Transloading services are an essential part of the supply chain, primarily when shipping with intermodal drayage. When cargo is moved from rail to a truck (or the other way around), the transloading area is where an experienced team uses forklifts, cranes, and other equipment to ensure a seamless transfer of freight. Often, shippers want to combine the economic advantages of rail shipping with the flexibility of over-the-road trucking, using affordable rail shipping for the long haul and trucks for final delivery. Here’s our drayage team tips on how to save:
But First, Products That Can Be Transloaded
Standard Rail Commodities: Lumber, metals, paper, rebar bundles, palletized products
Liquids: Ethanol, biodiesel
Oversized: Transformers, wind blades, and machinery
Bulk: Sand, plastic pellets, food product
Service Sensitive/Critical: Auto parts, parcel, frozen food, and perishables
Everything: Bricks, floor tile, coil, solar panels and nearly everything else
Container Capacity
Don’t waste container space! Abiding by container rules and regulations, strive to consolidate as much freight as possible into a larger container. For example, the contents of three 40 ft containers can fit into two 53 footers. Thus, reducing your overall costs significantly..
Check Your Container Cartons
If your container is hauling more cartons than the allocated number, you could incur extra fees. Stay up to date on regulations to avoid paying more.
Try To Palletize Your Products
To save space, putting your product on pallets always helps. When freight arrives at the transloading area, palletize cargo to make distribution handling more efficient.
Partner With A 3PL
Taylor has a full drayage team of transportation professionals that know what to look for to help you cut costs and streamline your supply chain with transloading.
