Freight / LTL Shipping

Switch from Parcel to Freight Mode

By default, the Ship page opens in Parcel mode. To ship freight, you must switch to Freight mode using the toggle in the Package Details section.

1. Navigate to the Ship page.
2. Locate the Package Details panel at the top of the page.
3. In the top-right corner of the panel, find the Parcel / Freight toggle buttons.
4. Click Freight to switch to LTL mode.

The section title will update to LTL Package Details, and freight-specific fields will appear in the package entry form.

Fill In Required Fields

Once in Freight mode, you will need to provide the following information for each package group:

• Quantity — The number of identical packages in this group.
• Weight — The weight of a single package (in lbs).
• Length, Width, Height — The dimensions of a single package (in inches).
• Commodity — A description of the goods being shipped (e.g., "Auto Parts", "Electronics"). This field supports autocomplete from your saved commodity list.
• NMFC Code — The National Motor Freight Classification code for the commodity. This is automatically filled if your saved commodity has an NMFC code on file.

Review Freight Class

The Freight Class dropdown appears once you have entered the weight and dimensions. ShipBoss automatically calculates and suggests the appropriate freight class (from Class 50 to Class 500) based on the density of your shipment.

• Density is calculated as: weight / (L x W x H / 1728) in lbs per cubic foot.
• The suggested class is shown alongside an information icon with the note: "Suggested classes are based on size and weight. Consider other factors like fragility or special handling needs."
• You may override the suggested class by selecting a different value from the dropdown, subject to your account permissions.

Freight Class Reference

1. Enter weight and all three dimensions.
2. The Freight Class field will populate automatically.
3. Review and adjust if necessary based on fragility or special handling.
4. Click Get Rates (or + Pkg Group to add additional package groups).

Add Accessorials

Freight accessorials are additional services required for pickup or delivery. After adding at least one package group, an Accessorials section will appear below the package list.

1. Click the Manage button next to Accessorials.
2. The Set Freight Accessorials lightbox will open.
3. Accessorials are organized by context: Origin (pickup) and Destination (delivery).
4. Check the box next to each applicable service.
5. Click Save to apply your selections.

Selected accessorials will appear as badges in the Accessorials section, grouped by Origin and Destination.

Available Origin (Pickup) Accessorials

The following accessorials can be selected for the Origin (pickup) location:

• Liftgate — Requires a liftgate truck for pickup (no loading dock available).
• Inside — Driver will pick up from inside the building, not just the doorstep.
• Residential — Pickup is at a residential address.
• Limited Access — Pickup location has limited access (e.g., school, church, farm, military base).
• Construction Site Pickup — Pickup is at an active construction site.
• Tradeshow — Pickup is at a trade show or convention center.
• Notify — Carrier will contact the shipper before pickup.
• References — Attach a reference number to the shipment at the origin.

Available Destination (Delivery) Accessorials

The following accessorials can be selected for the Destination (delivery) location:

• Liftgate — Requires a liftgate truck for delivery (no loading dock available).
• Inside — Driver will deliver inside the building.
• Residential — Delivery is to a residential address. Selecting this also toggles the residential indicator on the address block.
• Limited Access — Delivery location has limited access.
• Construction Site Delivery — Delivery is to an active construction site.
• Tradeshow — Delivery is to a trade show or convention center.
• Notify — Carrier will contact the recipient before delivery.
• References — Attach a reference number to the shipment at the destination.

Other Accessorials

• Insurance — Adds declared value insurance to the shipment. After checking this box, you will be prompted to enter an Insurance Value and select a Commodity type from the dropdown.

Get Freight Rates

Once your package details and accessorials are configured, ShipBoss will retrieve available LTL carrier rates.

1. After entering all required fields, click Get Rates.
2. ShipBoss will contact available freight carriers and display rates in the Rates panel.
3. Each rate card shows the carrier name, service description, estimated delivery date, transit days, and total cost.
4. Click on a rate card to select it.
5. The Rate Details panel will expand to show a full cost breakdown including base charges, fuel surcharges, and accessorial fees.

Acknowledge the Freight Agreement

Before creating a freight shipment, ShipBoss requires you to acknowledge the freight cancellation policy.

In the Confirm & Create Label section, you will see the following notice:

• You must check this box before the Confirm & Print button becomes active.
• If you prefer not to see this prompt every time, you can enable the Check Freight Agreement by Default setting in your account's Default Settings. When enabled, the box will be pre-checked.

Confirm and Print the Bill of Lading

For freight shipments, ShipBoss generates a Bill of Lading (BOL) instead of a standard shipping label.

1. Select your preferred carrier rate.
2. Check the freight agreement checkbox.
3. Choose your output format (PDF only is supported for freight).
4. Click Confirm & Print or Confirm & Send by Email.
5. After confirmation, the Tentative Bill of Lading will appear in the results panel.
6. Click Print to open and print the BOL document.

Pending Dispatch

Some freight shipments may show a Pending Dispatch notice after creation:

This is normal for certain carriers. You will receive an update once the carrier approves and dispatches the shipment.

Feature Comparison

The following table highlights the key differences between Parcel and Freight (LTL) shipping in ShipBoss:

Optimize Your Freight Workflow

• Save your commodity — Go to your Default Settings and set a Default Freight Commodity. ShipBoss will pre-fill the Commodity and NMFC Code fields on every freight shipment.
• Save predefined dimensions — You can save frequently used pallet or package dimensions under User Dimensions so they auto-populate when creating a freight shipment.
• Residential deliveries — If your destination address is flagged as residential, the Residential destination accessorial will be added automatically. Always verify this is correct before requesting rates.
• Freight class overrides — If your account allows freight class overrides, you can select any class. If overrides are not enabled, you can only select the suggested class or a higher class.
• Insurance notice — Always verify with customer service that insurance has been added to your shipment if you see the yellow insurance notice in the accessorials panel.

The Freight Button Is Grayed Out or Missing

Freight shipping must be enabled on your account. Contact your account representative or customer service to have LTL freight access activated.

Freight Class Shows "Please provide dimensions and weight"

All four fields — Weight, Length, Width, and Height — must be entered before a freight class can be calculated. Verify that none of these fields are blank or zero.

No Rates Returned for My Freight Shipment

• Confirm that the Commodity field is not empty — it is required for all freight rate requests.
• Check that the freight class is selected.
• Verify that the origin and destination addresses are valid US addresses. Freight shipping does not support international destinations.
• Ensure your account has at least one active freight carrier integration.

The Confirm & Print Button Is Disabled

The button requires all of the following:

• A rate must be selected.
• The freight agreement checkbox must be checked.
• All required package fields must be complete.

I Do Not See the Bill of Lading After Confirming

If your shipment shows Pending Dispatch, the BOL will be available once the carrier approves the shipment. Check your shipment history and look for a status update, or contact customer service if the shipment remains pending for an extended period.

Insurance Is Not Being Processed Electronically

When the yellow insurance notice appears in the accessorials panel, electronic insurance is temporarily unavailable. Create your BOL normally, then contact support to have insurance manually added to your shipment.