Maybe you just took over the shipping responsibilities for your company and have no idea where to start. Maybe your business has grown from shipping parcel only to shipping one or two pallets at a time and trying to learn about LTL shipping services has your head spinning. Either way, never fear. Shipping LTL can be pretty confusing, but we’re here to help! To start, there are three LTL terms you should be aware of – both their meaning, and their implication. Equipped with this knowledge, you’ll be ready to tackle your first LTL shipment with ease.

What is my LTL freight class? Why is it so important? 

The NMFC (National Motor Freight Classification) guidelines were created, in part, to provide a standardized way for LTL carriers to assess the expense and difficulty involved in transporting a particular commodity. Put simply, your freight class ranks your shipment’s “transportability” on a number scale from 50 to 500 – 50 being the easiest to transport, 500 being the most difficult. Items with a low class are usually heavy and dense, like bricks. Items with a higher class are lighter and more fragile, like empty glass containers. Ultimately, class is based on four characteristics: density, stowability, handling, and liability. These factors, combined, all contribute to the freight class.

Freight class is important because it has a huge impact on the cost of LTL shipping. Knowing your freight class is vital to ensure you’re getting an accurate quote on the cost of  LTL shipping – and if you ship something listed at the wrong class, your freight would be inspected and your freight charges could increase significantly.

Have no idea what your freight class is? Not to worry. When you provide us with your shipment details, we’ll get all the information we need about the commodity and its packaging to determine your freight class.

What is an NMFC number? How is an NMFC number different from freight class?

The NMFC has created a system with thousands of numbers that each correspond individually to a single commodity, and they’re very specific. Your NMFC number determines what your freight class is. For example: potato flour is 73080, and listed at class 55, whereas corn flour is 73140, and listed at class 50. Just describing your commodity as “flour,” as you can see, is not enough. The NMFC number can change depending on how your commodity is packaged whether it’s in bags, boxes, glass, or crates can have an effect.

After your NMFC code has been determined, it’s used to look up the corresponding freight class for your commodity. Again, if you’re not sure of your NMFC number, it’s okay – our LTL Service specialists can take the information you give us about your commodity and its packaging to help you figure out your NMFC number. By doing this we’ll ensure an accurate quote and that you experience no additional freight charges due to classification.

What does FAK stand for? What does FAK mean in LTL shipping?

FAK stands for “freight all kinds”. If you ship multiple commodities at different freight classes, you can negotiate a FAK in order to ship everything together at the same class. This way, you don’t have to figure out the NMFC number associated with each item you ship. For example, if you ship items at class 70 and other items at class 200, you may want to negotiate a FAK of 100. If you ship a variety of commodities, you should consider contacting us about negotiating a FAK on your behalf. You could see freight savings, the benefit of a standardized freight cost for multiple products and commodities, and protection from future changes to the classification of your commodities.

We know this is barely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to LTL shipping, but armed with this knowledge, you should feel more confident charging ahead in your new LTL shipping endeavors! If you have more questions, we are here as a resource. Feel free to ask us a question online or if you’re ready to start shipping LTL, you can request an LTL quote here!

We get it – when you’ve been managing your transportation manually, the thought of integrating technology into your processes can be a little intimidating. Especially if you’ve been doing things the same way for 15 years. But if you’re a good candidate for transportation management software, the time and money you’ll save by switching means that it’s something you should seriously consider – and believe it or not, integrating a TMS into your supply chain doesn’t mean ditching everything you know.

Of course, the pressing question is: how do you know when it’s the right time? How can you tell if it’s really something you need? Having offered this software solution for years, we’ve gradually noticed a pattern. There are two major characteristics that define the companies who truly, desperately need the TMS. To find out if your company fits the mold, read on.

Telltale Sign #1: Too many manual processes

This one is sort of a no-brainer, but if your supply chain is managed in a largely manual fashion, you should consider a TMS. Not sure what we mean? Well, consider your day-to-day tasks. Are you consolidating your loads manually? Do you have a manual quoting and tendering process? Is it impossible for you to report on your transportation data? Are you manually entering data into an Excel spreadsheet? Are you lacking EDI communication? If you have other locations around the country, do you have to call or email them in order to gather shipment information? And perhaps the most telltale sign of all – are you hand-writing your bills of lading? If this description fits you… you should seriously consider a TMS.

Telltale Sign #2: Your company is either in growth mode or emergency mode.

