How To Protect Your LTL Freight Shipments

You spend valuable money to get your freight from point A to point B — and to get it there in one piece. While freight damage is occasionally unavoidable, there are still simple steps you can take to safeguard your shipments and limit damage in transit.

Are you taking the proper precautions to ensure your freight shipments are ready for a safe trip? Here are our top tips for preparing — and protecting — your LTL freight:

Start with the right materials

Skimping on packaging can lead to costly damage to your freight shipments. Be sure to use new, strong boxes. You should also consider standardizing the size of your boxes so they stack easily and securely on the pallet.

Don’t forget LTL freight impact protection

Impact protection keeps your shipments safe from ordinary bumps along the road. Individually wrap your goods to provide proper cushioning — you can use materials like crumpled paper or bubble wrap. We recommend avoiding styrofoam peanuts, as your goods may settle to the bottom of the box during transit.

Pay attention to your pallets

Before loading packages, check to make sure your pallets don’t have any broken boards or protruding fasteners. Stack the boxes in columns from edge-to-edge rather than interlocking them or stacking them in a pyramid shape. Also, don’t let your freight spill off the sides of your pallet — overhanging product is extremely susceptible to damage!

Unishippers’ team of experts stay up-to-date on industry best practices to help you get your freight on the road safely. Helping you understand how to properly package your freight is just one of the ways we help make LTL freight shipping easier.