Frequently asked questions


Freight types

Carton - what qualifies as carton rate?

  • Small items that are easily handled by one person and are easily stacked
  • Items that fall into this category include: cartons, parcels, satchels, 20lt drums, short lengths
  • Maximum length up to 2 metres
  • Weight up to 25kg or .10 of a cubic metre (a cubic metre is rated equivalent to 250kg)
  • Cubic Calculation Examples:

Carton 25kg @ 50cm x 50cm x 40cm     =  .10m³  =  1 x Carton Rate
Carton 25kg @ 2m x 20cm x 20cm         =  .08m³  =  1 x Carton Rate

  • Excess Weight

Single Small Items >25kg to 35kg will be charged at Double Carton Rate
Single Small Items over 35kg will be charged at Skid Rate

Pallet - what qualifies as pallet rate?

  • A Standard Pallet footprint is 1.2m x 1.2m
  • Height up to 1.8m
  • Freight must not overhang pallet
  • Double staking of pallets is unacceptable
  • Weight up to 1000kg
  • Over 1000kg will be charged at Double Pallet Rate
  • Pallet prices are based on fork on & off

Skid - what qualifies as skid rate?

  • Skids refer to “small pallets” with a footprint up to .80m x .80m
  • Height up to 1m
  • Weight up to 150kg
  • Over 150kg will be charged at Pallet Rate
  • Skid prices are based on fork on & off

Over-size items

Contact our office for pricing of oversize items

Other information

Dimensions

  • Freight dimensions should be quoted as Length x Width x Height
  • Dimensions should be given in metric measurement
  • All three dimensions are required

Cubic conversion

A cubic conversion of 250 kg/m³ applies

Cut-off times

  • Melbourne cut-off time is 3pm – Late pick-ups on request
  • For other areas please phone

Additional charges

Hand unload

If a forklift is not available and the driver is required (where possible) to hand un-load a pallet or skid, an additional charge applies.

Futile attempted pickup/ delivery

This can occur when a driver has arrived as instructed for a pickup, but the freight is not ready to go.  Or it could be a bad address.

Re-delivery / return to sender

Re-delivery can occur if no one is home when the driver arrives and it is not safe to leave the freight un-attended.

Wait time

Time is particularly critical in our Melbourne operations where drivers usually cannot wait any more than 3mins without jeopardising all pickups on that run

Helpful tips

Addressing goods

The Receivers name and address should be written clearly and prominently on every item.  Include 1 of 2, 2 of 2 etc.  Sender details should be written small so they do not get confused with the receivers’ details.

Packaging goods

Most often, freight is handled many times before it reaches its final destination.  Please make sure that you have packaged your goods well enough to protect them during their travel.

Booking details checklist

When you call to make a booking, we will be recording your booking details directly into our transport management software.  Once entered into the system, we are able to provide you with a job number for your reference.  To give you an idea of what to expect, here is a list of the details we record:

 

  • Your name
  • Your phone number
  • Who will be paying the freight?
    • Will this be on an account, cash/cheque, or credit card
  • The senders phone number
  • The senders address
  • What date/time will the freight be ready for pickup?
  • What time does the sender close?
  • The receivers name and address
    Note: make sure the sender has the freight addressed this way
  • Freight details: carton, pallet or skid; length x width x height and weight
  • Any additional instructions or refer numbers required for the pickup