should have a claims-to-damage rate of 1.5 percent or lower.
Verify Cargo Insurance
Next, verify your freight carrier’s cargo insurance. All freight haulers are required to carry a minimum amount of insurance, but you may want to purchase additional protection from a third party. Ask your freight carrier for their claims-to-damage ratio. This statistic reveals the percentage of claims that have been paid as a result of loss, damage, or theft. A reliable company should have a claims-to-damage rate of 1.5 percent or lower.
Review Feedback
Finally, take a close look at the freight carrier’s uShip profile to see customer-rated feedback and transaction history. Do they have a positive reputation among fellow transport companies and previous customers? Any reputable freight hauler should be able to provide positive references from previous customers. You may also want to look up the company on the Better Business Bureau website to see if any complaints have been lodged against them.
Review Feedback
Finally, take a close look at the freight carrier’s uShip profile to see customer-rated feedback and transaction history. Do they have a positive reputation among fellow transport companies and previous customers? Any reputable freight hauler should be able to provide positive references from previous customers. You may also want to look up the company on the Better Business Bureau website to see if any complaints have been lodged against them.
ARE THEY THE RIGHT FREIGHT CARRIER FOR YOU?
A carrier’s authority, insurance, and references indicate a reliable, professional business. However, there are other considerations when hiring a freight hauler. You should review a carrier’s projected transit time and the number of transfers; a long transit and multiple transfers indicate that your shipment may not be the best match for this carrier’s abilities. You should aim to hire a carrier who can ship your freight with the least amount of interlining possible. Also, check the company’s on-time delivery rate, which should be above 90% percent.
If you have researched a freight hauler properly, you should have no concerns when shipping. Authority, insurance, and business records confirm you are contracting with a reputable company, and open communication with carriers using uShip will help you find the right company for your shipment.
HOW TO FIND FREIGHT SHIPPERS
How to Find Freight Shippers:
- Determine Your Freight Shipping Needs: What are you shipping? Pallets and crates are typically the best way to ship freight. How fast do you need the freight to get to its final destination? There are many questions to ask before finding a freight shipper.
- Set a Budget: It is important to know how much you can spend. Overspending can cause revenue issues, while underspending can cause delays. Knowing your shipping budget is important for success.
- Research Freight Companies: Once you know what you need and how much you are willing to spend on freight shipping, you will want to research various freight companies. An easy way to do this is to use a company like uShip.
- Read Reviews: Freight shippers should have customer feedback for review. Sift through the feedback to discover what other consumers are saying about the freight company.
- Ask Questions: Finally, ask the freight shippers as many questions as you need to. Talking points such as insurance, payment options, and damage rates are all great for discussion with a freight carrier.
WHY USHIP?
Not only does uShip provide discounted freight quotes, but we also offer other great benefits, such as:
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- Customer Support: uShip’s knowledgeable LTL customer support team is available via phone or email. If you need to file a damage claim or dispute a rebill, we can help.
- Invoice Audits: All invoices are checked for accuracy to ensure you are getting the best price possible. We will proactively credit the difference of any overpayment to your uShip account.
- Bring Your Own Rates: If you have your own rates with LTL carriers, you can load them directly into your uShip portal, allowing you to compare quotes all in one place.
- Specific Pricing: We can negotiate pricing with carriers based on your individual volume.
- Referral Program: You will receive shipping credit when you refer a friend.
- Protection: Did you know that LTL pickups do not automatically come with full coverage protection? uShip fills protection gaps and offers the option to purchase a protection plan for select shipments.
From competitive prices to great customer service, it’s clear why so many small businesses prefer obtaining LTL freight quotes from uShip. If you have any questions about shipping LTL freight on uShip, please contact us. We have an experienced freight team available to answer all of your questions.
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