IMPORTANT: Special Note on Freight Accessory Charges

Posted on June 2nd, 2022

We all know it, that feeling of pure joy as another pallet of our favorite coffees arrives to the roastery. Watching eagerly as the pallet is lowered out of the truck and “look!”, the driver is even bringing it inside for us even though we didn’t request it — nice, right?

…Not exactly.

We have seen a trend across most LTL carriers in the United States of being more inclined to charge for accessories that, in the past, they may have not charged for — especially if you didn’t ask for it. This is likely due in part to their margins thinning with the cost of their businesses like gas and labor increasing significantly.

Some examples of charges we are seeing:

  • Inside Delivery
  • Notify
  • Liftgate Upon Delivery

If you did not request these services with us, but maybe the driver brings the pallet inside on their own without you asking them to, or your shipment happens to be on a truck with a liftgate and you didn’t ask for one, please DO NOT sign the proof of delivery until you confirm the accessory charge is not on it.

We ask that you speak to whoever is receiving your pallets in your company and make sure they understand to be diligent about reviewing the Proof of Delivery before signing it. If you catch an incorrect charge at that point, the charge can and will be removed. If a Proof of Delivery is signed for with an accessory on it that you didn’t ask for, unfortunately, there are not many options to get those fees waived.

In addition, any damage or loss incurred through transit and noticed upon delivery needs to be noted on the Proof of Delivery form as well.

Please reach out to your sales representative, shoot us an email, or give us a call if you have any questions at all.

Happy Roasting,

Cafe Imports