Everything You Should Know About Domestic Freight
Whether you need to move goods across the state or across the country, choosing a domestic freight forwarder to handle the job for you is a wise business move. Professionals in the freight moving business have contacts and time to dedicate to getting your goods where they need to go. The burden of shipping is lifted from your shoulders, letting you focus more on running your business.
What Is a Domestic Freight Forwarder?
Even if you have never used a freight forwarder before, you likely will need one at some point. The rise of ecommerce and an increased need for shipping have led to freight forwarding’s compound annual growth rate of 4% to 4.5% from 2019 through 2020. Even if you only ship within the United States, you can still use the services of these logistics experts.
Domestic freight forwarders concentrate their efforts on in-country shipping. They help you to get your products and goods across the country. Think of this type of company as a concierge for your products. You can turn over everything to the forwarder.
Freight forwarding companies work as agents between your business and U.S. freight trucking and other transportation options for moving your cargo. You do not need to directly contact shipping companies for your products. Additionally, you do not have to worry about paperwork governing the shipment, including insurance. The forwarding company handles everything for shipping.
What Are Domestic Freight Services?
Everything related to shipping falls under the job of a freight forwarder. Insurance, storing and transporting are freight services a domestic forwarder can offer. Always check with the freight forwarder about specifics concerning your shipment.
1. Insurance
For domestic freight movement, you won’t need your goods to go through customs. However, you will still need to have insurance for your products in case of damage or delays. Remember, domestic freight forwarders set up deliveries, but they do not have fault or responsibility if weather, damaged goods or unexpected events cause delays in the shipment.
Cargo insurance on your shipment provides financial protection for you in case of a disaster. For example, even the best trucking company drivers can get into accidents or lose loads. You need insurance to protect your business if something like this happens.
For time sensitive shipments, snowstorms, closed roads and construction could cause delays you don’t anticipate. A good relationship with your freight forwarder and insurance on your cargo can make these delays easier to handle. The freight forwarder cannot stop a snowstorm, but the company can do everything possible before the shipment to make everything go smoothly.
Note that many freight forwarders do not offer cargo insurance separately. Typically, you must have the company handle your shipments to take advantage of the cargo insurance. Freight forwarding companies are not insurance providers. They manage the logistics of shipping and offer cargo insurance as an added feature of their primary service.
2. Storage
Warehouse storage provides a safe place for your products until shipment can happen. A freight forwarding company’s combination of warehousing and shipping services allows you to streamline your supply chain — with warehouse space, you can save yourself from needing to store your products in a separate location until transfer. If you cannot manage your warehouses in addition to all the other jobs you do, this domestic freight forwarding service stores your goods as they await transportation across the country.
3. Transportation
Transportation is the main reason that you need a freight forwarder. For many small and medium-sized businesses, securing transport with a carrier directly is difficult. Many carriers require a minimum cargo load, putting small businesses at a disadvantage.
A domestic freight carrier can work with whatever cargo loads your business has. The company arranges the best transit method for your business’s needs while taking the pressure off you. Trucking and air are two conventional methods that domestic freight forwarders use.
What Is It Like Working With a Domestic Freight Forwarder?
Working with a domestic freight forwarder will depend significantly on your relationship with the forwarder and the service you receive. The process should be simple because the job of a forwarding service is to reduce the effort you need to put forth to ship your items. When you choose the right company to work with your shipping needs, you will gain the benefits inherent to a quality partnership.
1. Multiple Shipping Services
When you work with a freight forwarding company, you gain a wide variety of services with one business connection. Services, as noted, include insurance, warehousing and transportation of your cargo. If you need something to have a specific delivery date, the job of a freight forwarder is to do everything possible to get your shipment delivered on time.
2. Less Effort From You
A freight forwarder takes the pressure off you and your business from having to find a suitable shipper. For example, if you have a small business, booking a U.S. freight trucking company for your deliveries can seem almost impossible. You will have too many options to choose from. Also, your cargo may not meet the minimum requirements of some companies for direct booking. However, if you connect with a freight forwarder, you get the benefit of the connections that the company has.
3. Ability to Handle Tough Shipments
The job of a freight forwarder is to help your cargo get where it needs to go. If you have a tough shipment to send, you can use the expertise of the freight forwarder to get it delivered. Some examples of hard-to-ship cargo include the following:
- Oversized products
- Temperature-sensitive items
- Tight delivery deadlines
- Fragile goods
To get these types of items shipped, you may need extra paperwork or labeling. Check with the freight forwarding company’s restrictions list because some materials are not always allowed in shipments. Other commodities may have requirements for how and when you can send them.
Temperature-sensitive or fragile goods may require special shipping containers to keep them protected from the elements. Oversized products or heavyweight goods will also have special shipping requirements. Trust a freight forwarder with these to take the extra paperwork and delivery steps off your hands.