Most companies peacefully exist somewhere in between these two modes, and if you only fit the bill for the first telltale sign, you should still consider a TMS. However, if your company also falls into one of the two categories below, that means you need to call us and learn more about the TMS literally as soon as you’re done reading this blog.

What do we mean by growth mode? We’re referencing a specific scenario: your company is experiencing seriously great success, but there is a caveat. Maybe it was unexpected, or maybe you were planning for exponential growth all along, but either way, the success has also brought a drawback: you’re drowning. There’s so much new business that your old processes aren’t efficient enough to work anymore. You’re not sure what to do in order to effectively service all your new customers without making some serious changes.

Emergency mode is on the other end of the spectrum. Trouble is on the horizon. Maybe there have been some layoffs, but your team is still expected to handle the same workload. Perhaps the guy who’s been handling your transportation is about to retire after 20 years – and no one knows how to do his job. Maybe your company is being acquired, or you’re merging with another company, and you’re not sure how to integrate or change your supply chain management strategies. Maybe you’re facing financial troubles and you need to seriously overhaul who is responsible for what on your staff.

No matter which end of the spectrum you fall on, a TMS can address all these issues. The efficiency created by automating your supply chain means you can accomplish more work with less people, freeing up time for your employees to accomplish whatever else is a pressing need.

Okay, I think we might need to consider transportation management software. What now?

You can check out all the resources on our site to learn more. If you’d prefer to talk to us about it and get direct answers to your questions, you can request to get in touch with our logistics consultants right here on our site. We’re passionate about helping businesses get their supply-chains in tip-top shape, and we can’t wait to hear from you!

MARCH 31st, 2014 – Trinity Logistics has been selected by Pompeian, Inc. as the single source logistics provider for their main distribution center in Baltimore, MD.

Pompeian, founded in 1906 and headquartered in Baltimore, is America’s largest national brand of olive oil, best-selling wine vinegars and a variety of cooking wines. Well-known as the industry leader, Pompeian is the first brand to carry the USDA Quality Monitored seal on its extra virgin olive oil.

Trinity Logistics has been serving Pompeian’s truckload transportation needs for fifteen years. As is the case with many manufacturers in the beginning phase of logistics outsourcing, the partnership between Trinity and Pompeian began as a transactional, load-by-load relationship. Over the years, as Trinity arranged thousands of truckload shipments for Pompeian, including just-in-time expedited shipments, a 15-year track record of successful truckload shipping for Pompeian and its customers emerged. This long-standing relationship built on trust and continued success is what ultimately led to Trinity being selected as Pompeian’s single-source logistics provider.

As part of the agreement, Trinity Logistics has placed a member of their Design Solutions team on-site at Pompeian in Baltimore to assist in managing Pompeian’s logistics operations. Pompeian’s order management system has also been integrated seamlessly with Trinity’s transportation management software (TMS), allowing for more effective load planning and complete shipment visibility.

“Over the past five years, transforming into a single-source logistics solutions provider has been a huge focus for Trinity Logistics,” shared Jeff Banning, Trinity’s CEO and President. “We’ve been relentlessly dedicated to expanding our service offerings and truly becoming a one-stop shop for our customers. The opportunity to put these efforts to work on-site at Pompeian is an incredibly exciting opportunity for all involved.”

“Pompeian strives to provide the best service to our customers.  Such service entails timeliness and accuracy in our deliveries,” explained Robin Harricharan, Controller at Pompeian. “Our relationship with Trinity provides us that comfort.  It is that comfort that led us to welcome Trinity to show us their transportation management software, which we now rely on, and it has been a great success.  We greatly look forward to our continued relationship with Trinity as they assist us in navigating best practices and cost effectiveness in our everyday logistics decisions.”

Want to see exactly how Trinity Logistics has been able to help Pompeian? Check out our case study here.

The Trinity Foundation held its first “Big Pink Volleyball Tournament” on Saturday, March 15th at Sussex Tech High School in Georgetown, Delaware. This event, which is expected to be held annually, was made possible by sponsors such as Tri Gas & Oil, The Bank of Delmarva, Wilgus Insurance Agency & Financial Services, Sharp Energy, and the host sponsor, Trinity Logistics. The event was created in order to raise funds for breast cancer charities. The 2014 proceeds, which totaled to over $5,200, will be donated to the Nanticoke Cancer Care Center in Seaford, Delaware.

