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What Shipping Solutions Are Available in the LA Area?

Every functioning economy relies on freight shipping. This shipping method gives businesses access to necessary resources.
The Los Angeles area provides numerous freight shipping solutions. We will explore several of them in this article.

What Is Freight Shipping?

Some goods are too heavy for the mailman to bring to your door. But thankfully, freight shipping addresses this problem.

This shipping method involves the transportation of commodities, goods, and cargo. As such, any deliverable that weighs over 150 pounds is considered a freight shipment.

How Does Freight Shipping Work?

Ships, aircraft, trucks, and trains carry freight in bulk. Trucks are the vehicle of choice for most on-land freight shipping. Businesses can select from multiple freight trucking plans to ensure the best price and their freight arriving safely.

What Are the Types of Freight Shipping in the L.A Area?

Freight shipping choices are plentiful in Los Angeles. We provided a list of freight shipping choices to help you make the best decision for your needs.

Less Than Truckload 

Less than truckload freight is too large for a parcel. However, the freight is not large enough to fill up the entire truck. This cost-effective strategy allows businesses to share space with other companies. 

Instead of paying for the whole truck, they only pay for the amount of space they use. The truck will make several stops before reaching your company’s headquarters.

Full Truck Load

Some businesses will need an entire truck to store their freight. In this case, the business does not share a truck with other companies. Instead, they’ll opt for a full truck load, and since a full truck load only contains freight for your business, it will reach its destination sooner. 

Flat Bed 

Flatbed shipping solves freight shipping for oddly-shaped cargo. This is because freight of this nature may not fit within the standard dimensions of a regular truck. 

Freight on a flatbed truck gets exposed to the weather quite easily. So, if there’s a chance that your goods could deteriorate in the presence of rain or other weather-related conditions, look for another freight shipping option. 

Dry Van

Dry vans are a common choice for freight shipping. These trailers assist with transporting non-perishable goods. These trucks range from 48 to 53 feet in length. Plus, they can handle up to 45,000 pounds. Even better, weather elements cannot enter the fully-sealed trailers.

Refrigerated 

Some freight will become worthless without temperature control. Refrigerated freight shipping sets the trailer at an optimal temperature for freight. 

This extra precaution protects the freight’s value. This shipping solution is handy for meat, pharmaceuticals, and dairy.

Drop-and-Hook

Drop-and-hook freight is a cost-effective strategy that allows your freight to arrive sooner. A driver will bring a load to a shipping fulfillment center

They will drop their full container and hook their tractor to a pre-loaded trailer at the same facility. This baton pass approach allows businesses and freight carriers to save time and money.

Rail Freight 

Rail freight transports your freight through a series of trains. This shipping solution is best for companies located near railroads. 

Air Freight 

Airfreight is more expensive than most options. However, this freight shipping method is best for urgent matters. Goods delivered by air freight arrive faster than goods delivered via freight trucks. 

If you can schedule an ocean or land shipping solution in advance, go with those choices to save money. For international matters, businesses can only select between air freight and ocean freight.

Ocean Freight 

Ocean freight helps with international freight shipping. This freight shipping model is a more affordable alternative than air freight. 

You can either do a full container load or less than container load. These options are similar to the previously mentioned full truckload and less than truckload choices, respectively.

Things to Consider with Shipping Solutions in L.A

Los Angeles businesses can choose from many shipping solutions. Business owners should consider these factors before selecting a shipping solution for their freight.

Types of Shipments 

Some freight shipments have stringent requirements. Not every business can put their freight into a dry van. 

Refrigerated trailers prevent perishable goods from going bad. Flatbeds help for freight that can’t fit in a dry van. Consider which trailer type you need for your shipments before making a decision.

Transparency 

Companies should expect transparency from any shipping solution. Freight shippers should provide arrival dates, costs, updates, and other important information. 

Transparency will lead to a long relationship between companies and freight shippers.

Automation

Automation allows freight shipping companies to reduce inefficiencies and risks. These automations also translate to lower shipping costs. Ask a freight shipping company what automations they have in place for making deliveries. 

Digital Network

A digital network lets drivers evaluate load combinations to combine shipments. They assist with freight forwarding, improve efficiency, and lower costs.

What’s The Difference Between Shipping and Distribution?

Shipping is the process of transporting goods across land, air, or sea. Distribution is the categorization and sorting of goods to ensure they reach the right destinations safely. A distribution strategy optimizes the shipping experience. 

Assessing Shipping Solutions for Your Freight

Effective shipping solutions allow businesses to receive goods on time. Businesses can browse through many freight shipping solutions in the Los Angeles area. While freight shipping is essential for many companies, the costs add up.

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