UPS Freight – A guide for WooCommerce users

This article covers UPS Freight Shipment methods and services. Advantages to each Freight shipping method and how to configure and generate real-time rates, labels and BoL for Freight shipments using WooCommerce UPS Shipping plugin

What is UPS Freight

UPS Freight is the trucking division of UPS based in Richmond, Virginia. UPS Freight covers all 50 states within the U.S and all of Canada apart from Mexico, Puerto Rico, U.S Virgin Islands, and Guam.

Few features of UPS Freight are:

Offshore

UPS Freight provides reliable Offshore services to Alaska and Hawaii & Guam

Alaska

To Alaska, UPS Freight provides a direct line of service. It is a single carrier service which is solely responsible for the freight including ocean container transport. This service can originate from or consigned to UPS Freight points of service within the U.S, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.Details to remember while shipping to Alaska

• With the use of trucks or ferries, Freight carries on it’s journey to its final destination upon arrival at the port.
• No additional documentation is required and the documentation required to ship to Alaska using UPS Freight is the standard BoL
• One unique invoice is generated which contains the freight charges, rating information.

Hawaii and Guam

While shipping Freight to Hawaii and Guam, the service covers delivery to all 6 of Hawaii’s islands along with pickup services from 4 along with Guam. UPS Freight provides the consignee with advance notification of the arrival of the shipment at no extra charge. UPS Freight to Hawaii and Guam would require one BoL, one customer service center and one invoice to process the shipment.

For shipments to Hawaii and Guam, UPS Freight provides reliable and inclusive coverage. To Hawaii we have:

Ocean Services

• Shipments sent out twice a week from the port of Long Beach

Island Delivery

• To Honolulu, UPS Freight takes 5 days to arrive and an additional week to the neighboring islands.
• Shipments to Guam arrive approximately 12 days after sailing from Hawaii.

Shipping Documentation required for Freight sent to Hawaii:

• Standard Bol (Bill of Lading)

Shipping documentation required for Freight sent to Guam:

• Standard BoL
• Commercial invoice

UPS Freight covers 100% of Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands. Costs and handling fees are reduced with the help of regional consolidation centers. UPS Freight provides online shipment tracking from the origin till the destination. Shipments to Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin islands are billed on one single invoice. UPS Freight provides regularly scheduled services between the U.S and Puerto Rico and the U.S virgin islands.

• Freight bound for the south will originate from any point of service in the U.S, Canada or Mexico.
• Freight bound for the north will originate from any point of service in Puerto Rico

Island Delivery

Located at the center of Puerto Rico is the San Juan agency service center which permits timely delivery to scheduled points throughout the island. Customers are provided with the option of having to pick their shipment directly from the San Juan service center. The San Juan service center is the point of contact before the shipment is transloaded for the final leg of the journey to the U.S Virgin Islands.

Documentation required for shipments to Puerto Rico:

All shipments to Puerto Rico will require a standard BoL, commercial invoice, and an Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing. EEI is mandatory and applies to all carriers and customers who ship to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.Though shipments to Puerto Rico do not require to clear customs, they will be subject to a sales tax based on the goods value as specified in the commercial invoice. All shipments must be declared by the Puerto Rico Tax Department before they can be released for delivery to the consignee.In order to expedite the process, one must provide the following documents* Commercial invoice with the description of the goods along with its value to be printed.* Personal details of the consignee like Name, Address, Telephone number (required to notify the consignee about the arrival of the shipment and to clear the necessary taxes)* If available then a tax bond number or a tax-exempt number.

International

Mexico

UPS Freight services to Mexico are one easy way to have LTL shipments sent across the border with ease. The Freight services to Mexico will provide you with high-quality LTL door to door ground Freight service inclusive of brokerage capabilities between the U.S and Mexico with the guarantee of service in areas where it is eligible. While picking UPS Standard LTL, UPS provides door to door transportation on either side of the border while working with a broker of your choice. Basically, UPS states “You choose the broker and we’ll handle the rest”Mexico border service: UPS Freight provides quality LTL ground transportation to a customs broker of your choice at any one of five designated UPS Freight gateway cities:

• Brownsville/McAllen, TX
• El Paso, TX
• Laredo, TX
• Nogales, AZ
• Otay Mesa, CA

Canada

UPS Freight to Canada provides reliable service with an on-time delivery guarantee at no extra charge. This service covers all the provinces of Canada. Transit times are sped up and delays are minimized with the help of PARS (Pre-Arrival system). UPS Freight provides online real-time tracking for all packages to Canada (from origin to the destination). Provides instant access to all customs documents and requires one master document.UPS has customs bonded facilities in the following locations in Canada:

• Calgary, AB
• London, ON
• Moncton, NB
• Montreal, QC
• Toronto, ON
• Winnipeg, MB
• Vancouver, BC

With the use of UPS Freight LTL, customers are provided with:

• Enhanced communication and reduced risk for error with each point of contact.
• Leading brokerage capabilities which will ensure compliance between customs broker and the border security in order to expedite the shipment and minimize delays.
• UPS Freight LTL ships across borders with transit times of 2-4 days to and from major U.S and Mexico cities with rates that are close to those of Ground services.
• Tracking UPS packages result in complete visibility throughout the shipping process.

