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Frequently
Asked Questions
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Here
is a list of the most frequently asked questions
about freight shipping. Please select the category
of your question topic below to jump to a list of
related questions. |
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Q:
When Should I use a Common Freight Carrier?
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A: If
your package weighs more than 150 lbs, it is too heavy
for a parcel service and you will need a common
freight carrier. |
LTL (Less
than Truckload) carriers will transport shipments
weighing anywhere from 100 to 10,000 lbs.
If your shipment weighs more than 8,000 lbs, it
may take up an entire truck which means you will
need a FTL (Full Truckload) carrier. We provide
both LTL and FTL freight carriers. |
Q: What is the Standard Procedure of a Common
Freight Carrier? |
A: The
standard procedure is a truck driver backing up
to a loading dock for the shipment to be loaded
by the shipper then driving the shipment to the
destination loading dock to be unloaded by the consignee.
Any additional services required outside of the
standard procedure, may require additional fees
called accessorials. |
Q: How will my shipment be transported with a LTL
Freight
Carrier? |
A: Your
shipment will be transported via truck along with
other customer's shipments so that the costs of
transportation are shared which makes LTL transportation
economical and affordable. |
Q: How will my shipment be transported with a FTL
Freight Carrier? |
A: If
your shipment is large enough to take up the entire
truck space, it is a "full truckload" and will be
transported via truck all by itself. If your shipment
does not quite require the entire space, it is considered
a "partial truckload" and will be transported via
truck along with another partial load. |
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Q: Do I need to call the carrier after scheduling
with you? |
A: No,
we will take care of this for you. Please do not
call the freight carrier or terminal as this will
duplicate the pickup. |
Q: What do I need to do after scheduling my shipment? |
A:
Print 2 Copies of the bill of lading and make sure
your shipment is properly packaged. The only other
thing you need to do is have your shipment ready
along with the bill of ladings on the designated
pick up day. Give 1 copy of the Bill of lading to
the driver to go with the shipment and the other
copy is to be signed by the driver, with pro label
affixed, for you to keep. You may also want to send
the consignee (receiving party) a copy of the bill
of lading as well. |
Q: What if my shipment is not ready when the driver
comes? |
A: Usually
the driver will not wait and will be dispatched
to come out again the next day. This will delay
your transit time and you will be responsible for
a duplicated pick up fee if the carrier charges
P.A.F for the 2nd pick up. Please have your shipment
ready. |
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Q: What is freight class? |
A: Freight
Class refers to the National Motor Freight Classification
(NMFC) and it is the category of your freight as
defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic
Association (NMFTA). |
Your
shipment's freight class determines the carrier's
shipping charges. There are 18 freight classes ranging
from class 50 (the least expensive) to class 500
(most expensive). The class of your shipment
is determined by its contents and NMFC item number. |
Q: What is a NMFC Number? |
A: This
is the item number that specifically identifies
each type of product that can be shipped by a LTL
carrier. The National Motor Freight Traffic Association
(NMFTA) assigns NMFC item #'s to all products along
with a freight class. The NMFC # identifies what
you are shipping and it's freight class. |
Q: How does Freight Class & NMFC # affect my shipment? |
A:
Your product NMFC # identifies the freight class
and the freight class determines your shipping charges.
For this reason, it is critical that you know the
correct NMFC # and freight class in order to receive
accurate freight charges and to ensure that the
carrier does not re-class your shipment which could
result in a higher shipping charge. |
Q: How do I find out my Freight Class and NMFC #? |
A:
All classes
and NMFC #'s are catalogued in the NMFC
Tariff for
freight carriers. Any freight carrier can look this
information up for you. You may also call
the NMFTA direct at: (703) 838-1810 or please visit
our freight class
page for more details. |
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Q: Does weight have to be accurate or can I estimate? |
A: Yes,
shipment weight needs to be accurate because your
shipping charge is based partly on weight.
If your shipment is inaccurately weighed, it is
subject to being re-weighed by the carrier which
could result in an additional charge. Re-weighing
may also delay delivery. |
Q: Do I also need to provide the shipment dimensions? |
A: You
only need to provide package measurements for international
shipments as they are based on weight and dimensions.
Domestic shipment charges are based on freight class
and weight. |
Q: What is Dimensional Weight? |
A: Dimensional
weight (also referred to as "dim" weight) considers
a package's density, which is the amount of space
a package occupies in relation to its actual weight.
Dimensional weight is used when packages are large
in volume, but do not weigh much. For example, the
shipping charge of a large box of popcorn or inflated
balloons may be based on the dimensional weight
because of the amount of space it takes on an aircraft.
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Q: How do I know if dimensional weight applies? |
A: If
the actual weight of your shipment is less than
the calculated dimensional weight, the dimensional
weight applies. Carrier's determine freight charges
based on either the gross weight of the shipment
or the dimensional weight, whichever is greater. |
Q: How do I calculate my dimensional weight? |
A:
For Domestic Shipments:
L x W x H (cubic inches) / 194 = Dimensional Weight.