Fourteen teams competed to call themselves the champions of the Big Pink Volleyball tournament.  The team names were just as creative as the tournament “uniforms”, including “Breast Assured”, “Rack Pack”, and “Breast Friends Forever” to name a few. The champions of the day included Joe Cognetta, Mac Baldwin, Mike Gast, Kyle Boyce, Roxanne Williams, Crystal Twilley, John Dyson, and Grayson Williams from team Breast Assured.

The week prior to the tournament was declared the “Week of Pink” at Trinity Logistics, where freight consultants turned out in varying shades of pink, participated in games and trivia to promote the theme and excitement leading up to the big event! Check out all the photos in our Facebook album. On Saturday, the teams came dressed in pink or in costumes to embrace the theme and show their support of the cause, including tutu’s and princess crowns! Fans of all ages came to cheer on the teams and gained valuable knowledge about this prevalent disease. The Nanticoke Cancer Center and Delaware Breast Center were present to educate attendees about breast cancer awareness, early detection, and ways to help the cause.

Big Pink Volleyball tournaments got their start back in 2002 as a way for students attending Western Illinois University to raise money for breast cancer awareness and spread into a national network of events, mostly in the collegiate world. Several of our team members are graduates of WIU, and so the idea was born to bring the fun family-friendly event to Delmarva! Special thanks go out to Sharp Energy of Georgetown, DE for donating a pink beachcomber bicycle to be raffled off during the event. If you’re interested in being contacted regarding next year’s tournament, please contact the Trinity Foundation at [email protected] and watch our Facebook events.

If you’ve ever shipped LTL, you’re likely aware of how complicated and confusing it can sometimes be, especially compared to shipping a full truckload. We’ve compiled a list of some commonly asked questions about the nuances of shipping LTL.

On a basic level, what are some key differences between shipping truckload and shipping LTL?
A huge difference is transit time. LTL shipments take longer – it’s sort of like taking a bus instead of a taxi. There are multiple stops, rather than one direct trip. The cost of shipping LTL is much cheaper, of course, because the shipments are smaller than a full truckload. There are stricter requirements for the details provided when booking the shipment, as well as how the shipment is packaged. LTL carriers provide a different level of service than truckload carriers, in general  – the customer is not able to communicate with the driver, and they have a pre-set schedule that cannot be interrupted. Overall, shipping LTL is just a little less flexible and a little more complicated than shipping truckload.

Why is the insurance coverage different on a spot/volume LTL shipment vs. a standard LTL shipment?
Liability is only $1 per pound on spot/volume LTL shipments because the LTL carriers are giving you a very good price, depending on the capacity available in the lane.  You’re sacrificing liability coverage and transit time for a great deal. This is something to take into consideration when deciding to go with standard LTL services or ship based on a spot quote, as sometimes you will have both options.

What classes/commodities/types of shipments do LTL freight companies absolutely LOVE to ship?
LTL carriers love heavy freight that cannot be easily damaged. This includes bricks, stone, sand, pet food, and other dense commodities. It also depends on the shipper and consignee – they love being able to deliver dock to dock. Anything that requires extra time for the driver (prisons, schools, churches, residents, ports, grocery warehouses, etc.) will likely result in a higher rate, as the carriers do not want to be held up at all. The more freight they get on and off the truck, the more money they make – so understandably, they want to go in, get loaded (or unloaded), and get out.

Why is my LTL freight class so high?! 
There could be a few factors that contribute to this. Does your LTL freight have a high value? Is the commodity light and bulky or easily damageable? Does the packaging make it more vulnerable? All of these aspects can drive up your freight class. The one aspect you have control over is your packaging. Products should be crated or boxed to be protected from other freight on the truck, and it also helps the carrier move your freight around easily when they’re at their terminals.

Why don’t I get two hours of free time to load and unload my LTL shipments?
While a truckload carrier has to worry about loading and unloading your shipment only, LTL carriers have a lot of freight to pick up and deliver in a day.  Wait time costs the LTL carriers both time and money, and pushes back all their other appointments.  It’s vital for them to stay on schedule.

What does interline mean?
Interline means that the LTL freight company has a partner carrier that services an area that they do not go into.  Instead of the LTL carrier denying service in that area, they hire another carrier to pick up freight or deliver freight to those areas.

Hopefully some of the things you’ve wondered about shipping LTL have been cleared up! Did we miss a question that you’re been perplexed about? If so, leave a comment below and we will get back to you with the answer! Don’t forget that you can request an LTL quote right here on our website. Let us help you wade through the confusing and sometimes frustrating process using LTL services – we’ll make it a breeze!