4. Product Pickup
As a small business owner, you don’t have the time or personnel to send out to take your products to a warehouse for delivery. However, with domestic freight forwarders, many will pick up your products from your facility and send them to a warehouse to await shipping.
This type of service becomes especially helpful if your business does not have a large truck to take your goods to the warehouse. Simply have what you want to be delivered ready for pickup at a designated time, and let the freight forwarder handle the rest of the process until the delivery is complete.
Perks of Working With Universal Cargo
You have numerous options for domestic freight forwarders, but not all these companies offer the same advantages. In the business of freight forwarding, the absolute lowest cost may not be the best. You need quality service and expertise to add value to your experience. You get those things when you work with us at Universal Cargo, as well as our other benefits.
1. Based in the United States
Universal Cargo has its headquarters in the United States. Since we work here, too, we can handle any domestic shipments you have. From the East Coast to the West Coast, if you need to book U.S. freight trucking services for your cargo, we can help with this and other aspects of sending your shipments across the country.
2. Ability to Handle Domestic and International Shipping
Many of our customers mention how important it is for their business to be able to import and export goods from Mexico, Canada and many other countries, and we comply by providing freight forwarding to these locations.
If you need international shipping, we can handle that. Our business is to know the ever-changing import and export regulations around the world. Instead of needing to learn all the requirements of every country you ship to, let us take care of your shipments. We work to make getting your products through customs with the right paperwork easier for you. However, please note that we have a handful of countries that we do not service. Aside from these few exceptions, we have the connections to get your goods anywhere in the world.
3. Dedicated Account Team
One of the major perks of choosing Universal Cargo is the high level of personalized service you get. Every one of our accounts has a team dedicated to making the shipments happen for it. When you call us, you will talk to your account representative, who knows about your company and its delivery needs.
Our account support teams are on hand to answer any questions you have about your shipment. Also, because each account has a specific contact person, you get fast, friendly responses to all your inquiries. We set ourselves apart by giving our customers the individual service they deserve.
For more than 30 years, we have helped businesses with their shipments. During that time, we have learned a lot about the industry and how to best serve our clients. We offer dedicated account teams because we have determined that this method provides the best service possible.
4. Easy Online Shipment Tracking
We understand how difficult it can be to trust another company with your shipments. You can always know where your cargo is during the delivery process through our online shipment tracker. Simply log in at any time to see where your shipment currently is.
With the ability to see your cargo’s location, you can address customer concerns about their orders. Additionally, you can verify that your products arrive at their destination on time. With online shipment tracking, you still get the information you need about your order without the hassle of organizing delivery.
How Do I Pick the Right Domestic Forwarder for My Business?
When you choose a domestic forwarder, you need to have a company you can trust with your cargo. Your choice of a freight forwarder will take responsibility and control of your shipment. To ensure you can get your products where you want on time, you have to choose a quality freight forwarding service.
First, look for a company that has experience and connections in the industry. Because the transportation modes and companies depend on the domestic freight forwarder’s network, you want a well-established business that has operated long enough to create quality contacts.
Second, you should look for a company that has a record of service that satisfies customers. Testimonials and customer reviews are one way to examine this. However, some of the most candid remarks come from unsolicited sources. If you see a freight forwarder receiving customer praise from the customer’s website or blog, that is a sign the forwarding service goes above and beyond.
Lastly, look for the services offered by the company. Do you need supply chain value-added services such as packing and warehousing? Not all companies offer these. Additionally, always verify that you can get cargo insurance from your freight forwarder. Your cargo is valuable to your business, and you want to ensure it has full coverage in case something goes wrong during the transport.
Universal Cargo Can Help Domestically and Internationally
While Universal Cargo can help you with your domestic shipments, we can also make transport throughout North America possible. Many American companies do business with operations in Mexico or Canada. For sending goods to these locations, you still need our expertise. We can help move your products anywhere across the North American continent.
As your company grows, your import and export needs will, too. If you want to expand your shipping to Asia or Europe, let us know. We have freight forwarding partners in these parts of the world that can help you with imports and exports, and we know those overseas freight forwarders will offer you a similar level of service that you have come to expect from us at Universal Cargo.
Contact Universal Cargo for a Free Quote Today
Even if you don’t ship internationally, you still need a domestic freight forwarder that can remove the burden of cargo delivery from you. When you outsource product delivery, you get expert shipping services and more free time to dedicate to growing your business.
At Universal Cargo, we service businesses that have shipping needs throughout the United States and North America. To find out how we can provide you with industry-leading service at quality rates, make a rate request online. If you know the type of shipping you need, you can also send inquiries for our ocean rates, air rates, domestic freight trucking rates and warehousing rates. Regardless of the option you select, we will do everything possible to provide you with dedication, care and high-quality service when handling your goods.
