Thursday, January 29, 2009

New Exporters - Control your Freight costs!

If you are a company wanting to increase sales, one of your first thoughts will probably be to investigate the export market. There is a lot of help available in the UK for potential exporters; the government obviously wants to encourage export trade, and has an informative website uktradeinvest.gov, giving plenty of background information on all the countries of the world. This site will also put you in touch with a consultant who can advise your company specifically.

It is not so easy to find advice about how to get your product to your overseas customers, once you have found them and they have placed an order. This is when you need to use the services of a shipping company.

Although the economy of the UK has been dependent on international trade for hundreds of years, there is somehow a lack of knowledge about how the goods actually move around the world, and what companies perform this important function. It is easy enough to find a reputable shipping company by logging onto the website of the British International Freight Association, (bifa.org) but most forwarding companies tend to specialise in certain geographic areas or certain types of goods, so it may be more helpful to use the Internet to search for your specific shipping need.

Many first-time shippers don't realise that 'who pays the freight calls the tune' - in other words, whoever pays the freight charges decides which shipping company provides the service. In the UK, companies have often traditionally sold their products 'ex Works' - which means that their customer pays the freight charges, and decides which freight company to use.

But if you have put a lot of money and effort into finding an export market for your product, why would you want to lose control of it as soon as it leaves your premises? Surely it is better to feel confident that you have chosen the right shipping and forwarding company to do the job and that you have negotiated a fair price with them.

In conclusion, it's really better to think about your shipping needs simultaneously with sourcing your export markets - that way a professional forwarder can advise you on the best and most economical way to transport your goods, and you can include the freight cost in your quotation to the customer

R W Freight Services Ltd is a UK based family owned and run freight forwarder established in 1971 operating worldwide forwarding services. ISO accredited Quality Management system. BIFA Reg no 1.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Freight Shipping Service

Everything about Freight Shipping

If you are looking for cheap freight shipping over the net then you are at right place. Discount shipping offer you the best freight shipping service, overseas air freight quotes and overnight freight at many places. Also you can ask questions and can clarify your doubts by calling us on toll free no available on site.

We provide the free online freight shipping quotes which definitely help you to save lot money and time and shipping service to many overseas countries. Our volume international outbound and inbound pricing allows us to offer heavy discount on international shipping rates both on low and high volume of shipping.

Freight shipping Services for international companies

Also we have a strong referral network specialized in overseas shipping partners if we cannot help you in some cases. We are happy to forward you our overseas contact details which definitely help you. We also provide shipping supply companies list that may help you in your freight shipping. As we said we offer online freight quotes and if you are ok with our initial pricing we can also help you with our instant quoting and booking system that gives you freight quotes, air freight quotes, overnight quotes and international shipping rates. We offer fast shipping, outstanding customer service and our working practices eliminate many errors may come in freight shipping.

Some freight shipping benefits at Discount shipping

· Offers heavy discount on all freight shipments.

· You can ship anything, anytime, anywhere and no limit on size and weight. We help you to track your shipping.

· Dedicated support staff that help and guide you through every phase of freight shipping process.

Complete Freight shipping rates

Discount shipping is the unique and offers variety of services to our customers. We offer flexible, dependable services at competitive rates 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. So enjoy shipping with only Discount shipping.

If you are interested to know more about Freight Shipping Service please search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

Jeremy Curran is owner for the Visit the site (http://www.discount-shippingonline.com) for more information about Freight Shipping Service.

Harbor Freight Coupon Codes Saves the Day

Having a bad day was almost a habit for me. It seemed like I was intended to have it. Yesterday could have been my worst. I was meeting this gorgeous lady, and we planned to have dinner together. Her name was Michelle. I met her in a store nearby, and she offered me some Harbor Freight coupon codes. I was really attracted with her beauty and personality, so I invited her to have dinner with me. It's been a while since I've dated someone, so I was really excited.

