Your Guide to Crossdocking and Transloading

An efficient supply chain is all about speed and perfect coordination. Transload and cross dock services come in handy to expedite shipments by consolidating products and shipping directly to the final destination, dodging extra costs and delays that can occur during transition and sitting dormant in a warehouse.

Both deal with the transporting of cargo from the inbound point to the final destination, whether by using one or several trucks. Both may include other detailed services, such as product customization, done at the warehouse. So what are the main differences between the two?

Transloading

Transloading occurs at the port terminal, where goods are moved from the main inbound container to a nearby facility. Once there, everything is packaged and palletized to be loaded onto a truck or another container before being delivered to the customer. To speed up the process and save money, some shippers opt to transload goods directly from the main container to the truck. It’s important to be wary of delays, theft and damages that can happen at the facility or with goods left in storage for long periods of time.

Crossdocking

Major corporations rely on crossdock services by consolidating multiple inbound trucks to outbound LTL trucks that will in turn, deliver goods to individual stores. With crossdocking you don’t have to deal with containers or products left in storage. The shipment goes directly from one truck to another, saving an incredible amount of time. If it may sound easy and seem too good to be true, that’s because there cannot be any slip ups, or else efficiency goes out the window. Communication between 3PLs, carriers, and shippers must be flawless and all data must be accurate for electric feeds to display the pertinent coordinating information.

Have questions about transloading and crossdocking services? Contact US1 Network today for more information and get a free quote.