In 2016, UPS Freight LTL was re-branded to UPS Standard LTL with a new service code for UPS Standard LTL (349)

Standard LTL delivers times are formulated based on the average delivery time for similar past shipments. Here are a few factors considered into generating the shipping estimate:

• The overall size of the shipment
• Value of the shipment
• The method selected to ship the package
• Carrier used for the shipment
• Weather forecast
• The route to be taken to deliver the shipment

Features of Standard LTL are:

• Capability to handle Customs brokerage
• UPS provides a delivery guarantee as long as it’s the customs broker
• Upon providing customs clearance, UPS will utilize a single invoice to complete the process.
• Coverage between the 48 contiguous states in the U.S and Mexico
• Transportation charges and door-to-door shipment availability

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UPS Freight Guaranteed

This service provides users with “end of day” delivery service. This is based on the published transit times for LTL shipments and is rated on customized rate tariffs. It is a fee-based service that is available on shipments moving all points in the continental U.S or between the U.S and Canada.

Conditions of Freight Guaranteed

• LTL Guaranteed is applicable only on LTL shipments made between direct service points in the U.S and between direct service points in Canada. LTL Guaranteed will not be applied on shipments when the pickup and/or delivery is carried out by Agents (except Canadian Agents) or any Interline Carriers.
• The carrier will pick up the shipment no later than 5:00 PM in order to qualify for LTL Guaranteed. This does not apply for missed pickups.
• UPS Freight guarantees that shipments will be made available for delivery before the end of that day (no later than 11:59 PM local time) The consignee/recipient should be open to receive their shipment delivery up to a maximum of 5:00 PM local time. 
• In the case where the carrier fails to deliver the shipment on the due date, due to no fault of either the shipper or the consignee, then the Freight charges including fuel surcharge may be canceled for that shipment, provided the payer processes a cancellation and refund request of those charges. This needs to be done within 15 days of the estimated delivery date. 
• Under no circumstance can any agent, representative, or a third party make a  cancellation request or refund request on behalf of the payer and no refunds will be made to any party other than the payer.

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UPS Freight Guaranteed A.M

UPS Freight Guaranteed A.M is a guaranteed, day-time standard delivery where the packages will reach their destinations by 12:00 PM local time for all direct points in the contiguous 48 states of the U.S and Washington DC. In order to see if the selected ZIP code for the direct point is valid and serviceable in the U.S you will have to check the following Destination Zip Eligibility checker tool:

Conditions of Freight Guaranteed A.M

• LTL Guaranteed A.M is a service that is applicable only on LTL shipments sent from direct service points to specific and select destinations in the contiguous United States. The serviceability of these service points can be validated by using the Destination ZIP Eligibility tool from UPS 
• Guaranteed A.M will be applied only when UPS picks up and delivers the shipment and not on those shipments picked up and delivered by any Interline carriers.
• The carrier will pick up the shipment no later than 5:00 PM in order to qualify for LTL Guaranteed A.M. This does not apply for missed pickups
• UPS Freight guarantees that shipments via Freight Guaranteed A.M will be made available for delivery before (no later than 12:00 PM local time) The consignee/recipient should be open to receive their shipment delivery up to a maximum of 12:00 PM local time in order to have the guarantee applied on the package.
• LTL Guaranteed A.M will not apply when shipments don’t meet the following criteria:
  • Shipments have to be sent only to eligible postcodes as validated in the Destination ZIP Eligibility tool
  • Shipments that are delayed in transit due to various factors (value of the shipment, government regulations, any special permits or security measures required, or in the case where the package would cause potential harm to other commodities in the trailer.
• In the case where the carrier fails to deliver the shipment on the due date, due to no fault of either the shipper or the consignee, then the Freight charges including fuel surcharge may be canceled for that shipment, provided the payer processes a cancellation and refund request of those charges. This needs to be done within 15 days of the estimated delivery date. 
• Under no circumstance can any agent, representative, or a third party make a  cancellation request or refund request on behalf of the payer and no refunds will be made to any party other than the payer.
• UPS reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify this service guarantee in its sole discretion, and without prior notice.

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UPS Worldwide Express Freight

Worldwide Freight by UPS is a door-to-door service for Freight shipments which are palletized. UPS Worldwide Express Freight is the one reliable International service which meets tight deadlines for large shipments. With the help of Worldwide Express freight, you are able to import and export large palletized shipments which weigh over 150lbs/70kg to markets around the world in 1-3 calendar days. This service form UPS expedites your shipments to more than 50 countries and provinces.

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UPS Freight Claims

What is a Claim

• A claim is a written and documented demand for payment by the owner of a particular shipment against the carrier for any loss or damage which occurred during transit. 
• UPS Freight feels it is their liability to have $25.00 per lb per package set on certain commodities. This is specified under the National Motor Freight Classification or based on specific provisions of the UPS Freight Rules.

