The more accurate the information you provide at the beginning, the easier it is for a logistics company to recommend the right truck, plan the route and give you an accurate freight quote. Third Party Logistics (3PL) providers are here to take the stress off of you.
Start With These 6 Things for a Freight Quote
- Pickup location
- Delivery location
- Description of what you are shipping
- Weight
- Dimensions
- Preferred pickup and delivery dates
1. Where Is It Going From and To?
Start with the full pickup and delivery locations.
Let your logistics provider know if either location has:
- Limited truck access
- Tight entrances
- Steep roads
- Restricted delivery hours
- No loading dock
- No forklift
- Construction or site restrictions
These are much easier to plan for when everyone knows about them ahead of time.
2. What Are You Shipping?
Be specific. Tell them what the item actually is.
That might be:
- Pallets of building materials
- Industrial machinery
- Construction equipment
- Steel
- Tanks
- Replacement parts
- Crated equipment
- Modular structures
- General commercial freight
Different freight can require very different transportation and handling.
Measure It
Length × Width × Height
Include anything that sticks out beyond the main body of the load. If you're unsure about your measurements, say so. It is better to flag an estimate than present it as an exact number.
Weight
Weight is just as important as dimensions. If you know the exact weight from manufacturer
How Will It Get Onto the Truck?
This is one of the details people often forget. The truck can arrive at the right place at the right time, but someone still needs to load it. Let your logistics provider know what's available at pickup.
For example:
- Loading dock
- Forklift
- Crane
- Ramp
- On-site equipment
- Nothing — loading assistance is required
Then ask the same question about the delivery location.
Getting It Off the Truck Matters Too
If the item needs to be lifted from the trailer, moved through a building or placed in a specific location, mention that when requesting the quote. Can Ridge can coordinate transportation alongside crane, rigging and industrial moving services when a project requires more than basic pickup and delivery.
When Does It Need to Move?
Try to provide both a preferred pickup date and the date the freight needs to arrive. Also mention if your dates are flexible.
Flexibility can sometimes provide more transportation options, while urgent shipments may require a dedicated truck or hotshot service.
Photos Are More Helpful Than You Might Think
When the freight is machinery, equipment, an unusual structure or something difficult to describe, send photos.
They can help the logistics team understand:
- The shape of the load
- Possible lifting points
- How accessible it is
- What surrounds it
- Whether it may need special handling
Take a few steps back and photograph the surrounding area too. A close-up of the machine shows the machine. A wider photo shows whether a truck, forklift or crane can actually get near it.
For More Complicated Moves, Add These Details
Some shipments need more planning than others. If you're moving oversized equipment, industrial machinery or something across the Canada-U.S. border, it helps to mention anything you already know about:
Site Access
Is the equipment inside a building? Upstairs? Behind other machinery? In a fenced yard?
Disassembly
Does anything need to be removed before the item can travel?
Storage
Does the freight need somewhere to go between pickup and final delivery?
Cross-Border Shipping
Is the shipment travelling between Canada and the United States?
Special Handling
Is the item fragile, high-value, top-heavy or sensitive to movement?
What If You Don't Have All the Information Yet?
Send what you have. A good freight quote often starts with a conversation. If you know the pickup location, delivery location and what needs to move, Can Ridge can help identify what other information is needed before the shipment is booked. For more complicated projects, that may mean reviewing photos, confirming measurements or assessing how the freight will be loaded and unloaded.
Your Freight Quote Checklist
Before contacting a logistics company, gather as much of this as you can:
Pickup
- Address
- Site access
- Loading equipment available
Delivery
- Address
- Delivery restrictions
- Unloading equipment available
Freight
- Description
- Number of pieces
- Length, width and height
- Weight
- Photos
Timing
- Preferred pickup date
- Required delivery date
- How flexible the schedule is
Special Requirements
- Oversized load
- Cross-border shipment
- Storage
- Crane or forklift needed
- Rigging
- Special handling
Ready to Request a Freight Quote?
Can Ridge provides logistics and transportation support throughout Canada and the United States for everything from regular commercial freight to oversized equipment and complex industrial moves. If you're not sure exactly what type of transportation you need, that's okay. Send Can Ridge the details you have — where it's going, what you're moving, how big it is and when it needs to arrive — and the team can help you figure out the rest.
Request a quote from Can Ridge and tell us what you need to move.