If you ship LTL freight, you’re likely aware of the direct impact that your shipment’s freight classification has on the cost required to ship it, but you may not be aware of the organization and processes that actually determine the classification for the commodity you ship. Believe it or not, your commodity is constantly at risk of having its classification changed – and you need to stay in the loop. We can help!

The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) is the group that maintains and publishes the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) guidelines, which outline the LTL freight class for every commodity you could possibly ship here on planet Earth.

Here’s what you may not know: Every year, a group at the NMFTA called the CCSB (Commodity Classification Standards Board) meets and goes over potential classification changes, either voting them into effectiveness, or rejecting the changes. Based on the density, handling, stowability, and liability of a commodity, it may be decided that the previous classification was not an accurate fit. LTL carriers play a huge role in this process, being the ones actually out there on the road, shipping LTL freight – they’re in constant contact with the NMFTA with ideas on which commodities to review in their meetings.

The official commodity classification changes for January 2014 were published last month and are available on www.nmfta.org. It can be a little overwhelming sorting through the document with all the changes up for review, so we did the leg work and made a list of all the commodities that actually had their class changes approved. They are as follows:

If you ship one of the affected commodities, please let us know and we’ll get you more details about the change! One of the perks of using Trinity’s LTL Services on your LTL shipments is that we’ll keep you in the loop on these classification changes. We’re constantly looking out for our customers – if we notice your commodity is on the docket list, you’ll likely be hearing from us. This is just another way we’re able to provide a higher level of service to our customers as a complete 3PL solution.

If you have any questions about the most recent classification changes or want to talk to us more about how this process works, you can contact us here! If you’re concerned that your commodity’s classification is having a negative impact on your shipping costs, we welcome you to request an LTL shipping quote here and see if our rates can help you save some money – there’s a good chance they will.

Trinity Logistics has renewed our partnership with Responsible Care, an American Chemistry Council initiative, recognizing our dedication to safety & sustainability in the chemical industry. We’ve been Responsible Care partners since 2009.

As a logistics provider that frequently arranges chemical and hazmat shipments, we recognize the importance of being ahead of the curve on industry standards for environmental safety, sustainability, and communication. The Responsible Care initiative puts forward a general set of guidelines that we commit to follow as a whole. They are:

• Compliance – We will manage our business activities to meet the requirements of all applicable laws, regulations and other Responsible Care-related requirements to which we subscribe.
• Sustainability – We will conduct our services and activities in a sustainable manner by protecting
  …the health and well-being of our employees and stakeholders; and
  …the environment through prevention of pollution.
• Continual Improvement – We will regularly evaluate environmental, health, safety and security performance, measure improvements and define improvement objectives.
• Openness – In a committment to openness, we will encourage and seek constructive dialogue with stakeholders.

Many chemical manufacturers and distributors require their logistics providers to be Responsible Care partners, and we don’t blame them. A dedication to industry best practices shows that your logistics provider cares about your industry just as much as you do. We’re committed to servicing the chemical industry, and we’d love for you to request a shipping quote!

Did you know that Trinity is now offering yet another new service to our customers? We can now arrange intermodal shipments in and out of Mexico! This is a true door-to-door service, with no trans-loading or delays at the border – all for one price, with one invoice. You’ll only have to work with Trinity during the entire transit of the shipment, instead of having to deal with both Mexican and U.S. carriers.

Unlike highway shipments that must be trans-loaded at the border to a Mexican carrier, with intermodal, the shipments clear and cross the border while staying on the original loaded container – all the way to the consignee’s door, resulting in a lesser chance of damage or shortages due to the trans-loading. The primary border crossing points are Laredo, El Paso and Nogales – connecting intermodal service between Mexico and most major markets in the United States, moving in both directions.

There have been many recent articles in major publications about how companies are bringing manufacturing “closer to home” and establishing plants in Mexico due to lower wages, transportation costs, and shying away from more traditional trading partners like China. A great indication of this is the surge in cross-border intermodal volumes – in Quarter 2 of 2012, there were 11,461 shipments, compared to Quarter 2 of 2013, with 22,277 shipments – an increase of 94%!

Due to the large trade imbalance, the biggest cost advantage for you can be found with shipments moving south to Mexico. With all the large manufacturing located in Mexico and the need for equipment there, we can offer very competitive pricing on these shipments.