I felt this was a lucky day for me. After work, I rushed down the parking area, and got in my "forgotten" 2001 Toyota Corolla 4dr Sedan which I bought, with the help of Edmunds coupon codes. With a quick look at my wing mirror, I saw the left rear tire of my car severely punctured. I didn't know why it happened but, I know what would happen if I can't think of a solution right away. I had a spare tire, but I didn't have the tools. Just around the corner, I saw a Harbor Freight Tools retail store, the largest tool and equipment catalog retailer offering Harbor Freight coupon codes, and sprinted directly to the store. I grabbed some materials and stuff to change my tire. And who would have thought, for all the bad timing and everything terrible that has happened, how could this be the time that I lost my wallet.

And then, there was the Harbor Freight coupon codes! It was like my knight in shining armor. I slid the Harbor Freight coupon codes Michelle gave me inside my car visors the time I invited her, and luckily, it was a Portable Tire changer coupon codes. I had about 50 bucks in my pocket, and it was enough for me to change my car's tires.

My day wasn't that bad after all. I got additional Harbor Freight coupon codes, and I get to go out again with Michelle this weekend. Harbor Freight coupon codes really is the big deal. With incredible savings it offers to costumers, and a broad selection of products. Harbor Freight Tools has more than 300 retail outlets across the United States, that's why it is accessible almost everywhere.

Santa Monica Express Offers Specialty Services

June 9, 2008 LOS ANGELES - Santa Monica Express, the premiere Los Angeles delivery, Los Angeles courier, and Los Angeles messenger company, is proud to announce additional specialty services to accommodate the many needs of clients in various industries throughout the Los Angeles area.

International and Domestic Hand-Carry Deliveries

Reliable service between Los Angeles, Southern California and anywhere in the world - your package is actually accompanied by a live courier and delivered in person.

Please call and ask one of our friendly representatives about our new Los Angeles hand carry courier and Los Angeles messenger services, tailored to your specific needs. Feel at ease that your package is being accompanied by a live person on the plane, through the entire trip, from the time it is picked up by one of our professional couriers to the time it is delivered and signed for.

We can deliver packages accompanied by a live courier from Los Angeles to New York, Chicago, Toronto, Mexico City, Madrid, London, Oslo, Berlin, Istanbul, Tokyo, Sydney and many other destinations.

Scheduled Route Services

Santa Monica Express, Inc. Route Services are designed for those customers who have repetitive deliveries occurring every day or on a specific schedule in the Los Angeles and Southern California areas. Customers who require routine pick-ups and deliveries utilize these services.

The main objective at Santa Monica Express is to provide the highest level of efficiency and competitive pricing to our customers. Santa Monica Express is able to customize each and every customer's route needs with the use of our state-of-the-art technological resources. These advances in technology allow us to combine several orders in one efficient route, spreading the costs over several clients at once, therefore offering additional savings for everyone.

We are flexible enough to alter our routes and services based upon changes in volume, weather, and road conditions, continuing our efficiency rating. We have routes running 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year. For more information regarding our services, please contact our sales department at (310) 458-6000 or (800) 254-4502. Also, find more infmration or contact us through the website at We look forward to providing you with quality, economical, expedited service.

Santa Moncia Express (http://www.santamonicaexpress.com) has been offering the best Los Angeles delivery service for over 2 decades.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Trucking Software

Software is used for logistics automation, which helps the supply chain industry in automating the workflow as well as management of the system. There is very few generalized software available in the new market in the said topology. This is because there is no rule to generalize the system as well as work flow even though the practice is more or less the same. Most of the commercial companies do use one or the other of the custom solutions.Our objective is to help our clients achieve their goals by helping them to save time. Time you can use to develop more business, provide better services to your customers, use to plan, reflect, and make better business decisions - or go golfing or spend more time with your families. When you make full use of the Axon Enterprise Transportation Management System, you will save more time than you will with any other combination of software products on the market.

Planning on Becoming a Canadian Freight Broker – Consider this

In deed, fully half of the licensed freight brokers in the U.S. alone report that they are working full time. This doesn't mean that freight brokers in general are being put out of work though. What it does point to is that more is required of todays Canadian freight broker and if one doesn't meet these requirements, he or she can expect to suffer negative consequences with regards to their employability.

Computer Systems Have Replaced Phones to a Large Part

The first major change that a Canadian freight broker can expect to encounter when they begin to work is that computers now play a much bigger role in the freight shipping workplace. Also, there is fairly complex software that is used in conjunction with the new computer systems that are being implemented in the business as a whole.

