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Reasons for the Delayed Freight
21 Jul
Francesca Leila Riego
21, Jul 2023

LTL freight that arrives late is a hassle for everyone involved, including the shipper, recipient, and carrier. Although everyone in the supply chain makes every effort to deliver your freight on schedule, as is the case with most things, occasionally shipment doesn't go as planned.

The main causes will be discussed in this article, along with some suggestions for reducing delivery delays.

Holidays

Orders frequently increase for retailers around the holidays. Due to the growth in shipment volumes, couriers may become overburdened, especially if they lack an effective delivery network system. Delivery delays might happen when customers want their items to arrive on time the most.

Weather

Weather is the primary cause of freight shipping delays. A variety of weather-related issues, from ice road conditions to gale-force winds at sea, can disrupt domestic and international trade at any stage.

High Volume of Freight

LTL carriers transload and store freight in a number of hubs and facilities dispersed across the nation. Every day, these hubs receive a sizable amount of freight, which the carriers are unable to dispatch as quickly as it arrives during times of high freight flow. Carriers must order shipments according to the time the freight arrived and the required service level in order to reduce this freight backlog. Your shipment can be delayed if it is captured in a region with heavy freight traffic.

Road construction, traffic, and other factors

Traffic happens everywhere, and road construction is a never-ending chore. The likelihood of your freight being delayed due to traffic and construction is high because drivers will still run into traffic and construction, and accidents cannot be predicted. This is true even with technology like GPS and route mapping.

Human mistake

Focus on the specifics to prevent mistakes that could cause your freight to be delayed.

Add-ons or unique services

Your shipment can be delayed if it needs a special handling service or accessory. For instance, you might have to wait until a vehicle with a liftgate is available if you need one. The carrier might need to wait until a delivery time is available if your package is going to a place with restricted access. If the carrier only delivers to that area on particular days, there can be a delay if your shipment is heading to a remote address.

Tips To Avoid Delays

  1. Manage your expectations
  2. Communicate
  3. Freight Tracking

Pay special attention to the details and always anticipate that a delivery will take longer than you anticipate. You can avoid problems in the future by including slack in your shipment timetable.

For more shipping advices, visit https://www.shipit4us.com