The railroads have recognized the importance of the expanding Mexican market, and they’ve invested large sums in their infrastructure to improve their service. As an example, our largest intermodal rail provider is offering service six days per week between Chicago and Monterrey. Additionally, both Mexican and U.S. customs have taken notice of the large increase in volume, and they’ve spent large amounts to modernize and automate the documentation process to avoid any delays at the border. Everyone should get on board as this train leaves the station!

When you’re shipping LTL, thinking about all the potential expenses can be a little scary. Unexpected accessorial charges… volatile pricing… freight classes that could change at any time… fees and fines if you skip or make a mistake on any part of the complicated LTL shipping process… eek!

Luckily, this Halloween, you don’t have to face your fears alone. Partnering with a 3PL like Trinity can majorly simplify the process of shipping LTL, and beyond that, it can save you some serious money. We’ve rounded up a couple of examples here to show you exactly what you can expect.

One of our customers, a chemical manufacturing company, was using one LTL carrier exclusively to handle their LTL shipments. When they decided to outsource their LTL to Trinity, it was a major decision that resulted in some awesome cost savings for them. By taking advantage of our contracted rates with dozens of LTL carriers and our flexibility with routing and shipment consolidation, they’re saving thousands of dollars each month. In March of this year, over the course of a single month alone, they saved almost $15,000 compared to using the carrier they worked with previously. And if that isn’t enough of a sweet treat… not a single one of those shipments had any damages, a major improvement from their past track record with the other carrier.

Another Trinity customer, a pet food manufacturer, was struggling to find reasonable LTL rates for their regular shipments to one of their customers (about 12-14 pallets per shipment). They were lacking carrier relationships and paying the price – big time. After consulting with Trinity’s LTL Services team for a solution, we were able to assist them in consolidating 2-3 LTL shipments at a time into one truckload shipment and provide them with access to a network of reliable carriers. This company is now saving an average of 35% on every single LTL shipment!

Don’t forget that we also offer a free LTL freight management portal that makes it simple and easy for you to book your own shipments while taking advantage of our contracted carrier rates.

Don’t be frightened of your LTL shipping expenses this Halloween – request a quote using our easy online form and see how sweet your savings can really be!

If you’re involved in shipping at all, you’re likely already aware of the MAP-21 Act that went into effect on October 1st of this year. This groundbreaking transportation legislation was a major game-changer and there’s still serious buzz about its implications – especially hot-button issues like required EOBRs on all trucks and the broker bond increase (you can read more about those in our last blog on this subject).

Something that hasn’t received quite as much news coverage but will still have a major impact on the trucking industry is the implementation of what’s being called a Unified Registration System, or URS. This particular piece of the bill will begin implementation in just a few days, on November 1st, 2013, with a final compliance date and the system up and running by October 23rd, 2015. So… what does it mean?

What is the Unified Registration System (URS)?

This new electronic system will eliminate paper forms in the registration and record keeping process for all carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and other transportation providers. All of these companies and their authority will now be registered and tracked in the exact same system, all in one place.

Sounds pretty simple! What’s the big deal?

Due to the implementation of the URS, new information disclosure requirements are being put into place. Because all records will now live in the same unified database, the FMSCA can link records together. Previously, it was requested (but not required) for transportation providers to disclose if they’d ever had a different MC number or done business under a different name. Because this wasn’t an enforced requirement, sneaky carriers who had terrible CSA scores or had their authority revoked could easily “start from scratch” and apply for new authority under a new name, with the FMCSA having no real way of tracking their history. These carriers were colloquially known as “chameleon carriers”.

Because of the URS, this information is now required to be disclosed. Anyone applying for or renewing their authority must officially declare their past MC numbers or company names so that the records in the unified system can be linked together and no past transgressions fall by the wayside.

Is this a good thing?

Absolutely! It’s great for us, as a transportation provider who is focused on booking only compliant and reliable carriers for our customers – and it’s great for you, too, if you work with asset-based carriers as well as non-asset based providers like Trinity. There’s no such thing as a fresh start for non-compliant carriers anymore. If they’ve had their authority revoked, it’ll be a blemish on their record forever, and as long as you are properly vetting the carriers you select to move your freight, all of that information will be visible to you. In the past, it was possible to be duped by a “chameleon carrier,” but the chances of that happening to you now are very slim.

Have questions about the URS or the MAP-21 Act? You can read more about the URS here or just comment on this blog and we’ll help you out!