Can You Use the Freight Broker Software Pograms ?

"No problem" you say, because after all, you have a personal computer in your home that you chat and email with. The truth is, that this qualifies you as a "trainee" now, because you will be expected to be completely familiar with a number of different software programs beginning on day one of your career.

Basic Freight Shipping "Spanglish" Sure Helps Now

Secondly, if you don't speak basic "freight shipping spanish" you will be at an extreme disadvantage to those that do. The Hispanic or "Spanish speaking" segment of the U.S. economy is the fastest growing out of all of them. In deed, the population of California is fully one third Hispanic now.

The Lions Share Now Goes to Those Who Come Prepared

This doesn't mean that you have to learn to speak spanish "fluently". Rather, it means that it would be wise to attend a course that teaches the spanish words and phrases that are commonly used in the trucking industry. While half of the U.S. freight brokers are waiting at home for work, the other half that came to the job prepared are working over time to keep up with an ever increasing amount of work and reaping far greater financial rewards then than had planned on.

Written by Emilia Leyva. Come visit my website for the top information on Canadian Load Broker and even the best info on Freight Broker Class.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Mercedes Sprinter is for Big Families

Minivans, SUV's, and the glut of other vehicles marketed towards families all have one thing in common: they're big on the outside, cramped on the inside. Not only that, but they aren't practical for longer trips that involve packing luggage for yourself and all of your kids. They may be adequate for the average nuclear family, but if you've got the makings of a small soccer team living under one roof, you might need an upgrade.

Say hello to the Mercedes Sprinter, Chrysler's response to the sea of awkward and unattractive vans that have flooded the sales floors. The passenger version of the Sprinter is stylish and sleek with tinted rear windows and a graceful sloping front end. Packed with unique standard features, multiple customization options, and tons of available add-ons, the Mercedes Sprinter is taking the family van to the next level.

The highlight of the Mercedes Sprinter is easily its spacious interior. It has ten full-sized, removable seats and with your choice of body lengths (233 or 273 inches) and roof heights (standard or high). If that isn't enough room for your family, you probably need to pack less or buy a bus.

The other perks about the Mercedes Sprinter is that you can easily tailor it to suit your family's needs. Its towing capacity (between 5,000 and 7,500 lbs) and cargo area make it an ideal van for long road trips. With a 3.0-liter turbo diesel V6 with 154 horsepower (optional 3.5-liter gasoline V6 also available), the Mercedes Sprinter gets better gas mileage and fuel economy than many smaller vans, so those long drives will be easy on the wallet.

The Mercedes Sprinter can also be converted into a comfortable camper. Its durable flooring and seating flexibility make it simple to transform it from van to home on wheels. Many Sprinter owners have had great success in adding beds, mini fridges, and other amenities to their van.

Other features that make the Sprinter such an appealing family van is a choice of two wheelbases, either 144 or 170 inches, five-speed automatic transmission, stability control, standard climate control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, antilock brakes, and an emergency window. If you want to customize your van even further, Chrysler has many available extras such as rear parking assist, sun roof, and heated seats.

There is no doubt that the Sprinter is a big vehicle. Its width may appear imposing, but it is a surprisingly agile and graceful drive. A popular van in Europe for many years, the Sprinter was engineered to navigate the narrow streets and tight turns common in other countries.

Although you may have seen Sprinters being used as cargo, delivery, or shuttle vans, the passenger version is a great option for those looking for a comfortable and attractive family vehicle. Chrysler has adapted it to suit a suburban lifestyle while maintaining a reasonable price. If you and your family are in the market for a cushy ride with room to spare, the Mercedes Sprinter is the van for you.

If you have a big family and often take them for some outing, then Mercedes Sprinter is the best option for you. It has all facilities to make your drive comfortable and smooth. Space, speed and fuel economy makes it suitable for your family. For details, visit

Mercedes Sprinter Reviews

Think of Mercedes and you immediately think of a luxurious and stylish auto. You probably don't often associate the name with cargo or hauling soccer teams. But that's exactly what the new Mercedes Sprinter is being recognized for in the latest reviews. It's a full-sized van that maintains the amenities and class you expect from Mercedes, but with more space that can be customized to your specific needs.

