Freight Shipping

Distance.
An obvious one, but the total distance your package needs to travel will affect the price. A Trans-Pacific trip will be more expensive than a train moving your goods to another city that’s 300 miles away.

Timing.
High-priority rush shipments will always cost more than those that move slower. The more lenient you are on the delivery date, the cheaper it will be.

Mode of transport.
As noted earlier, freight covers transportation by truck, rail, sea and air. The mode of transportation will have a big impact on the price. Ocean freight is usually the cheapest option, followed by rail, truck and air.

Weight.
There’s a big difference between moving a 200-pound item and a 3,000-pound collection of pallets, and prices will reflect that. The greater the weight of a shipment, the harder it is to move and the less capacity there is for other goods, increasing costs.

Size.
Will your box take up a small corner of the truck bed or a quarter of all available space? How tall is your pallet of goods? As you would guess, the larger your items, the more you’ll pay.

Location.
The pickup point for your shipment affects rates in a few different ways. How close is it to the carrier’s nearest location? Is it close to pickup spots for other businesses that may join your journey? These can all factor into the price.

Time of year.
Weather can be a major issue when moving goods, whether it’s unfriendly seas or highway closures due to snowy roads. These issues tend to strike more at certain times of year, which will affect how much you pay.

Density/stowability.
How well do your items pack down? Do the dimensions suit a shipping container or truck trailer and leave space for other products? This affects the amount shippers can fit in a total load and therefore is a factor in price.