Reasons For LTL Freight Delays
When LTL freight is late, it causes problems for the shipper, the recipient, and the carrier. Everyone in the supply chain tries their best to guarantee that your freight arrives when it’s supposed to, but occasionally, as with most things, things don’t go as planned. The following are some of the key reasons why shipments may be late during the Christmas season. (Plus, some pointers to make the LTL shipping mechanism more efficient.)
Shortage of Drivers
The good news is that both TL and LTL shipping have practically returned to their levels before the outbreak. Driving a truck is a tough job in itself, and many seasoned drivers used the epidemic as an excuse to call it quits. Meanwhile, regulations rendered most vocational education programs unavailable and made it impossible for new drivers to get licensed. The end result? There are still a lot of packages to deliver, but now there are fewer drivers to do it.
Inclement Weather
The majority of LTL shipping delays may be attributed to the weather. In addition, there are varying weather events that might delay your shipment throughout the United States. Heavy rains, floods, tornadoes, and hail may delay shipments in the spring and summer, while in the autumn and winter, snow and ice can cause problems (fog, blizzards, ice storms, and hurricanes). Wildfires and mudslides, among other natural calamities, might also delay your shipment.
Transport delays might occur not just in the location where severe weather is occurring but also in neighboring regions. If Chicago is flooded badly, it will be difficult to transport goods around the Midwest. First, available resources are reallocated from business as usual to aid recovery initiatives. Then, the regional hubs and terminals of LTL carriers become congested with the surplus of freight that has yet to be delivered. This has a ripple effect on neighboring regions since cargo destined for the affected area can’t be delivered until warehouses and trucks are free.
High Freight Volume
Freight for LTL companies is stored and transloaded at several hubs and warehouses located around the nation. These nodes get a lot of freight every day, and when freight volumes are high, the carriers can’t get it out as quickly as it comes in. Carriers must prioritize shipments according to the time they arrived and the service quality required in order to reduce the backlog of freight. Your shipment might be delayed if it happens to be at a hub for a large number of other shipments.
Equipment malfunction
Trucks aren’t immune to mechanical failure any more than the rest of us are. Regardless of how often you inspect and repair your machinery, flat tires will occur. Even while reputable transport firms work hard to prevent mechanical breakdowns, when they do occur, the delivery of all goods aboard the truck is always delayed.
Delivery Appointments
Scheduling a delivery appointment allows you to have your packages picked up or delivered at a time that is most practical for either the sender or the intended recipient. However, they do cause a little delay in progress. Scheduled delivery times often aren’t confirmed until after the packages have reached the final terminal. In addition, LTL delivery drivers need to go to a number of prearranged stops during the day. In the event of an unexpected delay, such as heavy traffic or a lengthy line of vehicles with identical appointment times, the timing of all following appointments will be affected.
How Customers Can Be Helpful
- Choose a delivery window early in the morning: If you must have a delivery at the exact moment. The first shipment of the day is the least likely to be affected by delays, despite the fact that it may be more difficult to fit into your schedule.
- Be punctual: When a driver comes to collect your package and you are running late, he must either wait for you or continue on his route and come back later. In any case, it prolongs his day and delays your cargo. (In addition to everyone else’s!)
- Effective communication: Communicate with the person receiving the goods as well, since they may have to wait longer than expected if they miss the delivery window.
- Be compassionate: Truck drivers put forth a lot of effort to deliver cargo to their destinations on time. Many different things might affect how long it takes for a package to arrive, and the driver is almost never to blame! Trust that the driver is making every effort to make up for any delays when a cargo is delivered late.
Vineyard Brokerage offers state-of-the-art logistics technologies and a devoted staff of seasoned shipping experts. When you choose Vineyard Brokerage, you can be certain that your LTL shipments will be handled by experts who will do everything in their power to ensure they are delivered on time, within budget, and with the highest level of service possible. For a free LTL shipping estimate, call us at (317) 939-3769.