Example: 30" x 24" x 22" = 15,840 / 194 = 82 lbs.
(round up to the nearest pound)
For International Shipments:
L x W x H (cubic inches) / 166 = Dimensional Weight.
Example: 30" x 24" x 22" = 15,840 / 166 = 96 lbs.
(round up to the nearest pound)
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Q: What are your Rates and Fees? |
A: Unlike
most freight forwarders and brokers, we do not charge
any service fees. We pass our discounted rates
direct from the carriers on to you.
Click here to get
instant online rate quotes from all our partner
carriers and save 51-73% off regular carrier prices. |
Q: How do you get such low rates? |
A: We've
established partnerships with the leading freight
carriers and connections over the past 21 years
that have given us the ability to negotiate low
rates.
We receive large discounts from our partner carriers
based on our shipping volume. |
Q: Can I go direct to the carrier and ship with
them? |
A:
Yes you certainly can, but you will pay regular
prices; unless you are a shipping company, freight
forwarder or freight broker and you move enough
shipments for them to give you a discount. With
our discounts rates, we can save you at least 51-73%
off regular carrier prices and we'll completely
take care of your shipment and do all the work for
you. |
Q: Are your rate quotes guaranteed? |
A:
To ensure that you receive the discounted rate that
we have quoted, you must provide the truck driver
with a copy of the P.A.F Bill of lading that is
provided when you schedule your shipment.
If you do not use our bill of lading, you
will be billed the full shipping price direct from
the carrier. |
Q: What are accessorial fees? |
A: Any
additional services required outside of the standard
shipping procedure require additional fees from
the carrier called accessorials. These include extra
services such as: inside pick up, inside delivery,
lift gate service, residential delivery etc.
Please
indicate any needed services on the quote form and
the fees will be included in your quotes.
If your shipment ends up needing any of these extra
services and you did not indicate so when obtaining
your quote, you will be charged for them when P.A.F
is charged by the carrier.
Residential fee:
Carriers define a business zone as a location that
opens and closes to the public at set times every
day. If you are a business located in a residential
zone, (among personal homes or dwellings) or are
shipping to or from a residence, the carrier may
charge an additional residential fee. When
obtaining quotes through our system, select "residence"
for location type and the carrier's residential
fee will be included in your quotes.
Inside Pick up & Inside
Delivery fees: If the driver is required
to go inside (beyond the front door or loading dock),
to pick up or deliver your shipment, instead of
remaining at the dock or truck, additional fees
will be charged. When obtaining quotes through our
system, check off inside pick up and or inside delivery
and the carrier's fee will be included in your quotes.
Lift gate service fee:
When the origin or destination location does not
have a loading dock, manual loading or unloading
is necessary. This requires a lift gate, which is
a motorized platform attached to the back of certain
trucks that can raise a shipment from the ground
up to the truck trailer or vice versa. When obtaining
quotes through our system, check off lift gate and
the carrier's lift gate fee will be included in your
quotes.
2nd/Duplicated Pick up
fee:
Any
failed delivery attempt will be assessed a minimal
fee by the carrier. If your shipment is not ready
when the driver comes, it will be dispatched for
pick up again the next business day and P.A.F may
be charged a duplicated pick up fee, which we may
pass on to you. Please have your shipment ready
on the designated pick up day.
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Q: What if I want to use my own Bill of Lading
(BOL)? |
A: Opting to use your own BOL will result in a void
of P.A.F's rate quote and being billed the full
price direct from the carrier. In certain circumstances,
such as the shipper not wanting the consignee to
know that they used our freight service, we can
make a special anonymous BOL for you. Please inquire
about your situation for BOL arrangements.
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Q: Are transit times guaranteed? |
A: Only
"Guaranteed Service" transit times are guaranteed.
All other transit times are reliable but not 100%
guaranteed. Please note: transit times do not include
the day of pickup. |
Q: Can I schedule my shipment and have it picked
up the same day? |
A:
Freight Carriers
require a four hour pickup window and usually pick
up in the morning and deliver in the afternoon.
Sometimes we can arrange same day pick up, however
it is not guaranteed. Please contact us to discuss
your pickup needs. |
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Q: How should I package my shipment? |
A: Your
shipment should be packaged properly to ensure that
it is delivered safely. Improper packaging may void
the carrier's liability for damage. Please view
our packaging
guidelines & tips for help with proper packaging,
crating and using pallets. |
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Q: How do I track my shipment? |
A: Please
visit our online
tracking page to track your shipment. |
Q: What is the Claims Process? |
A: Claims
are handled directly by the freight carrier. P.A.F
is not involved in the carrier claims process and
has no influence on the claim outcome. You must
file your claim with the carrier within 15 days
of delivery or 5 days if there is concealed damage.
If you
purchased additional cargo insurance through us,
you must file with the carrier and P.A.F. Please
visit our online claims
page
for instructions on how to file your claim and
forms.
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