Whether you’re shipping less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments freight, full-truckload (FTL) shipments, or anything else, supply chain disruptions are showing little to no sign of slowing down. However, as a business owner, you need reliable LTL carriers and truckload shipping companies with the capabilities to deliver your affordable LTL shipping rates in an efficient manner.
Fortunately, the team at On Track Freight Systems can help. We offer both full truckload shipping and LTL shipping options designed to overcome widespread LTL market disruptions. Let’s take a closer look at the global supply chain and best practices you can use for LTL shipping and LTL shipments.
Supply Chain Disruptions on the Rise in LTL Industry
According to data from Statista, supply chain disruptions have been trending upward from 2019 for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons:
- In 2019, there were an estimated 3,700 supply chain disruptions
- In 2020, there were an estimated 6,192 supply chain disruptions
- In 2021, the number of supply chain disruptions nearly doubled to 11,642.
Shippers & LTL Carriers Should Monitor Supply Chain Impacts in Ukraine
Unfortunately, these FTL and LTL shipping numbers didn’t take into account additional global developments, such as the conflict with Ukraine and Russia. And it appears that each day more and more scenarios arise that spell little promise for improvement.
Port of Shanghai Could Cause Additional Problems for Shippers & LTL Carriers
For example, last month’s reports out of China suggest the Port of Shanghai — one of the world’s largest container ports — may be temporarily shutting down. With no end in sight, it’s imperative businesses use the effective FTL and LTL shipping best practices to circumvent supply chain disruptions where possible.
And to help you maximize your FTL or LTL freight shipment, the team at On Track Freight Systems has outlined a few of the top LTL freight shipping best practices.
Ensure Accurate LTL Shipping Address
When you’re looking to overcome LTL shipping delays and circumvent supply chain disruptions, it’s important to verify and confirm the shipping address is correct. In fact, it’s one of the best practices for LTL shipping and FTL shipping.
Avoid Less Than Truckload Deliveries to the Wrong Address
This should be done before and after the label is printed at your distribution center. Failure to do so can result in your LTL carrier delivering to the wrong address. And this can lead to a further delayed final delivery, which can make an already bad situation worse.
Verifying the Address on Each Shipment Is More Cost-Effective
At the same time, it can cause the trucking company to levy additional fees. While a one-time address correction accessorial charge on individual shipments may not be a big deal, multiple shipments with wrong labels can cause you to pay much more than necessary for LTL shipping.
Differentiate Your Business with Consistent On-time Delivery Time
Most importantly, it can lead to reduced customer satisfaction and dissatisfied customers. Whether it’s high volume shipments or smaller shipments, it’s imperative to ensure the delivery address is accurate. And during a period where late deliveries are commonplace, verifying each less than truckload shipment address can help make each delivery more cost effective and differentiate your business.
Ensure Your Provide Accurate LTL Freight Information
If you’re looking to expedite your LTL freight shipping, make sure you always provide the trucking company with the right freight class, freight dimensions, and accurate freight information. Failure to accurately provide this valuable information can result in you being misquoted the correct rate.
Misstating Information Can Lead to Higher Costs
Many shippers look to achieve lower costs and reduced costs on LTL shipping by underestimating the freight class. However, this is never the most cost-effective option on less than truckload shipping.
In fact, this often does the exact opposite by increasing shipping costs and potentially causing delays. The majority of freight carriers will reinspect and recheck the stated freight classification based on the shipping method. If the freight classification doesn’t align with the stated less than truckload shipping information, you’ll incur additional inspection and accessorial fees.
Your Account Could Be Flagged
This could also cause the LTL shipping and freight carriers to flag your account, which means all future shipments are to be closely inspected. And this could further slow down the delivery of your freight.
Because of this, one way to increase efficiencies and help ensure on-time delivery of shipments is to verify all cargo and packaging information is accurate.
Track and Communicate with Your Customers
At On Track Freight Systems, we are experts in logistics and transportation for medium and small businesses. And over the years, one of the most important things we have learned in transportation is that communication is key.
For the most part, your customers and clients have seen all of the harrowing stories and supply chain disruptions. They may not, however, be able to associate the impact of the disruptions on the delivery.
As such, it’s imperative for you to communicate with your customers as soon as you identify possible delays. You should also make sure you preemptively extend your lead time and delivery times for loads. While you may not be able to change certain aspects, you can alter your customer’s expectations.
Create a Contingency Plan for Supply Chain Emergencies
Unfortunately, there may be no clear end in sight to supply chain disruptions for shipments. You can, however, plan for disruptions by creating a contingency plan.
Once you have identified every link in your supply chain, ask yourself what would occur if a stage experienced a disruption. A few best practices include:
- When and how do you contact customers in the event of lowered capacity?
- When and how you’ll contact customers amid disruption?
- Your method of estimating available inventory?
- The point of contact you can reach out to for backup inventory?
You should also consider the amount of disruption each point will sustain and the associated costs. This final consideration will help ensure your business is capable of handling and financially prepared for each disruption.
Choose a Shipment Carrier with Next-Day or Two-Day Delivery
If you’re shipping LTL freight in New York or shipping freight in New Jersey, you’re operating in one of the most densely populated areas in the United States. And you can set your business apart by providing your customers with fast next-day LTL freight delivery.
This is exactly what you should look for in a trucking company tasked with transporting your shipment. At On Track Freight Systems, we are one of the leading LTL freight shipping and entire trailer carriers that offer fast next-day and two-day delivery.
We offer next day deliveries on every LTL shipment as well as full truckloads throughout the New York City and New Jersey metro area, including:
- Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, including zip codes 110-119
- The Bronx, Staten Island, Rockland, and Westchester, including zip codes 103-109
- Manhattan, including zip codes 100-102
- NJ – All points in New Jersey, including zip codes 070-079, 080-089
While supply chain issues may run rampant throughout the globe, you can ensure your LTL shipping occurs at the speed of business.
Contact On Track Freight Systems for LTL Shipping
When it comes to avoiding supply chain disruptions, On Track Freight Systems is your trusted partner. We are your one-stop-shop for all of your LTL and FTL freight shipping needs. We can accommodate every FTL and LTL shipping method and work with shippers across all industries.
Regardless of your shipment or load, On Track Freight Systems will help you overcome supply chain shortages within your control to achieve on-time delivery. Contact us for a free rate quote today.