The cargo version of the Sprinter was built to haul everything from pool equipment to storage boxes. It still has superior handling despite the wide body, making it much more graceful than the jalopies that many commercial business owners utilize. For a car with its storage capacity, it has excellent fuel economy. With a variety of options available, you can tailor the car to suit your business needs. The 2008 model will feature optional power-sliding door for smoother access. You also have the choice of body lengths and roof heights---no more strapping ladders to the outside.

For those who think outside of the box, the Sprinter makes an ideal vehicle for charter and other travel services. It's roomy enough to fit a good-sized group including luggage. It would make an excellent option for more intimate tours and transportation services, providing plenty of room.

The Mercedes Sprinter is also available as a passenger van. With a multitude of customizations available, you can make it the ideal family vehicle. Add-ons include parking assist, six CD changer, review camera, and heated seats. The engine, a 3.0 Liter turbodiesel V6, can tow a good-sized load. For those apprehensive to diesel, there is a gasoline V6 option available.

One of the most talked about features in reviews is its adaptability to suburban life. It can be bought in both passenger and cargo models, but its sleek exterior and comfortable seating arrangements make it an ideal vehicle for a large family as well. It has ten removable seats so you can adjust the car to fit your needs. Going camping with the dog and kids? Pull out a few seats, throw your equipment in the back and you'll still have room to spare. No longer, cramped car rides. And since its light at the gas pump, it is a more economical choice than an RV.

For those concerned about drivability, its superior handling, specially balanced to account for its height and width, makes it a great choice for families. It also comes equipped with anti-lock breaks and an emergency window, making it a safe choice for those with children.

The Mercedes Sprinter also comes with standard features that you won't find in other full-sized vans. A tilt and telescoping steering wheel and automatic climate control are just two of the perks included. These features, when combined with the Sprinter's ease of customization, make it a sound investment.

So, if you're tired of compromising style for size, and size for style, you might consider trying out the Mercedes Sprinter. You can be assured a comfortable and smooth drive.

Mercedes Sprinter is the choice of many families after it being shown as best in the latest reviews. It has all facilities to make your drive comfortable and smooth and caters all needs of your family. For more details, visit

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Shipping Made Conveniently Possible!

Here are the days of technology transformation. The invention of high-class televisions, the radios are replaced by the convenience brought by these Ipods, the luxury and style of these up to date cell phones, and the lavishness that the new model cars can bring into the picture. Saying these things, information and transportation are easily transferred to one place and another. So the shift freight in Florida.

Looking back, if we still remember the transportation we have before. We have these beetle cars, bus services and the like. While the cell phones we had before were large enough and difficult to handle. So is the television. They are enormous and no remote controls. And who will think that Ipods will replace radios? Haha. It's funny to think about. But we are here now in a world of development.

We even have this access to the Internet. Who said that messages would remain as telegrams? Where we can receive the response for a week or two. Today, with these text messages and e-mails, we can send and receive information and messages with just a blink of an eye. And who can forget the convenience that these fast moving trains bring to us? In just a few minutes, they can manage to bring us to our destination. No traffic! And I'm about to add up another one. Airplanes. These air vehicles that can tour us globally. Can travel country to every country with just hours of journey. What a development we had!

And these cargos will never let themselves to be left behind by these innovations. The good thing is, we have here nowadays, the convenience of Florida freight service. Here, they manage to travel and send our cargos on and off shore.

Thank heavens. We have this freight company in Florida that will do the said service for us. It is hard to handle the transfer of cargo all by ourselves, that's why it is a great relief to each and every one of us to have these Florida freight forwarders to offer these kinds of services to us.

Messages sent in an instant. People travel even in minutes. In land, air, or even seas. We even invaded the world of transportation and transfer. And talking about that, here comes the art of Florida freight transfer storage.

Great accomplishment. And have I told you guys that these freight services were not only giving us the convenience in every deal? They also offer these cargo shipments reasonably priced and also time bounded. Are they challenging the text messages and emails when talking about speed service? Nah. They just want to produce satisfied and happy clients. They can't beat the speed that text messages and emails can offer. But they try to deliver every service the soonest time possible and of course, avoiding any delays. Is that amazing to think about?

