UPS^® Freight Forwarding Services

A freight forwarder, forwarder or forwarding agent, also known as a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), is a person or company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution. Forwarders contract with a carrier, or multiple carriers, to move the goods. The forwarder does not actually move the goods but acts as an expert in the logistics network. The carriers use a variety of shipping modes —including ships, airplanes, trucks and railroads— and often use multiple modes for a single shipment. For example, the freight forwarder may arrange to have cargo moved from a plant to an airport by truck, flown to the destination city and then moved from the airport to a customer's building by another truck.

International freight forwarders typically handle international shipments and have additional expertise in preparing and processing customs documentation and performing activities pertaining to international shipments.

The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) details 18 freight classes, with Class 50 being the lowest and Class 500 the highest. The higher the class, the higher the rate of every hundred pounds you ship. UPS bases freight class on four shipment characteristics:

Density—Are you shipping a pallet of stone or a pallet of ping pong balls?
Stowability—What are the dimensions of the shipment? Does it have irregular angles that take up more space than normal?
Handling—Is the freight palletized?
Liability—Are you shipping valuable electronic equipment or boxes of used clothing?

Shipping dangerous goods worldwide can be complicated. Shippers must stay current in transport regulations affecting hazard classification, packaging, marking labeling and documentation. Whether by air or ground, UPS can help your dangerous goods shipment get where it needs to be. This information by the FAA is also a good resource: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/safecargo/how_to_ship/

Cross docking is the process of unloading a piece of freight from an incoming truck or train and then loading it directly onto an outbound mode.

Most purchases of goods involve agreement on freight terms, which are often specified in the quote, contract or general terms and conditions. They help determine who (seller or buyer) is liable for costs and risk at various points throughout the shipment journey. For international shipments, freight terms are commonly referred to as INCOTERMS rules (International Commercial Terms). Visit our Incoterms page for more information.

Load-to-ride is when freight is loaded on a truck and then taken directly to its destination. Partial Truckload is when freight doesn't require the use of an entire trailer but is typically more than an LTL shipment.

Less than Truckload (LTL) shipping is utilized when your freight doesn't fill an entire trailer. The shipper only pays for a portion of the truck being utilized, which saves money vs. paying for an entire trailer without using it.