How to file for a Claim

• UPS Freight Department will accept claims only if you submit it within 30 days from the date of delivery. 
• To claim for the loss or damage of a shipment, one must fill up and mail in a copy of the claims form.
• Any claim for non-delivery must be filed within 9 months of the shipment date and for those packages delivered then within 9 months of delivery. No claim will be settled or paid out unless the claim is in writing and filed within the 9 month period.

To file for the claim one must follow the below-highlighted steps:

• First, determine the amount which accurately represents the loss incurred. Efforts to repair, salvage or discount damaged goods must be made.
• Download the UPS Freight Standard Claims form, fill up the relevant details and print the form. The secondary option is to write a letter identifying the shipment with damages along with a claim amount.
• Collect the necessary documents in order to file for a claim
  • Vendor invoice including the entire amount paid (post deductions and discounts)
  • Freight bill invoice (copy)
  • BoL (Bill of Lading – copy)
  • Repair invoices in the case where goods have been repaired
• Now that you are ready to file the claim, all documents supporting the claim have to be sent into the following address:
  • Claims Processing
    UPS Freight
    PO. Box 1216
    Richmond, VA 23218

Claim Process

Once the UPS Freight Claims Processing unit receives a complaint regarding the claim, they will assign a claim number and a claims investigator, who will remain dedicated to resolving your claim. However, in the case where a claim has not been resolved in 30 days, UPS Freight Claims Processing Unit will send you an acknowledgment with the assigned claim number informing you that UPS Freight is working on your claim.

Insurance Requirements

Lost and/or Damaged shipments

• In the case where a shipment has been misplaced or lost, the shipper will have to count the pieces present in the shipment and compare that number against what is indicated on the delivery receipt. Once done, he will write a brief and precise description on what is missing from the shipment and specify the same in the UPS Freight copy as well as your personal copy of the delivery receipt. This acts as a notice to the service team to try and locate the shipment at the earliest.
• In that case, the delivery/service center personnel will make every attempt possible to locate the missing Freight.  
• In order to trace the package, the shipper will have to reach out to the OS&D team (Over, Short & Damage team) at the local UPS Freight service center. To make this claim, the shipper has to keep the following handy for a faster response:
  • The Freight bill number
  • Billing date (specified on the delivery receipt or Freight bill)
  • Names and Address details of both the Shipper and Consignee.
  • The total number of pieces in the affected shipment.
  • The number of pieces missing from said shipment.
  • Total weight of the shipment.
  • The estimated delivery date provided by UPS
  • Accurate description of the missing items (size, color, shape.. etc)
  • Any SKU or serial number listed on the goods
  • Any further information which will help the UPS service team locate and identify the package.

Visible Damage to a Shipment

• Inspect the container if it shows signs of damage in order to check the contents of the package. Write a description of the damage on both copies of the UPS Freight delivery receipt
• Special Note – Only in the case where the external damage has rendered the goods useless can the consignee opt not to receive the package. However, if the damage to the shipment has not resulted in the damage of the product packed, then the consignee has to accept the shipment as is and then determine if the item in the package can be repaired or retained with an allowance.

Concealed Loss or Damage

• If you so happen to discover any concealed loss or damage to the shipment, you will have to report it to UPS Freight within 5 working days from the date of delivery and further request for an inspection of the package. Leave the container and packaging material as they were when the loss or damage was first uncovered.
• Reach out to the UPS Freight Service Center in order to request an inspection of the goods.
• At times where there is no inspector available to check the damaged Freight, then UPS Freight will request you to inspect the damages yourself and to write the description of the level of damage in order to file a claim later. Any inspection report is not a claim.

• Begin by setting up the plugin
• Now that the setup has been completed, proceed to enable Freight Services by navigating here WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping > UPS > Enable Freight Services (shown below)

• Proceed to the Services and Packaging section of the plugin settings where you will be able to view the list of available UPS Freight services. By default, all services will be enabled but you can disable those services you are not going to use or show on the Cart Calculator page (shown below)

• Proceed to your store and add items to the cart up to in order to receive Freight rates. 
  • Note – UPS Freight does not have a minimum weight required to receive Freight rates, it works with all products.
• Add items into the cart, the Freight services will appear in the Cart calculator based on the destination address keyed in (shown below)

• Proceed to the Order details page to Generate packages, add additional services and have the shipping labels printed.

As shown in the above image, while generating labels and processing the shipment the shipper is able to select additional services. These are:

• Freight Packaging type This is a drop-down with a list of packaging types made available by UPS. Choose the appropriate type of packaging for that shipment.
• Freight Class Freight classes help you get standard freight pricing for your shipment
• Request Holiday Pickup To permit the carrier to pick up the item even on holidays
• Request Inside Pickup Specify if the pickup requires an Inside pickup
• Request Residential Pickup Select this option if the pickup is from a residential address
• Request Weekend Pickup Sends a request to UPS to pick up the package on Weekends
• Request Lift Gate for Pickup This indicates that the shipment will require lift gate pickup
• Notify UPS for limited Access Pickup Informs UPS that there is limited access for the pickup of a shipment.
• Pickup Instructions Sends UPS a set of instructions for the pickup.

Proceed to Confirm Shipment. Doing so will generate the Shipping labels for the Freight shipment which can be printed from,

• PDF format
• PNG format

You require this label to complete the shipment.