Now. We can depend on to these shipping companies when we need to send or receive cargos. Hassle free and promises convenience to our part. And that's great things in life that we should enjoy.

For additional information, click this site on ship freight Florida.

Mayflor de Guzman is a registered web copywriter in a web design company associated with a company offering Florida freight service.

Answering Your Air Freight Questions

It is important for your package to arrive at its destination on time and in good condition. That means you have to trust it into the right hands but sometimes that is a hard decision to make.

This decision can be especially hard if you must ship something by air freight. You constantly have to worry about the packages being loaded onto the wrong flight and being misdirected to another destination and being lost. Or you have to worry about them being damaged in flight.

Plus there is the additional factor of how much it will cost you to ship the packages. It can be enough to make your head spin around in circles. In this article we will cover the basics of air freight and hopefully answer some of the basics where this is concerned and before it is all over you will have a greater understanding of what this valuable service has to offer and where you can turn to for your shipping needs.

What companies offer air freight?

There are several companies that offer air freight services. FedEx, UPS, and United Air Freight are just a few. Some air freight companies offer pick-up services up to a certain amount of pounds per package whereas some will require that you deliver the package to their terminal. You will have to check with the individual shipping company to ensure what their services cover.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the air freight shipping will vary depending on: location, how soon it must be there, the nature of what it is you are shipping, the value of the item(s) in question, how many item(s) you are shipping and how much each item weighs. It also depends on what company you go with. Many large companies have contracts with shipping companies that provides them with a discount since they ship frequently. You will have to check around for pricing information before you decide on a company to ship with.

Should I take out insurance for my package?

Most air freight services will only cover packages up to a certain dollar amount. You should always insure your package if it is valuable. If you are taking the time and money to ship a package by air freight chances are that it is valuable to you.

Insurance does not cost that much and it is well worth the price if something were to happen to your package. It is better to be safe than sorry.

What is the weight limit for packages?

Some shippers do have a weight limit for picking up packages. They may require that you deliver the packages to their air freight terminal yourself or arrange for delivery yourself. You will need to check with the shipping company to see what the weight limit is and how you should properly prepare the packages for shipping.

It is important to follow their guidelines if you want your packages to arrive at their destination in one piece. Some may require special stickers to be placed on the packages to let the handlers know the weight of the package so that they are not harmed during lifting.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on air freight, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

International Air Freight To Protect The Environment

Global warming is no longer something that you debate for awhile and forget. It has become a gigantic reality and all global leading companies are slowly waking up to the fact that unless they do something about it, this is not going to get better.

The international air freight companies all over the world contributed about 7% to the total carbon emissions measured in 2006, which has put pressure on them to do something about the problem. It is high time that every air cargo freight shipping company and cargo airline commits to working for and not against the environment.

The international air freight companies are in the middle of the environmental protection controversies; they have agreed and have announced that they will enter into an agreement to contribute compulsorily for projects that protect the environment all over the world.

The amount that is earmarked for this purpose has not been fixed, though the agreement stipulates that it should be proportionate to the number of freight services that each cargo airline offers. Europe organized and spearheaded its efforts through the Kyoto Protocol Agreement, which states that the participating countries are committed to bringing down the carbon emission by 2012. USA was conspicuous by its absence at this momentous event.

It is encouraging to learn that the international air freight companies, which form a good part of the global mega companies, are at last taking environmental things seriously. However, is this enough?

Many feel that it would be much better if each of these major and minor cargo airlines committed themselves to control the level of pollution they emit and set strict rules against pollution. This would have a rippling effect in checking the carbon emissions since the demand for air cargo services is on the rise.

Today, what is required from the international air freight companies is not a handout for green projects, but a direct, full hearted and committed approach to see that there is no further damage to the already ailing environment. While the agreement to keep aside a percentage of the overall profits for environmental protection projects is definitely a step in the right direction, much more is expected from the air cargo companies all over the world.

