Factors To Consider When Choosing Trucking Companies In Southern California

By Bernadette Martin


As a manufacturer or a distributor, one of the biggest problems you will face is getting your products to the market in time. And with over ninety percent of consumer goods in Southern California moved by truck, it is very likely that you will need to research, find and contract a trucking company sooner rather than later. It is also likely that you already have a reliable company that you want to do business with. The problem however comes in when things change either with your trucking company or with your business requirements. In such a situation, you may have to find a new freighter, and the longer it takes you to find one, the more you stand to lose. Listed below are some basic criteria to speed up your search for trucking companies in Southern California.

First and foremost, you need to ask your potential trucker about your transit times. When it comes to trucking services, clients are always concerned about timing than anything else. And rightly so because on-time deliveries are very important especially if have clients waiting. As such, when interviewing a trucking company representative, you should make sure that you ask them about timeliness.

Experience is another very important factor in any business. Experience does not however only refer to the number of years the company has been in operation, it also refers to experience in handling similar goods. For instance, if you are shipping inflammable goods like petroleum products, you need to find a company that has handled such goods before.

Apart from the actual shipping services, you also need a company that offers specialty transportation services. You might think that your freight is relative average; however, it will be a very big mistake to opt for average transportation services. Look for a company that will help you truck your cargo. If possible, you should also look for a provider with a warehouse so that your cargo may be stored temporarily before you collect it.

Unless you are very rich, you will also want to compare charges from one company to the other. The best way to do this is to ask for quotes from at least three companies and choose one whose charges seem competitive enough. This does not however mean that you should either choose the most expensive or cheapest provider but one with quality services.

It would also be good if you can find a company with an office close to your business. This might not make a big difference in scheduled deliveries but it can make a difference in all other shipments. Apart from the head office location, you should also check for satellite offices to know that they will be able to respond quickly whenever and wherever necessary.

Shipping cargo is also very risky. There is the risk of piracy, to accidents and theft. As such, it would be very good if you can find a company with adequate insurance cover so that you can be compensated in case of any eventuality.

Of course there are far more criteria for picking a good shipping company for your needs. But more attention should be given to the above discussed tips. You must also start the search early enough or else you are likely to miss out on the best.




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