Crates and Freight Shipping | CitizenShipper
A crate is a large shipping box, usually made of wood. It serves for shipping heavy items made of different materials, as well as fragile items. Unlike cardboard boxes that can easily dent, crates provide high protection for your precious goods.
Freight is the transportation of goods in bulk. Any shipment over 150 lbs is considered freight. When shipping freight, crating your goods is a great way to ensure your items will be delivered in pristine condition.
This article will provide you with some quick tips and tricks when it comes to crates and shipping freight. We will discuss how you can make or buy crates for your goods, and different freight shipping types you can use for your crated goods.
Crating of Your Goods
Before you start looking for a crate, there are several things you need to consider.
The size of the crate will depend on the size of the goods you need to ship. Make sure that the crate you opt for is big enough for all of your items to fit in it. However, the crate should not be too big. That is, the items should be packed into the crate so that there is not much free space left, as free space translates into items moving within the crate, making it possible for the items to be damaged. Whatever extra space is left in your crate, make sure to fill it with packing material such as foam peanuts or shredded paper.
Your budget and the time you need to have your crate might go hand in hand. If you have a tight budget and some spare time, you may consider building a crate yourself. Since you will need some time to research how to DIY, shop for quality materials, and then do the handiwork, it will probably take longer than a couple of days that are usually needed for crate sellers to deliver a crate to you. However, buying a crate can be a tad bit more expensive.
Do it Yourself
You might have already taken a quick look at the crate prices, and got surprised by its cost. But not to worry! If you have some free time on your hands and like to build stuff yourself, you can have your crate and not break your budget. Your goods will still have the best protection if you opt to build a crate yourself. Depending on the size of the crate you need, check out the videos from the people who are already experienced in building their own crates. Taking the time to build a crate yourself is a good investment, as you will be able to reuse the crate you have built.
Buying a Crate
If you need your crate quickly, and you are sure that your items can be packed into a standard wood crate, then you can simply order one. Even though they are “standard” they still come in different sizes, so you do have a lot of room for your choice.
However, if your item is too small, or too big, then you should consider buying a custom-made wood crate. This kind of crate will be a bit more expensive than the standard wood crate, as they will be made according to your specific requirements.
There is also a third possibility for crating your goods, and that is on-site crating. This means that someone (or more people) from the crating company will come to your designated location, and build the crate on the spot. At your request, they can even pack and secure the goods to the crate. This kind of service takes time, and it is commonly used for fragile items. As such, this service comes at a greater price.
Shipping Freight
The weight and the size of your crate will contribute to the cost of the shipping freight, as well as the distance that the freight will be carried for. Before loading your crates onto the carrier, make sure that the crates are marked correctly. If the items are fragile, let it be clearly stated on the crate. Bill of landing is a document that works as a receipt of freight services. It states the exact name of the goods and serves as a contract of carriage. The carrier should provide you with the bill of lading when you hand them over your goods. Make sure to attach one copy of the bill of landing to your crate.
Types of Freight Shipping
There are several freight shipping types, but the two most commonly used are full truckload (FTL) and less than truckload (LTL).
Full Truckload
Full truckload (FTL) freight shipping is used when the whole truck is reserved for one shipment only. This kind of freight shipping amounts to a cheaper option if you have a large enough shipment to completely (or nearly completely) fill the entire truck. Since this kind of freight shipping does not make any other pickups or drop-offs, your shipment will get to the desired destination more quickly.
Less Than Truckload
Less Than Truckload (LTL) type of freight shipment is the most commonly used one. It is frequently used for the transportation of smaller freight. Your shipment will not fill the entire truck, so you can expect it to be carried with other shipments. While sharing the truck, you will also be sharing the cost, so the price you will be paying for this kind of freight shipping can be way less than it is for full truckload freight shipping. On the downside, the delivery of your goods can take a longer time, even as much as three times longer.
Choosing CitizenShipper for Your Freight Shipping
CitizenShipper offers you both full truckload and less than truckload freight shipping options. List your shipment with CitizenShipper, state the pickup and delivery location, the size and weight of your crate, and wait for the quotes to come in. Our platform is made in such a convenient way, that it is very easy for you to chat with transporters and ask them all the questions you have. You can also check out their reviews and choose the one you feel is the greatest match for your freight.
