Why your 500 lb. Weighs less at 513 lbs.

When you ship as much LTL freight as we do as ShipCanada.com, you begin to notice trends when auditing in accessorials, re-classifications and especially re-weigh charges.

I have to chuckle when I think to myself how many shipments we book with perfectly rounded weights displayed on the bill of lading. If I was a betting man I think I would make out nicely wagering on the idea that less than 5% of the shipping weights that I see ending in “multiple zeros” were accurate.

If I’m correct about these inaccuracies, what do these small oversights mean to our shipping client’s bottom line? I’m really, is 2-3 pounds a big deal? As it turns out – it can make quite a difference.

To illustrate my point, I’ll refer to a conversation I had with a dock-hand at a major LTL carrier while down in the southwestern U.S. This gentleman pointed out to me that part of his job (beside cross-docking freight from one truck to another) was to find extra revenue for the company by challenging the weight and freight class on the some of the items he was transferring between trailers.

When I inquired as to how my friend my selected his targets for his dockside tribunal (since he only has time to inspect a limited number) he pointed me to the weights on the bills of lading he would handle. In his words: “perfectly rounded weights are low-hanging fruit – because you know they’re likely inaccurate.” He went on to say that he would re-weigh a 500 lb. pallet over a 503 lb. pallet every time.

The takeaway from this bit of information was that using well rounded number for your weight description is more likely to get your freight pulled for inspection by your LTL carrier. Make your weight “look precise” and it should be smooth sailing.