Freightquote by C.H. Robinson Blog

About 122.5 million households, 7.5 million businesses and north of 90,000 governmental units rely on freight shipping every day to get their goods to those waiting on the other end. The challenge is, the senders and receivers of this freight are often times separated by hundreds or thousands of miles.

Here at Freightquote, we take pride in the fact that we have a team of experts ready to answer any shipping-related questions customers might have. However, becoming and remaining an industry expert is reliant upon understanding what’s happening across the industry. 

When moving freight, do you consider intermodal shipping as an option? Many believe you have to spend a minimum amount on freight annually in order to ship by rail – that is a myth. With the softening of the market and need for additional freight, railroads have become diligent about converting truckload moves to steel tracks.

As an employee or owner of an e-commerce company, building out your online storefront, creating a unique brand voice and marketing to your audience can all be very exciting, but also time consuming. As a result, it’s very easy to overlook the complexities that can come with shipping large, freight-weighted products to your customers after they hit “submit order.”

When your business requires you to ship or receive freight, you may find yourself looking for ways to save money, and for good reason. At the end of the day, businesses are looking for the best way to get their goods from one place to another at the lowest rate possible. 

If you ship LTL freight, you have likely navigated the often-confusing freight classification system that’s widely used across the industry. Our team of freight experts recently put together a white paper with the freight class answers you might be seeking.

As you evaluate ways to cut down on costs, you may begin booking freight shipments based on the lowest rates you can find. However, booking shipments based on cost alone could lead to a myriad of issues and unforeseen post-shipment charges.

Summer in most parts of the United States typically means an abundance of sun and as a result, high temperatures. While sitting on a park bench and eating an ice cream cone can result in a melted mess with a simple cleanup to follow, damage done to temperature-sensitive goods as a result of the heat can be much more problematic for shippers. 

The shipping industry is on the peak of a massive transformation as today’s modern freight shippers rely on new and powerful digital technologies to accelerate efficiency. Change can be tough, but shippers realize that if they want to compete, they’ll need to abandon their old methods to truly find success.

Out with the old. In with the new. At the end of the year, most drivers will be required to ditch their paper logs and start using electronic logging devices (ELDs). While the mandate creates a lot of confusion for carriers, it also opens opportunities to improve safety and efficiency.