Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I accept the quote?
A: Simply email us and we will email, fax or mail the required documents to you. Complete them and return them to us (email, fax or US Mail) and we will arrange to have your items picked up. It's that easy!
Q: What do you mean by "door-to-door, tailgate-to-tailgate?"
A: The truck will show up at the address you request however, it is the shipper's responsibility to get the item to the truck. At delivery it is the receivers responsibility to take the item from the truck. If your item is to heavy to lift we can provide lift-gate services at an additional cost.
Q: Do my items have to be packed and labeled?
A: The simple answer is yes. In general all items must be packed and it is the shipper's responsibility to pack them. Each item should also be labeled with the destination information (and to avoid confusion, only the destination information).
Q: Can I request an exact pick-up date and time?
A: Yes and no. While we can arrange for pick-up on a certain day, getting an exact time is not possible. In general deliveries are made in the morning and pick-ups are in the afternoon. We can supply you with a phone number to the local terminal so that you can contact them the day before your scheduled pick-up to obtain a closer estimate of the time the truck will be at your door. If you need exact time service it can be arranged at additional cost.
Q: How long do I have to load or unload the truck or container?
A: For trucks it is typically 2 hours and for rail shipments it is typically 1 hour. After this time there will be an hourly fee that may be $50.00 or even $100.00 per hour or part thereof. Unloading is the same.
Q: How long will it take for my shipment to arrive?
A: Of course this depends on the type of shipment (ground air or ocean) and how far it's going. If you asked one of our agents and were told "the shipment normally takes "X" business days" this is not a guarantee, but rather the average time for similar shipments. We can give you a guaranteed delivery date but this is an additional cost service.
Q: Is my shipment insured?
A: Yes. All residential ground shipments are insured under the National Motor Carriers Association rules as NMFC item 100240 Sub1. This insures your goods at value of $.10 per pound, if you require additional insurance we can provide it through an independent insurance company at nominal costs. If your item is coming from the manufacturer or if this is a commercial shipment it can be insured for actual value up to $25.00 per pound. Ask an agent about this. Commercial shipments may also be insured for "Release Value" once again, ask one of our agents.
Q: Will my shipment be weighed?
A: Possibly. If you do not know how much your shipment weighs you need to use your best judgment in estimating. You will be billed on this estimate. When your shipment reaches a central terminal a Dock Master will inspect it. Using his experience he will judge if you have under-estimated the weight. If he thinks you have under-estimated he will have the shipment weighed and you will be billed on the actual weight. If on the other hand he is sure that the weight for which you have been billed is at least enough to cover the actual weight it will probably not be re-weighed. In this case you will pay whatever you estimated. For air or ocean shipments please see our Air/Ocean page.