Tips to avoid adjustments.

• General tips
• Crating
• Avoiding adjustments
• Freight dictionary

Adjustments can be applied by freight carriers when the information provided by the shipper does not match the actual shipment details. Adjustments can be costly, but can be avoided by providing accurate information on each shipment.

Common adjustments.

• Oversize fee: Applies to shipments exceeding 12 feet in length. If the dimensions are factored into the quote in advance, this fee can be avoided.
• Lift-gate: Lift-gate trucks are required for freight exceeding 100 pounds or 72 inches in height and the pick up or drop off location does not have an accessible dock to move the shipment directly off the truck.
• Limited delivery access: If the pick up or drop off location has limited access for carriers, an adjustment may be applied. Limited access locations include: camps, places of worship, educational institutions, construction sites, fairs and carnivals, individual/mini storage units, military base/installations, mine sites, some government facilities, schools, businesses located outside city limits, rural locations and farms. Limited access may also include commercial businesses not open to the walk-in public or where an employee is not available to assist with loading or unloading.
• Residential fees: Can apply to pick up or drop off locations that are not businesses. This can include businesses that are not visibly labeled to the public. To avoid this adjustment to a business, make sure the business name is accurately listed on the bill of lading.
• Reclass: If a freight carrier has quoted a shipment based on a Freight/NMFC class, and the actual class is different for the items being shipped, a reclass adjustment will be applied.
• Bill of lading changes: Changes to the bill of lading, including changes to the shipper address, consignee address, piece count, weight and freight call can result in adjustments if a carrier has based the freight quote on any of the provided information.