Minimizing Missed Pickups: What You Can Do

Avoid Missed Pickups With These Simple Prep Tips

Pickups and deliveries in freight shipping are estimated, not guaranteed. But there are some best practices you can follow to make sure everything’s ready on your end so nothing gets delayed on your end. Here’s all you need to know!

Ready and Accurate Paperwork

The bill of lading (BOL) and shipping labels are what ensure your freight gets to where it needs to go without getting lost or stuck. These documents include all key shipment details such as pickup and delivery addresses, carrier information, contact numbers, freight class (if applicable), weight, dimensions, and a description of goods.

It also includes requested services such as a straight truck or tailgate request. If your paperwork lacks this information—indicating that these services were not requested during booking—a truck without those features may show up, potentially causing delays and additional value-added service charges. 

If you’re shipping cross-border, ensure that your customs invoice is completed, consistent with your BOL, and submitted to your customs broker ahead of time. Missing customs documentation is one of the most common reasons for border delays, and it may lead to return-to-shipper fees, storage charges, or inspections.

It’s a good practice to double-check your paperwork before printing it. With platforms like Freightera, documents like the BOL and labels are generated automatically, reducing mistakes, but it’s still worth taking a moment to verify everything before the carrier arrives. You can find a more in-depth guide on shipping paperwork here.

Proper Communication

Shipping is a multi-party process. The person booking the freight may not be the one sending or receiving it, making effective communication essential.

You want to make sure your shipper or your consignee is fully aware that a carrier is arriving to collect or deliver the cargo. They need to be aware of the pickup date and estimated time window. Pickups are usually done in the afternoons, when the trucks are empty (after completing their deliveries) and carriers usually need at least a 2-hour window to perform a pickup successfully. The larger the pickup window, the greater the chance your cargo gets picked up on time.

Your shipper also needs to know which carrier is coming to pick up the cargo (this is listed on the bill of lading). If you’re unsure whether the correct carrier showed up, feel free to give us a call and we’ll be more than happy to confirm that for you!

Confirm what equipment is needed. We mentioned in the paperwork section that unpaid value-added services can result in delays. So make sure to communicate with your shipper or consignee if they need anything extra. In some cases, a smaller truck or a tailgate may not be enough. In rare cases, you may need or choose to go the extra mile and rent a forklift from a 3rd party provider. So make sure that everything is clear before the shipment is booked.

What’s being shipped? In LTL shipping, it’s essential to confirm (with all parties) whether your shipment is fragile or possibly hazmat. Additional services, such as do-no-stack or dedicated hazmat trucks with the necessary permits and paperwork, may be required

Even a minor miscommunication, such as a shipping dock closed for lunch or an unavailable receiver, can result in a missed pickup. That often leads to redelivery fees, reconsignment, or storage, so it’s always better to keep everyone in the loop ahead of time.

Our system will send the BOL to our client and the shipper. But you still want to make sure that nobody missed that email and that the paperwork is printed and ready for the driver. 

Proper Packaging

We can’t overstate how important proper packaging is for both successful pickups and safe transit. Freight that is not correctly prepared may be refused by the carrier at pickup. That could mean the load is not palletized, is unstable, is leaking, or doesn’t meet the carrier’s safety standards.

Everything needs to be firmly attached to the pallet to prevent it from shifting, tipping, or damaging other cargo during transit. If the cargo isn’t stable,your cargo will likely be refused until it’s repackaged properly.

Be mindful of overhang. Your freight should sit squarely on the pallet without hanging off the sides. Overhanging cargo can damage other shipments or interfere with loading equipment, and it may result in added handling fees, delays, or again – refusal.

The packaging should match the nature of the cargo. Wrap, strap, or crate your shipment depending on how fragile or heavy it is. Proper packaging is key to avoiding damage, and skimping on it often leads to issues down the road, especially with delicate or high-value items. However, do keep in mind that some carriers don’t want you overstuffing your pallet or crate and they’ll adjust pricing accordingly to make sure they manage ideal space conservation on the truck.

Finally, make sure the shipping labels are printed out, clearly visible, and securely attached to every piece of freight. If a label falls off or is hard to read, your shipment could get misrouted or stuck in transit. Taking a moment to double-check the labels can save hours or even days of delays.

Checking and Double-checking

We’re not suggesting you’re solely responsible for pickup or delivery, but it’s critical to ensure the correct freight is handed over to the proper carrier, for example. You’d be surprised how often carriers get handed the wrong freight—or how often the correct freight gets handed to the wrong carrier.

If more than one carrier arrives at your location in a day, this becomes especially important. The easiest way to avoid mishaps is to confirm the carrier name (again, on the BOL), check the PRO number or shipment ID, and match it to the freight on the dock.

Another often-overlooked detail: checking accessorial services ahead of time. If you booked a liftgate but the shipper doesn’t have a dock, the pickup might be refused. Same goes for residential addresses or limited-access facilities. Knowing these things in advance can help you prepare or even reschedule if needed—avoiding fees and delays.

Need Help? We’re Here for You

With Freightera, you get instant freight quotes online, complete with your BOL and shipping labels automatically filled out for you. We remove all possible hassle from the freight process which is why our motto is to keep freight easy, accessible, and green.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact us anytime via chat, email, or phone at (800) 886 4870. We’re happy to help you with anything you may need, from simple LTL shipments to complex freight projects!