Let's talk about truckload/less than truckload accessorials. Now we've already gone into depth on uncommon accessorials, but over the road accessorials that crop up most frequently definitely deserve attention. Since there are over a million trucking companies in the U.S. alone and truckload shipping is one of the fastest ways to get your freight to its destination, there are obviously a lot of highway movements happening all of the time. Which means there are also, unfortunately, a lot of opportunities for accessorial charges to occur.
So which accessorials are you most likely to see and which one is the MOST common? Here is our breakdown:
- Driver Load/Unload. Pretty self-explanatory. This fee occurs if the driver has to load or unload the freight.
- Hazardous Materials Charge. Handling charge for the paperwork associated with Hazardous Materials (HazMat) as described in the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.
- Reconsignment. When a shipment’s destination is changed after it is picked up. The charge is determined by when the carrier is notified and where the shipment is located at the time of the reconsignment.
- Sort and Segregate Service. Applies when the driver is required to move product from one pallet to another based on commodity or size. This usually occurs at grocery warehouses.
- Layover. A charge will apply if the truck is unable, for whatever reason, to be unloaded/loaded during its slated delivery day.
- Lumper. Hired by the carrier to unload a trailer. Usually a lumper is hired to unload trailers when the freight must be moved from one type of pallet to another or sorted by commodity or SKU during the unloading process. This usually occurs at grocery warehouses.
- Vehicle Order Not Used (VONU) or Truck Order Not Used (TONU). Applies when a pickup is requested and the carrier attempts to pick up only to have the shipment cancel, or no freight is available.
- Re-Delivery. When a shipment cannot be delivered, through no fault of the carrier, then a redelivery charge will apply for the second and each additional delivery attempt.
- Storage. When a delivery cannot be made for whatever reason, the carrier will place the shipment in storage until the delivery can be made. This typically begins after a letter of intent is sent to the billing party.
- Deadhead. When the container travels back empty to its point of origin, the customer is charged for the empty miles traveled.
- Stop Charges. For each additional stop made by the carrier to pick up or deliver a load, a fee is applied per stop.
And finally, our most common truckload accessorial charge is...DETENTION. This fee is charged to the customer after a driver sits longer than their allotted "free time" to pick-up or unload. Lots of things can happen that may lead to detention charges. There may be congestion at the loading docks causing delays or the freight might not be ready, but a driver's time is very valuable. Delays lead to lost opportunities and are consequently expensive.
