The trucking industry powers America’s economy. With over 70% of America’s freight being moved by truck, trucking is essential for getting your goods into stores and into the hands of consumers.

However, delays can be costly when things go wrong, and your relationship with your customers and vendors can be at risk.

But if you understand some common freight shipping mistakes, you can be proactive and avoid them. Here are three shipping mistakes you need to be aware of.

1. Incorrect Packaging

A major cause of damaged freight is incorrect packaging. Any packaging is going to take some punishment during transit. However, you want packaging that can absorb shock damage while avoiding damage to the contents.

Packaging for large or fragile items will require specific packaging needs. You should consider cross-docking services for items that need to be in a temperature-controlled environment.

Even if your packaging is correct, double-check to ensure your packages are correctly secured to their pallets. Make sure they are correctly stacked in an interlocking pattern or columns. Check to see they are secured with the necessary stretch wrap and padding.

Even the most secure and organized of trucks will have packages that shift and move during transit, so proper packaging is essential.

2. Poorly Managing Your Space

Sending out a partially full truckload means you’re not maximizing all of your potential space. It’s best to use your available space to avoid sending out additional trucks to fulfill orders.

That’s where LTL shipping comes in. LTL trucking or LTL shipping stands for “less-than-truckload” shipping. LTL shipping allows multiple shippers to share space on one truck, allowing LTL freight to fill up an entire freight truck.

3. Not Inspecting the Shipment

Inspections for freights may seem like a waste of time, but double-checking your shipments whenever possible can avoid unwanted surprises, such as damaged or mislabelled goods.

This is especially true prior to signing the BoL or bill of lading. The BoL serves as proof that the goods were received by the recipient and received as described on the BoL.

The BoL is a legal document that serves as proof of ownership, so make sure to inspect it and your goods. Sometimes the BoL may be inaccurate and incorrectly list quantities or item descriptions.

Avoid These Freight Shipping Mistakes

Shipping is complex, with a high potential for mistakes. However, being aware of these common freight shipping mistakes allows you to be proactive and take steps to avoid them.

One final tip: not all freight companies are the same. Morris Trucking is a fourth-generation, family-owned company that can ship throughout 48 states.

If you need a freight shipping company, we can help. Or, if you are looking for a new career, we offer a lease-to-purchase or lease-to-own program.

Contact us for more information about our shipping services or a career with us.