Unishipper's Guide To Freight Shipping Fees

Accessorial fees — charges for additional shipping services not included in standard rates — often go by unplanned for and undiscovered until you receive your final freight shipping bill. When unplanned for, these additional fees can negatively affect your shipping rate and, more importantly, your company’s bottom line.

With thorough planning and communication between the shipper, receiver and freight provider, you can anticipate (or sometimes even avoid) these additional freight fees.

Anticipating Accessorial Fees

Understanding the various charges that could impact your freight rates is a great first step to getting the most accurate freight quote right from the beginning. By downloading Unishippers’ helpful guide, Understanding Freight Shipping Fees, you can learn about some of the most common accessorial fees that affect businesses like yours, including:

• Redelivery charge
• Liftgate delivery charge
• Inside pickup or delivery fee
• And more!

Communication Is Key

Once you understand the common fees that could affect your freight shipping, make sure to communicate with the carrier and the final recipient. Make sure to iron out all of the details for receiving the shipment, including any special instructions or requirements that the driver should know upon arrival. When filling out the bill of lading, consider questions like:

• When will the recipient be available to accept the delivery?
• Does a delivery appointment need to be made?
• Are there any special requirements for the driver when unloading the shipment?
• Is there a specific time frame the driver must meet for delivery?
• Does the recipient have a dock, or is a lift-gate needed?

Communication between the shipper, receiver and carrier is crucial. By identifying any potential challenges from the beginning, you can anticipate any accessorial fees for your freight shipping from the initial quote.

Ship Smarter With Unishippers

Unishippers’ dedicated team of experts is available to help you understand the ins and outs of your freight shipping — starting with accessorial fees. Contact Unishippers to get the freight shipping support you deserve.