residential freight services

Residential Freight Services

Most trucking freight providers will pick up and deliver less than truckload (boxes, pallets, crates, etc) and full truckloads to residences. Residential freight is only picked up and delivered by confirmed appointment. Here is the process A2 Global Shipping uses to initiate a residential pickup and/or delivery;

1. Obtain a full set of instructions for the origin and destination which includes the following information concerning the shipper and recipient:

• First and Last Name and if a business at the residence, the name of the business;

• Street Address and unit number (apartment complex / building;

• City, State and Postal code;

• phone & cell phone

• email, and fax number if they have it

• if international, shipment, we need the tax ID number and/or passport of the sender / recipient.

• preferred pickup and delivery window for the origin and destination;

• equipment needed: truck with lift-gate; truck of specified length, 16, 26, 48ft or maximum height of truck depending on the accessibility of the street. If additional manpower is needed that should also be specified;

• description of commodity and value of freight (commercial invoice) and any request for insurance;

• weight and dimension of the pieces, boxes, pallets or crates (packing list).

2. Once we have a full set of booking instructions, we print a Bill of Lading and take the following steps:

• the terminal or warehouse of the truck that will perform the pickup, is emailed and faxed the bill of lading, with the pickup instructions;

• the shipper at the pickup location is emailed the bill of lading and that shipper is instructed to do the following:

  • print a copy of the bill of lading, for themselves, the pickup driver and a copy for each pallet or crate, or if the cargo is not shrink wrapped to a pallet, a copy to be taped to each box or parcel;

  • call the terminal at the number we provide the shipper in our email;

  • advise the terminal that they have the bill of lading for a pickup and ask to speak to dispatch or the person who does the residential scheduling. This person is usually in by 6:00 AM. M-F.

  • schedule a pickup appointment with dispatch or the scheduling clerk. Note that most freight carriers will only perform residential pickups in the afternoon. The reason for this is that their trucks are filled with deliverable freight every morning that is contracted to be delivered before noon and they won't have space on their truck until the afternoon.

3. For a delivery the delivering terminal will call the recipient and schedule a residential delivery for a specified time and date. If the recipient has the tracking, they can track their freight into that terminal. It is always good to call ahead of the cargo's arrival at the destination terminal and get yourself on the board for a residential delivery. Residential delivers can take place in the morning or the afternoon.

When the freight is in the possession of the shipper at the origin, it is their responsibility to have the freight ready to ship and to call the receiving terminal and work out when they will be home to present the ready cargo to the truck that works a daily route in their area.