Lift Gate Service

In the world of trucking, we often focus more on the time required for freight to travel across the US, but we sometimes overlook the two most important details – the pickup and the delivery of the freight shipment. Many supply chains plan ahead by ensuring that a loading dock and the necessary workers are available to move the freight to the truck before delivery and to remove the freight from the truck after it reaches the destination. But what if your supply chain lacks a loading dock, or a forklift at either the pickup location or destination, or what if you do not have the workers on location to move the freight for you, which is your responsibility?

That is where a lift gate service could come in handy. This service involves the lift gate, located on the back of the truck. The truck driver will then use this lift gate to lower your shipment to the ground level for drop-off or to lift your freight on the truck for delivery. To help those shippers who need it, the best freight forwarders offer lift gate as an optional and additional service. Since there are a few truck however that lack a lift gate on specific vehicles, you should work with your freight forwarder to book your freight on trucks that have lift gates if you need it. And best of all, lift gate service can typically be an additional fee that is added to the trucking freight quote that you will receive.

It is important to plan ahead. If you have the capabilities to avoid the additional lift gate service and the added fees, you should do so. But if you really need the lift gate service, then plan ahead with your 3PL to book it.