Common Carriers
Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Common Carriers
Are you looking for dependable, affordable service in the transportation of goods or people? Many businesses and associations choose to employ common carriers under such circumstances.
You'll find reliable common carriers available to serve you nationwide. These carriers offer their services to the general public and are licensed to operate by various government regulatory bodies. By making their service available to the general public, these characters work for the public convenience and necessity without discrimination as to the type of jobs they accept and clients they work for. These carriers are different from contract carriers who only transport goods or persons for a certain number of clients.
Carriers of this kind frequently transport goods or persons as defined by published routes, schedules and rates. Some typical examples of such carriers include commercial airlines, railroads, bus lines, taxi companies, cruise ships, trucking companies and other freight shippers. In Europe and other parts of the world, carriers of this kind are known as public carriers. Information about carriers and the services they provide can frequently be located online. Business.com is a resource that can make it easier to explore your options. You can visit the links on the left to find out more.
Common Carriers
Working with common carrier services to simplify your shipping needsBy Kelly L. Trainor, CEO Paperweight Productions Common freight carrier services can be advantageous for your small business. Common carriers are available on demand using a load-by-load contract with no long-term commitment for either party. Without the need for an extended service contract, your business is free to utilize common carrier freight companies as frequently–or infrequently—as desired.
Trucking carriers come in all sizes; from small companies with a single truck to huge corporations with terminals in numerous states. You can access these common carrier trucking services by contacting carriers directly, or by hiring a broker to act in your stead.
Savvy business owners streamline their shipping and receiving departments by knowing:
1. Where to find common carrier trucking companies with available trucks.
2. When to use brokers to obtain common carrier services, and when to avoid them.
3. How to lessen risk factors by screening trucking carriers.
Utilize load boards to find common carrier services in your area
Expedite your shipments by choosing common carrier trucking companies that have empty equipment nearby. Load boards can show you which common carriers have local trucks available for immediate or scheduled pickup of your product.
Try: Take virtual tours of Getloaded.com and Internet Truckstop, two of the most comprehensive load boards in the industry.
Keep brokers on standby to provide common carrier truck backup in a pinch
Access additional equipment as needed through brokers; but be aware of their drawbacks. The middleman element provides more opportunity for miscommunication and shipment delays. Use a brokerage with stringent requirements for its brokers. If an unscrupulous broker refuses to pay the carrier, the shipper can be held legally responsible even if the shipper has already paid the broker for the move.
Try: Always investigate brokers before committing to a service contract. C.H. Robinson is an umbrella brokerage with hundreds of brokers at your service. To check an individual broker's track record, RTS Credit Service offers payment history and customer satisfaction rates.
Screen a potential common freight carrier to lessen risk factors
Before loading a carrier, find out who you're dealing with. Limit your financial risk by verifying every potential freight carrier's common authority, insurance coverage and safety rating.
Try: The FMCSA’s L&I Report and SafeStat system can provide you with all the tools necessary to ensure a potential freight carrier has an adequate safety record and is in good legal standing.
- Small owner operators are typically eager to please shippers in hopes of return business. Large corporate carriers often lack customer service skills; with statistically higher driver turnover rates, you may never see the same driver twice. This means with large carriers, you'll have to give directions and explain shipping and receiving procedures again and again.
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