10 Things to Know Before Requesting a Freight Quote
A freight quote is only as accurate as the information behind it. This checklist covers the ten details that most affect what you are quoted — and what you are ultimately billed. Work through it in order, and print it if you want to take it to the dock.
Freight quote preparation checklist
- 1
Pickup location and facility type
The full street address, city, state, and ZIP — not just a city name. Note what kind of facility it is, because a manufacturing plant, a retail store, and a construction jobsite each present different access and loading conditions.
- 2
Destination location and facility type
The same detail for the receiving end, including ZIP code. Destination type drives equipment needs: a distribution center with docks is a different delivery from a store with a parking lot.
- 3
Accurate commodity description
Say what the freight actually is, in specific terms. "Machine parts" or "general freight" leaves carriers guessing, and a vague description is what leads to reclassification and unexpected charges later.
- 4
Packaged shipment weight
The weight as it will ship — product plus pallet, crate, or packaging. If you have a documented weight from a spec sheet or a prior shipment, use that rather than an estimate.
- 5
Packaged dimensions
The outside dimensions of each handling unit, measured as it will travel. Include the pallet height. Dimensions are what density is calculated from, so understating them understates the space your shipment occupies.
- 6
Handling-unit count and packaging
How many separate units are shipping, and how each one is packaged — palletized, crated, banded, loose cartons, drums. The count and the packaging both affect how the load is handled and priced.
- 7
Service or equipment requirements, if known
Whether you need a dry van, flatbed, refrigerated trailer, or something else. If you are unsure, say so — it is more useful than a guess, and it can be worked out before sourcing begins.
- 8
Pickup timing and receiving requirements
When the freight is ready, how flexible that date is, and the hours the destination can receive. Include whether a delivery appointment must be booked in advance and how far ahead.
- 9
Loading, unloading, and accessorial needs
Whether a dock, forklift, or liftgate is available at each end, and whether the driver is expected to assist with loading or unloading. These affect both the equipment and the cost.
- 10
Special handling information and shipment contacts
Anything unusual — fragile goods, temperature sensitivity, keep-upright requirements, high-value freight — plus a site contact and phone number at both the origin and destination.
Notes
Prepared with the SENA Logistics freight quote preparation checklist. SENA Logistics is a freight brokerage — we arrange transportation through qualified, insured motor carriers and do not own trucks or operate as a motor carrier.
Why each detail is requested
The checklist above lists what to gather. This section explains why a freight broker needs it — which is usually the difference between a quote you can rely on and one that gets adjusted later.
Why packaged dimensions are requested
Dimensions determine how much trailer space your shipment consumes, which is a major input to an LTL rate — far more than weight alone. The figure that matters is the outside measurement of the packaged handling unit, including the pallet or crate, because that is the space the freight actually occupies. Product dimensions understate it.
Why packaged weight is requested
Weight is the other half of the density calculation, and it also has to sit within legal and equipment limits alongside other freight. Packaged weight means the product plus its carton, pallet, and any protective packaging. A product-only figure understates the load, and a carrier's scale will find the difference.
Why pickup and receiving requirements matter
These determine whether the shipment can be served at all, and at what cost. A dock and forklift at each end is the standard assumption behind a base rate; no dock, a residential address, a required appointment, or limited receiving hours all change the equipment needed and the conditions that apply. Supplying them up front is what lets them be quoted rather than billed later.
What to do when details are not yet confirmed
Say so. A detail you have not confirmed is genuinely useful information — it tells us where to ask a question and lets a quote be framed around what still needs checking. Guessing produces a figure that looks complete and may not survive contact with the freight. The readiness checker above is built specifically to separate what you know from what you have not confirmed.
If you would rather work through it interactively,the Freight Readiness Checker takes the same information and shows you what is provided, what is missing, and what is worth confirming.