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Domestic Shipping

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Most carriers on our domestic list stop at the Shipping/Receiving area daily. Therefore, we have an advantage in getting last minute material shipped to meet unexpected demands. A Shipping Request Form is necessary for the Shipping Department to properly prepare your paperwork. This form must include:
  • a description of your shipment
  • a value of your shipment (for insurance purposes)
  • the destination
  • a project or cost center (for shipping charges)
  • the reason for shipping
  • date when your shipment must arrive
  • your name and extension
Less than Truck Load (LTL) transportation, including UPS Ground, is generally considered to be reliable and inexpensive, but can prove to be time consuming. Delivery to Washington or California, for instance, takes seven to ten working days. This does not include the day of pickup or the day of delivery. Maryland and Virginia are considered three to four day delivery service areas. Saturday pickup and delivery is not generally available using this mode of transportation.

Some trucking companies do offer an Express Service that is not as costly as air express but is more expensive than the normal trucking charge. This service is recommended for large shipments that need to be delivered within a short time frame. The Shipping Department can help you determine whether this service would be of benefit should your packing fall behind due to unforeseen problems.

Federal Express, Pilot Air Freight, and other air express services have various degrees of service available. Overnight service is expensive and, depending on what is being shipped, fairly dependable. This service is not available to all areas. Before you make commitments on delivery of your freight, check with the Traffic Department to see if that type service is available to the desired destination. International carriers do not offer next-day service due to customs paperwork and other shipping restrictions.

Economy air, with a transit time of three to five working days, is a reliable alternative when normal truck transport cannot meet a deadline Truckload carriers (TL) offer vans, flat bed trailers, air ride (for fragile shipments) and drop-frame equipment (for very tall items). When using this mode of transportation, you are leasing the entire truck and paying an agreed-upon dollar amount based on the quote received. The advantage over LTL carriers is that this mode of transportation is very reliable and takes less time to arrive at destinations. The driver who loads is usually the driver who unloads. For planning purposes, a trucker can legally travel 500 miles per day. Two-person teams travel 1,000 miles per day or nonstop to the destination, but there is an extra charge for team service.

Last updated: February 25, 2011
 


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