WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR SHIPMENT IS TIME-SENSITIVE
Have an urgent customer order? A production line down and awaiting replacement parts? Need a special inventory shipment for an event? Have promotional or seasonal items needing to hit the retail shelf fast? It sounds like you may need an expedited lessthan-truckload (LTL) shipping service option.
When contracting for time-sensitive deliveries, keep in mind that it’s about more than simply packing your shipment on the nearest truck, says Valerie Speck, Canadian Sales Manager for Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL). “At Old Dominion, we try to understand our clients’ needs and then assess which level of service meets their requirements in the most cost-effective way,” she says.
For time-sensitive shipments, says Speck, expedited shipping can give you the peace of mind of knowing that someone will be watching over your shipment and will monitor it to ensure it arrives on time. Dedicated staff members watch for shipments flagged as ‘expedited’ from start to finish. “They follow the shipment right through to its destination,” she says.
Wise shippers will opt for a freight carrier dependable enough to meet all of their shipping needs, from full-truckload to LTL and expedited services. By leveraging your volume with a single freight carrier, you can often reduce the cost and complexity of a shipment.
Old Dominion customers can choose from a full range of shipping services, including multiple options for expedited shipping to fit a variety of different freight needs.
Guaranteed service
Old Dominion has an enviable 99+ per cent on-time performance record. But for that extra peace of mind, you may want to opt for guaranteed service.
“With guaranteed service, we make a commitment to deliver your shipment on the specified day by 5 p.m.,” says Jerry Aaron, Director, Global North America for ODFL.
Should the shipment fail to arrive in the allotted time slot, your freight charge will revert to standard LTL rates.
On-demand service
“In the case of on-demand shipments, the customer tells us when they need it,” says Aaron. “If normal delivery time would be five days, they may say, ‘I can’t wait five days. I need it in four days and it must be delivered by noon.’”
Here’s how it works: Should you need a delivery made at a specific time, simply call the OD Expedited department. You’ll get an accurate estimate so there are no surprises with the cost of the service. And you’ll know exactly when the shipment will arrive because you get a time-specific delivery promise, either inside or outside of Old Dominion’s normal transit times. If ODFL fails to meet that delivery promise, your shipping charges will revert to standard LTL rates.
For more information about Old Dominion’s expedited services, visit odfl.ca or call the OD Expedited department direct at 1-866-637-7333.