Freightquote by C.H. Robinson Blog

When you ship goods to different locations throughout the United States, you may notice freight rates fluctuate depending on the origin and destination. 
While there is a pretty widely used formula for generating freight rates, each state is unique and a number of state-specific factors can affect freight costs throughout the year. Here is a state-by-state list of shipping facts that explain how rates are impacted when shipping to or from any of the 50 states.

Flatbed rates are always changing, but why? Let’s break down a few factors to get to the bottom of what determines flatbed rates and quotes.

The freight shipping industry is filled with paperwork, proposals, and acronyms. Acronyms shippers will often use are RFP, which means “request for proposal,” and RFQ, which means “request for quotation.” Both of these kinds of documents are designed to help to align pricing and services with shipping needs.

If you’ve ever shipped freight, you probably understand that accidents and natural occurrences can impact goods as they are shipped. Try not to worry though. There are measures in place, including carrier liability, to protect your goods through the rigors of over the road transportation.

The freight shipping industry is filled with competition to garner the attention and business of prospective shippers. Too often, a shipping company will promote a “free quote” or offer of that nature without focusing on what the customer is looking for, which is typically a service.

The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, announced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), has made a splash in the industry since its release. Read how the mandate could be affecting you today.

The list of products hauled by flatbed is long and diverse, everything from construction material to airplane wings. When you consider the trailer variations needed to move this assorted freight, finding the right truck may seem like a challenge - flatbed shipments do require special attention to detail. 

For the thousands of distribution centers in the United States, effective management of inbound and outbound logistics is the key to success. As millions of goods are warehoused, sorted and distributed each shipment in or out is crucial in keeping the supply chain moving.

Who knew that freight shipping could be so complex? The freight industry is multi-faceted and ever-changing and navigating the intricacies of the shipping world can be an overwhelming task.