As the use and need for cargo airlines is on the rise, unless there is a concerted effort to bring about changes inside and outside the operational areas, there is very little hope for our planet. Pacts, such as the Kyoto Protocol Agreement, are a wonderful way to show how much these mammoth companies care and are doing towards the "greener earth" objective.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on international air freight, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

The Importance Of Freight Shipping Rates

Freight shipping is the transportation of cargo through a commercial entity. There are many different types of freight, and there are usually three labels for goods. These are household goods, express parcels and freight shipments. A shipment becomes a freight shipment any time a cargo amount is too great to be transported as a parcel.

Many kinds of shipments are done through air cargo or by ocean freight. When a business deals with international shipping, they always look at freight shipping rates to determine which transport company offers the best deal for their needs.

All international cargo transportation must go through either cargo airlines, or through ocean freight. These shipping methods can be quite pricey, so that is why businesses must always keep track of the shipping rates being charged so that they can maintain the lowest cost levels possible. Many companies employ a cargo agent, or several, to keep track of the current shipping prices, and where the best rates can be found.

These agents also track shipments and determine what extra charges apply to the freight cargo. There is a newer type of freight boat, which are smaller, faster container ships that carry heavy cargo faster than the older, heavier ships, and they are also cheaper to use than air transportation methods, which is better for companies looking to save money on air transport. However, air transport is still faster than any ocean shipping methods.

International cargo transport has many different regulations, and is controlled by many different regulation companies. Cargo airlines are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Security Administration.

Ocean freight is regulated by the Federal Maritime Commission, and all the ocean shipping companies must also be licensed by the FMC. Information about ocean and air transport services can easily be found on the internet. A lot of sites allow companies to calculate their freight shipping rates online for free.

If a company is in need of international cargo transport, then getting a cargo agent would be advisable. An agent would make those worries of a company disappear and free them to think about other issues facing the company.

There is so much to think about for air cargo and freight shipping rates. There is so much information available out there, that it can be overwhelming. It is difficult to find the right place for information about cargo transportation.

In these cases, it is almost a necessity to employ the services of a cargo agent. They can help out with all of a company's freight shipping services, and by doing so, help the company's employees to sleep better at night.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on freight shipping rates, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Why You Should Have an Open Cargo Insurance Policy

There are five (5) insurance options for shippers to insure their cargo shipments.

Deciding which option is the right one for a shipper is an important decision which should be carefully thought out and reviewed on a regular basis. How you secure insurance for your cargo can make a significant difference in the cost of the protection and the terms of the coverage that you receive. Here is a brief discussion of those options with the key points of comparison:

(1) Insurance can be obtained through a freight forwarder or customs house broker. Most of these companies have an in-house ocean cargo policy that is made available to their customers. This is a significant profit center for these companies due to the high mark-up charged to the shipper. These "all purpose rates" can be much higher than the rates for your specific shipment. Despite these issues, this is the preferred option for the small shipper with four or five shipments per year. Due to the minimum premium required for an "Open Cargo" Policy, this may be a more economical way to purchase coverage. But if a shipper does enough volume, the savings could be up to 50% of what he is currently paying.

(2) Insurance could be secured through the carrier shipping the cargo. Unfortunately, this makes the carrier the named insured, not the shipper. This protects the carrier not the shipper. If there is a loss, the shipper will need to file a liability claim against the carrier and their insurance company. And the insurance company will seek to protect the interests of their client, the carrier, not the shipper.

(3) Overseas suppliers might provide the coverage for YOUR cargo. This arrangement raises a number of significant questions. "Will the coverage be placed with a U. S. company, or will you have to collect on a claim in a foreign company?" "What perils are covered by the policy (All-Risk vs. Named)?" "What language is the certificate written in?" "Will you be paid in dollars or some other currency?" "Is the cost of the insurance passed on to you and if so, at what cost?" "What is the deductible?" "What are the exclusions and conditions of the coverage?" "At what point does the insurance coverage cease to cover your cargo?" Do not let the supplier make YOUR insurance decisions. Do not relinquish control!

(4) Occasional shippers can purchase a Shipment Certificate. Although this is a more expensive way to buy coverage, it may be to be the most economical and efficient method for the small shipper.

(5) BUY YOUR OWN "OPEN CARGO" POLICY!

