Shipping Options for Oversized/Bulk Items

Tuesday November 2, 2021

ProPac offers over 600 disaster response and preparedness items on our website. Our items vary greatly in size, shape and quantity. Sometimes we must ship products that are too large for a regular shipment through a freight carrier. These types of shipments are only used when a customer orders either an oversized item or a bulk order of smaller items. There are a few terms to know before receiving a delivery through a freight service.

• LTL Delivery (less-than-truckload) – This is the transportation of products or goods that do not require a full truckload due to the smaller nature of the parcel. Therefore, there are typically multiple separate shipments being transported on one truck.
• Liftgate Service – Usually when taking a freight delivery to a business, there is a receiving area where a truck driver can back their trailer up and roll the delivery right into the warehouse. When delivering to a residential address however, the freight needs to be offloaded somehow. If the delivery is too heavy to be carried off the truck, liftgate service is necessary to receive the delivery. The carrier will unload the delivery off the liftgate and up to your front door.
• White Glove Service – This service is a premium add-on used when the delivery requires extra care, or the receiver needs help getting the delivery to a location inside their business or home. White glove service can be a catchall for many things including special packaging, attention to detail, precision timing, freight tracking, item assembly and customer service. Check with your carrier for exact details.
• Pallet Jacks/Forklifts – If your delivery is too heavy to carry, it will need to be delivered using a forklift or pallet jack. This may include a surcharge.
• Appointment Required – This means an appointment must be scheduled for delivery to ensure someone is available to receive the delivery and sign for it. For most large deliveries, if there isn’t anyone to receive it, the delivery will be loaded back on the truck and rescheduled for another day.
• Delivery to a Secured Location – Some facilities are not open to the public. There is usually an additional fee ranging from $40 - $100 to deliver to a secured location. Secured locations may include military facilities, correctional facilities, government facilities, airports, schools and hospitals.

Knowing all the steps to an LTL delivery is very important for the sender and receiver. Customers should always plan out how and where they will receive an order before placing it. Everything goes much smoother when all sides are informed and know exactly what to expect.