If you’re searching for a trucking company in Portland, there are several factors that should weigh in. The most crucial ones are reliability and price. Some inexpensive trucking companies may keep the transportation costs low, but if your freight doesn’t reach their destinations on time and in good shape, the low prices aren’t worth your investment. On the other hand, paying too much for shipping may increase your overhead, which may force you to accept low profit margins and to boost your prices.
No matter what your trucking needs are, whether you need an urgent delivery or an offshore one, it’s essential to pick a reliable and experienced Portland-based trucking company like American Freight Inc.
If you’re not sure about your choices, below are some of the ways to find the ideal trucking company for you:
- Check The Company’s Equipment And Manpower
One of the first things that you should do when finding a trucking company is to check their equipment and manpower. A good trucking company has a team of professionals and up-to-date equipment for loading and delivering freight in a timely manner. If a company doesn’t have the right equipment or staff, expect to pay extra since it’ll take them longer to do the simplest tasks. This is true, especially when loading the freight.
Basically, there are two loading options that trucking companies provide and these include loose and palletized. Most businesses prefer palletized freight since it’s more secure and easier to load. If you pick the palletized option, the trucking company needs to have a fork truck or other similar equipment to load the freight.
On the other hand, some businesses prefer loose freight. You may get more into the truck if you choose loose freight, since it’s stacked. But because it’s loaded manually, loose freight requires manpower. If a company has less manpower, you’ll be expected to pay extra charges to compensate for their time to load everything. Therefore, make sure that your chosen trucking company can handle your preferred loading needs, whether you require more manpower or better equipment.
- Check Their Experience In The Industry
When it comes to the trucking industry, experience is essential since longevity means that the trucking company is great at what it does. A drawback of focusing on the prices alone is that most new companies in the market will offer lower costs as they try to establish a foothold in the industry. The low cost is only aimed for on-boarding clients. This undercutting may reflect their lack of experience. Hiring cheaper trucking companies may affect your operations negatively, as it can result in loss of revenues and possible interruptions in the long run.
A trucking company with years of experience in mitigation measures, routes, established training programs, and following trucking rules are less likely to suffer from major setbacks. With the stability of an experienced company, you can be assured that they’re worth your investment.
- Consider The Company’s Fleet Of Trucks
Another essential factor to consider when looking for the best trucking company based in Portland is the fleet of trucks it has. If a company has more trucks, the lesser the possibility of having delayed deliveries.
On the other hand, trucking companies with fewer trucks may find it hard to handle multiple clients. For instance, if some clients require a truck at the same time and the company has only one truck available, the deliveries will be affected.
- Check The Company’s Insurance And Licenses
Check every trucking company’s documentation to make sure it meets every insurance and licensing requirement for every kind of cargo you want them to carry in the relevant country or region. This is essential for businesses that ship unusual cargo like hazardous materials or medical supplies.
If you don’t know about the regulatory requirements for trucking companies in Portland, it’s best to contact the relevant authorities on the trucking industry. Safety records may also be accessible through such resources, which can help you analyze or compare the company’s driving records.
- Determine If They Offer Tracking
RFID and GPS are just some of the tracking technologies that enable business owners to monitor their shipments. For instance, RFID offers a close-range radio signal, which allows a trucking company to take inventories of the contents of a truck or warehouse in a wireless manner.
The results may be uploaded to the proprietary database, which customers may access in real-time. Moreover, tracking may be an effective and efficient security measure if the company takes advantage of the RFID tags to ensure authorized drivers get rid of the items from its facilities.
If tracking is crucial for your business, ask your preferred trucking company to explain how their tracking works and what technology they use to access data.
- Ask For References
When finding a trucking company for your business, it’s crucial to ask for references. Checking references can be the only way to ascertain if the claims of a trucking company are true. Moreover, previous customers, particularly those in your industry, could provide key insights that may help you determine if the trucking company will meet your requirements.
- Don’t Forget About The Load Size
Several trucking companies only allow a full-size load, while some accept partial loads. If you’re going to require both sizes of loads, pick a company that provides both or you’ll need to switch between companies just to get your needs met. Picking the right trucking company can make your job so much easier. If your freight is in the right hands, you may focus on essential tasks without worrying if your freight will get to its destination securely and on time.
- Know How Friendly The Company’s Team Is
How a company’s staff interacts on a personal level could play an important role in your decision. For instance, when freights are picked up for delivery, businesses like to deal with a well-dressed, friendly, and competent staff employee. An unprofessional or unfriendly interaction may undermine the trucking company’s reputation.
- Reputation Is Key
Whether you’re searching for a small or big trucking company, reputation matters a lot. There are many ways to determine the company’s reputation. Below are some of the steps to learn about the reputation of the company:
- Reviews Online – These will provide you more information about the company’s performance. You’ll also know more about their safety precautions, drivers, and whether or not the trucking company sticks to their schedule.
- Check The Better Business Bureau – Through looking up trucking companies in BBB, you’ll learn who’s more reliable or not. The BBB’s website allows you to view the company’s complaint history or read the open complaints filed against them by consumers and businesses.
- Check Driver Training, Standards, And History
As a potential client, you have the right to know about the delivery handlers and drivers of the trucking company. See to it that the drivers have not failed any inspections. You must also know what standards the trucking company holds its drivers to. If the company offers training to boost their performance, this is a good indicator.
- Determine If They Provide A Guarantee
Another essential quality to consider when finding a trucking company is to know if they provide a guarantee. So, ask the company what guarantees they provide to ensure that your freights will arrive in a timely manner. Although delays are part of the business, you might want to ensure that your trucking company can guarantee your freight won’t be delayed for too long.
The different stages your freight passes through before arriving at the destination may also affect its delivery period. Thus, make sure that your chosen company will give you options and other services that will keep you informed and won’t cause more inconvenience on your end.
- Know The Services They Offer
Opt for a company that can handle every aspect involved in the shipping process. It’s better to find a company that offers a comprehensive trucking service in comparison to those that only offer limited services. So, before you sign a contract with a trucking company, know the list services they offer and check if they provide everything you need.
- Check If They Provide An Offshore Coverage
Depending on your business scope, this is very crucial. Determine how many places your trucking company can cover and the timelines as well as charges for offshore deliveries. Moreover, determine if the company can go to any part of the world and if not, know which areas they can’t deliver to.
If you plan to expand your business and deliver worldwide, it’s best if your chosen trucking company offers delivery services in various countries.
- Know If They Offer Service Assurance
If you like an unwavering assurance that your freights will arrive on time, several trucking companies may charge an added cost. Under such arrangements, your trucking company can cancel your transport charges in case the deliveries are late because of fortuitous circumstances. While this might not be necessary for a lot of businesses, it’s a great option for some that need to adhere to strict schedules.
Conclusion
Finding the best Portland based trucking company is never easy. This is especially true if you have many options to choose from. However, by comparing the trucking companies offering your needed services, you’ll can get a better idea about which one can provide better value for your investment. Just always make sure to choose quality over price.