The cost of cargo insurance is small in comparison to the total cost of packing, handling, and shipping goods. Bypassing the middleman (freight forwarder, customs house broker, overseas supplier) can yield a huge savings in the cost of your shipping. You will be the insured. You will know what you are getting. You will have the right coverage to meet your specific needs. Your interests will be protected, not the middleman's interests. If you should have a claim, you are the insured and the insurance company who issued the policy has a vested interest in handling the claim promptly and fairly. Your shipments will be automatically protected with no chance of failing to insure a shipment. You will have a single point of contact for all of your cargo issues rather than having to deal with multiple coverages with different terms of coverage from different sources. You will be free of "GENERAL AVERAGE" claims. And if you don't know what that means, you need to understand this point before you have a major surprise.

You know that you need cargo insurance or you will recover very little for damaged goods. The question is, "Where are you going to get it?" The answer is at M. Silver and Associates, Inc.

If you have a question about cargo insurance or you need a cargo insurance policy, contact our cargo department by e-mail at cargo@ To receive a cargo insurance quote, please download our Open Cargo Insurance Questionnaire.

Merle Silver, President of M. Silver and Associates, Inc., is ready to help you with a

cargo insurance quote

or information on other

marine insurance coverages.

Please visit our web site at

for additional information on our agency.

Tips To Better Understand The Freight Shipping Quote Business

Do you need to use air freight shipping services? The first question that should become obvious to you would be, "How much is this going to cost?" You can get a free freight shipping quote from any cargo airline or cargo agent almost instantly; however, how will you know which offer is the best and which one to choose from among the different cargo airlines available.

To help you decide, you need to learn about how pricing is done and who decides on the rates. Only when you know all this you can best judge which quote is the best for you.

The quote that you receive from a cargo airline or cargo agent is based upon the guidelines laid down by International Air Transport Association or IATA, as it is popularly known. The rates are decided and updated following debates and discussions held during meetings among IATA Regional Tariff Committees the world over.

Though the air freight rates are decided by IATA, their implementation and acceptance in each country depends upon the approval of the governments of each country. Even when these are not followed as recommended, the IATA decisions are used as guidelines in the respective countries.

The freight shipping quote that you will receive on major popular routes will, more often than not, ignore the IATA rules and guideline, with a massive bias towards you, the customer. This is because there is too much competition on these routes, which necessitate drastic measures to attract customers. There are a few more factors that are taken into consideration before the rate is finalized: the weight of the cargo, the class in which it is booked, any special instruction to the cargo airline and the distance it will travel.

The freight shipping quote is normally based upon the rules and guidelines laid down by International Air Transport Association (IATA). There are a few deviations on these rates, mainly in places where the respective country's government chooses, at their own discretion, to set the rates.

However, the IATA guidelines are taken into consideration even though the recommended rates may not be functional. There are other exceptions to the rule, thankfully, in favor of the customer, on routes that attract high traffic, owing to the competition.

In ordinary cases, the IATA rules and guidelines are applicable without any "adjustment." Now that you know how a cargo airline works out its quote, you will be able to bargain for the best deal for any cargo airline services you need.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on freight shipping quote, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Off Lease and Repos, Semi Trucks, Big Rigs and Over the Road Trucks

In today's unstable economy, the start up and seasoned business has an unique opportunity to acquire an attractive deal for off leases and repos for semi trucks, big rigs and over the road trucks. Due to a contracting economy, many lenders have excess inventories on their books that they need to put back into their revenue stream as quick as possible. These in-house inventories are non income producing, therefore putting pressure on the lender to make a deal with the consumer. These deals can be found in the price, the financing or a combination of both.

An off lease and repo semi truck has been returned to the lender as the lease has expired. The lessee has made a decision to return the item in lieu of exercising the buyout option. A repo has arisen due to a default of the lessee for non payment terms or a violation of the terms of the lease. Either way, the lender has taken these trucks back and/and now must recondition them and either sell these trucks or re-lease them.

The lender will either advertise their inventories through their internal sales force, trade journals such as truckpaper, truck trader etc or utilize outside professionals such as brokers to move their inventories as quick as possible. Sometimes, as these inventories either sit or whatever reasons aren't moving, the lender will put these items up for auction.

