Packaged and enclosed is the starting point
This page is for palletized or drummed products that can load into a dry van or a reefer: paints, coatings, adhesives, cleaning products, and similar packaged goods, when they are accepted for enclosed transport. We do not quote bulk tankers or open-deck chemical freight. If the product is a regulated hazardous material, describe what you already have — the proper shipping name or the paperwork your warehouse uses — in the notes. We will tell you whether we can cover that shipment. We will not guess a hazard class for you, and we will not ask you to leave required information off the bill of lading.
If the freight simply will not fit an enclosed trailer, see when freight can ship in a dry van.
Freeze protection is a temperature requirement, not a slogan
Many water-based paints, adhesives, and chemical products cannot freeze. A dry van has no temperature control. In cold weather, or on a lane and date where freezing is a risk, a reefer set to protect from freeze is often the right equipment. Use the temperature your specification requires, not a vague “keep from freezing” note with no number, if you have a number. Tell us if the unit should run continuously. See reefer vs dry van and reefer shipping costs.
In warm weather, some products have the opposite problem and cannot get hot. That is also a reefer conversation. If only part of a mixed load is temperature sensitive, tell us so we can help you decide whether the whole trailer should be quoted as a reefer.
Receivers, appointments, and what to send
Warehouses and plants may have appointment rules, limited access, or special unloading instructions. Include them. Accurate piece counts, pallet dimensions, and weights help on both truckload and LTL. Do not under-describe the product in order to get a simpler quote; the bill of lading and the quote should match.
- A clear product description, and any handling or hazard information you already have
- Whether the product cannot freeze, cannot get hot, or can travel dry
- The required set point, if there is one
- Pallet or drum count, dimensions, and weight
- Origin and destination city or ZIP, ship date, and appointment notes