Your most important shipments — high-value goods, tight deadlines or sensitive cargo — need special care and attention from your shipping provider.
Medical supplies, perishable goods, hazardous materials and emergency relief supplies are just some examples of critical shipments. These vital goods need the utmost care and attention before, during and after transport.
Over nearly 70 years, Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) has worked with vendors on hundreds of critical loads. We’ve developed some best practices you can use to make sure your most important cargo arrives on time and according to your specifications.
In this article, we will give you practical tips for working with a carrier or broker on critical freight shipments. This information will help you work with a shipping partner to move your most important loads.
Your shipping provider needs to understand all requirements of the critical shipment. Have a discussion with your point of contact about the origin and destination of the freight, handling requirements and deadlines.
With this information, the broker or carrier will develop a custom route plan designed around your needs. Some examples are:
No matter the requirements, understanding them and communicating with your provider is the first step to success.
Keeping an open line of communication with your shipping provider is vital on critical loads.
Before transit begins, make sure all your requirements are documented and understood by everyone involved. A formal conference call or video meeting are good ways to ask and answer all questions without unnecessary back-and-forth. Sometimes this conversation may include a manager or higher-level point of contact.
After the conversation, an email documenting everything discussed makes sure no stone is left unturned and all parties agree to the terms.
During transit, it’s okay to ask for regular updates. If your deadline is critical, request regular updates on the driver location and an immediate confirmation when they arrive. Ask for photos of the loaded trailer to verify your securement requirements are being met.
While the driver can’t give 24/7 updates while they are driving, you can specify regular notice on sensitive shipments.
During your initial conversations, make sure you align with your provider on a communication schedule and methods. Knowing your definition of proper notice helps the provider meet your expectations.
Critical shipments require a carrier or broker who is prepared and resourced for your needs. A smaller provider who has only a few drivers available may not be able to give your load the time and attention it needs.
Newer providers who don’t have experience with shipments like yours may not be able to prepare for your load.
This is an instance where having multiple preferred providers is key. You may have one carrier who specializes in a specific geographic region who can pick up hot loads as needed. One carrier might specialize in heavy haul trucking who can carry your oversize items.
Your critical shipments are not the time to test out a new carrier or broker. Relying on existing relationships, especially if they have successfully completed similar shipments, gives you an added layer of security with your most important freight.
Your carrier or broker are one part of your shipping team. Making sure everyone is well qualified is a necessary step in critical shipping.
Critical shipments can’t be left to chance, or to an inexperienced driver. When securing transit, have a conversation with the provider about driver qualifications.
Qualified drivers can depend on a variety of factors. Understand what your load needs before talking to the provider, and specify what you need from the driver.
The driver is the one who will be most directly responsible for the load’s success. Make sure your expectations match what the driver is willing to do before you complete your specifications.
Before the driver leaves your point of origin, they should prepare for all contingencies. While it’s ideal that they won’t encounter any issues during transit, drivers often aren’t dealing with ideal situations.
There are very few guarantees in the transportation industry. When planning for the shipment, make sure there are back-up plans in place that help you meet your goal.
Does the driver need a generator and a back-up generator to keep equipment running during transit? Will you plan for the driver to arrive the night before an early morning appointment to prevent last-minute delays? Is there another power team in the area who can finish the trip in case of a breakdown?
Before the shipment leaves, plan for as many contingencies as possible.
Creating a plan and a back-up plan means you don’t need to worry if something goes wrong. Ideally, everything will go off without a hitch, but having a plan in place will eliminate potential headaches (and costs).
You can’t afford to take chances on critical freight. This is not the place to cut costs or try to get the best price from your carrier or broker.
Depending on what type of handling your freight requires, be prepared to pay for:
Before specifying a critical load, consider what the shipment is worth to your business. While transit may not be cheap, specialty deliveries are often a situation where you get what you pay for.
You already know how much your critical freight matters to your business. Choosing the right carrier or broker means it matters to them as much as it matters to you.
Knowing how to work with a provider means your freight will arrive as specified and on time. Communication and planning are key steps to success. Especially when it comes to critical freight, there’s no such thing as overpreparing.
No matter the reason your shipment is critical, you need a reliable carrier. The Transportation Provider Scorecard can help you determine which provider is best for you by helping you gauge their performance over time. If you’d like to talk to the team at ATS about your next critical shipment, request a quote.