The Freight Doctor

Freight Carrier Trucking Companies, try to fill their trucks as efficently as possible to maximize the amount of loads for each trucks delivery route. This is accomplished by trying to fill as much space as possible within the truck’s trailer by stacking lighter items on top of heaver palletized items.

Shipping items of excessive length also known as Over Dimension Shipments presents a challenge when attempting to fill up dead space within the trailer as the the freight carrier would like. Due to the fact that the trucking company will need make up for having less loads because your shipment is of excessive length, the freight carrier will make up the difference by charging you an Over-Dimension Shipment Charge.

The length that falls into Over-Dimension Shipments varies from Trucking Company to Trucking Company, but it will usually reside anywhere from 12 feet to 14 feet in length.

So how much should you expect to be charged for an Over-Dimension Shipment? Look for your freight quote to have an additional charge of anywhere from about $75-$150 depending on the freight carrier and the type of commodity that you’re shipping. If you’re asked to pay any more than that, then it’s a good idea to negotiate this fee down to fall into a more reasonable price range as noted above.