Trucking

ALASKA FREIGHTWAYS INC Alps Logistics Company Limited American Carriers, Inc. American Freightways Corporation Ampace Applied Distribution Group Plc Arkansas Best Corporation Asche Transportation Services, Inc. Bandai Logipal Inc. Bfi Canada Income Fund Bolton Industrial Holdings Ltd Brown Transport Co., Inc. Btl Ab Builders Transport, Inc. C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. Caliber System, Inc. Cargo Carriers Limited Celadon Group, Inc. Central Freight Lines, Inc. Cetrans Usti Nad Labem A.S. Chemical Leaman Corp. Chuo Warehouse Company Limited Circle Express, Inc. CNF, Inc. Contrans Corp. DE Sammensluttede Vognmaend A/s Dynamex Inc. Exel Investments Plc EXEL PLC - ADR Finemore Holdings Limited Forward Air Corporation Fuji Distribution CO., Ltd. Fukuyama Transporting CO Ltd Hamakyorex Co., Ltd. Han Express Heartland Express Inc. Hill Hire Plc Hitachi Transport System Limited Hutechnorin Co., Ltd.

Intereuropa Inc J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. Japan Logistic Systems Corp. (nihon Loji K & S Corporation Limited Kanda Corporation Kanto Seino Transportation CO., Ltd. Keihin Co., Ltd. Kenan Transport Company Kllm Transport Services, Inc. KOREA EXPRESS COMPANY LIMITED (THE) Kukbo Transportation Company Limited Laminacao Nacional De Metais S/a Landstar Systems Inc. Laser Group Limited Lastas AS Lep Group Plc M.S. Carriers Maruwn Corporation Maruzen Showa Unyu CO Ltd Matlack Systems, Inc. Meitetsu Transport Company Morgan Group Nabisco Group Ltd. Nippon Konpo Unyu Soko Co., Ltd. Nohi Seino Transportation CO., Ltd. Norbert Dentressangle Okayamaken Freight Transportion CO., Ltd Overnite Corporation P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. Patriot Transportation Holding, Inc. Petit Forestier Preston Corporation Professional Transportation Group Ltd., Professional Waste Technology (1999) Public Company Limited Prominter Nv PST Vans, Inc. Quality Distribution, Inc. ROADWAY CORPORATION Rollins Truck Leasing Corp.

S Line Gifu Co., Ltd. Sanwa Soko Co., Ltd. Sapporo Express Co., Ltd. SCS Transportation, Inc. Senko CO Limited Senkon Logistics Co., Ltd. (senkon Butsu Simon Transportation Sirva Inc Sncf Participations Stef-ste Franc Transprt Entrepot Frigor Stef-Tfe Stemi-ste De Transpor Et Manutent Indust Super Group Limited Suzuyo Shinwart Corporation Syltone Plc T Join Transportation Company Limited T.i.p. Europe Plc Taiho Transportation Co., Ltd. Takase Corporation Tohbu Network Co., Ltd. TOKAI SEINO TRANSPORTATION CO., LTD. Tokyu Logistic Company Limited Toll Holdings Limited Tonami Transportation CO Limited Trancom Co., Ltd. Transfinancial Holdings, Inc. Transit Group, Inc. Trimac Corporation United Parcel Service (UPS), Inc. Unitrans Limited US 1 Industries, Inc. USfreightways Utoc Corporation Value Group Limited Vbg AB Viking Freight, Inc. Worldway Corporation Yellow Roadway Corporation

Guide to Finding the Trucking Services You Need

Pricing and service levels are complicated so learn before you buy
By Barbara Whitaker

While getting products from Point A to Point B might seem like a fairly straightforward proposition, hiring a trucking service can be a complicated endeavor. From understanding the lingo to sorting through the vast number of alternatives, it's important to examine a few key issues:

1. The type of material you need to transport and whether special handling is necessary
2. The area served by the trucking firm
3. The cost of shipping
4. Insurance coverage

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand your options Your choice of a trucking company will be dictated in part by the size of the load you need to transport. Different types of carriers move different quantities of goods. 'Full truckload carriers' move goods in a semi trailer and carry large loads. 'Less-than-truck-load carriers' collect smaller loads and may take them to a central distribution point. A parcel carrier like United Parcel Service typically handles loads that weigh less than 150 pounds.

I recommend:  For a broad look at the various types of carriers and brokers, visit Transport 911, which provides more than a dozen trucking-related directories, from freight and transportation consultants to freight brokers to truckload carriers.

Learn the language If you don't know a bill of lading (itemized list of materials contained in a shipment) from an LDL (less than load), you can look up the terms easily.

I recommend:  Find definitions and abbreviations for commonly used trucking terms at A-Z Trucking Terminology. Check out Freight101 to learn how freight fees are calculated. This site provides tools like density calculators and metric-to-inch converters that will help you calculate shipping costs.

Understand pricing Trucking companies often use the 'National Motor Freight Classification' to calculate prices. This classification uses a formula to evaluate the density, ease of handling and liability of materials being shipped. The goods are then placed in one of 18 categories and ranked by ease of transport. The idea is to make pricing more uniform.

I recommend:  The National Motor Freight Traffic Association establishes the classifications, which also include details on packaging that can ultimately result in lower shipping prices. Participation by trucking firms is voluntary. Still, knowing the prices the association sets is valuable when negotiating fees. Details about how the system works are available on the association's Web site, but you can only make actual pricing calculations by purchasing the association's classification guide.

Find a trucker There are dozens of options, from local to national to international carriers. Business associations often create relationships with trucking companies that offer discounts to members.

I recommend:  Business.com has an extensive listing of trucking companies and brokers. Among the largest shippers are Yellow Transportation, Roadway Express and Schneider National, all of which provide quotes online. If you want a local trucking company, search online yellow page directories like Switchboard or SuperPages. Look up your trade group on Weddle's Association Directory and ask about group rates on trucking.

Use a broker Brokers do much of the legwork for you and can help you find the best price.

I recommend:  Several freight brokers provide online comparison shopping and free rate quotes with no obligation. They include sites like US Truck Loads, The Freight Source and Freight Center. Also available are sites like uShip, which bills itself as the eBay of shipping, bringing together shipping companies with those who have something to ship.

Check out trucking companies Before signing with a company get as much background information as possible about its accident history and reliability. Ask companies for their overall claims ratio, which compares damage claims with the number of shipments carried. Be sure they have registered their vehicles, they have proper insurance; and drug testing programs for their drivers (which is voluntary).

I recommend:  It's a good idea to check with local Better Business Bureaus about complaints against companies. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, registers and compiles background and safety data on shippers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Look for shippers that will carry your load the entire way if possible.
• Be sure your load is adequately insured.
• Check out the company's business and safety history before signing contracts.