Some of the lenders in the market have advertised personal credit qualifications as low as 575, prior bankruptcy rules amended or ignored and start ups welcome. Additionally, the front money to commence the lease can start as low as first payment to whatever you might able to negotiate. Some of the lenders have application only programs up to $250,000. There are no financial statements, income tax returns or bank statements required. Additionally, some lenders may defer some of payments to get the semi trucks financed. The buyout clauses on these over the road trucks can range from a $1.00 buyout to 10% to 20% Trac leases to possible fair market value buyouts. One should understand these clauses because they have an impact on the passing of title.

For this article, the type of items we are going to identify as potential deals for the customer are the following manufacturers.

Petebilt, Mack, Kenworth, International, Freightliner, and Volvo.

Additionally, these semi trucks utilize a substantial amount of diesel fuel and this gasoline cost should be evaluated in conjunction with the finance costs of the truck. As the price of oil keeps going up, the decision making on both the dealer/lender and the customer has made it more difficult to balance the factors of profitabilty and survival.

In conclusion, this is a buyers market for semi trucks and one should evaluate all the factors relating to this acquisition including gas costs, air emissions, environmental type requirements, buyout clauses and the related financing.

Happy hunting for your acquisition and related financing...

J.M Luna has thirty years experience in the financial field. This includes accounting and taxes, leasing, commercial and hard asset money loans. U.S Corporate Capital Leasing Group assists the start up as well as the seasoned business.

Cargo Charter Business Has Risen In Popularity

If you have any time sensitive goods, which regular airport transportation might reject or object to, then you can always use a cargo charter airline. This is a wonderful way to have your goods transported to any part of the world, quickly and safely.

Many companies prefer to charter shipment airlines for this purpose, since in eliminates any worry about delays that might occur with regular airlines. Even for bulky shipment, most people prefer air to ocean freight because it is much faster. There has been an explosion of chartered air cargo companies, which is a positive aspect since the competitiveness among them keeps prices down.

The chartered flight is more often than not used for large consignments that need to be transported together from point A to B, without the risk of delays or loss of goods, instead of breaking the cargo down into smaller quantities, as demanded by the regular airlines.

Another popular reason why chartered cargo airlines are preferred to the regular passenger airlines is because sometimes the shipment consists of wild and exotic animals that need urgent and careful transportation to their destination. The third reason why chartered air cargo is popular is that they can fly to remote and inaccessible areas in a timely manner, in response to any number of calamities, delivering precious life-saving supplies to the people who may be stranded there.

This is definitely not an exhaustive list. There are organizations which use cargo charter because their business deals with perishable goods and therefore cannot afford to wait and go through the regular airport security formalities. This would seriously compromise their consignment.

There are others who use chartered air cargo services because any delay in their shipment of goods may involve legal penalties. Similarly, there are certain goods, which the regular available freight shipping companies would reject, due their hazardous nature. Here too, the only viable choice would be to use the services of private shipment agencies.

The services offered by the cargo charter are invaluable in many ways, since they transport those types of goods which cannot be otherwise transported as efficiently. If these types of services were not available, then the only other options would be ocean freight.

When it come to the transfer of goods or livestock, this choice is definitely not appropriate. The chartered air cargo services therefore are invaluable since without these the success of many other businesses and companies would not be possible.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on the cargo charter, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Obtaining Semi Truck, Big Rig and Over the Road Truck Financing

There are many alternatives in obtaining semi truck financing. Whether you are a start up or a seasoned business, the first logical place to investigate your financing is at your local bank. This may be a pleasurable experience if you have many contacts at your bank but most people usually don't have these types of connections. The seasoned or fleet operator must have at least mid 600s on their credit scores and be prepared to go through a long paper process. Prior year tax returns are required, current personal financial statements needed, interim financial statements and other banking information pertaining to your business and personal bank balances are required. The start up business must have a credit score properly 680 or higher and will have a much smaller success rate in obtaining bank financing. The business start up is a much higher risk factor and must adhere to tougher lending standards than the seasoned or fleet operator. Additionally, the lender may require that the prospect borrower be incorporated prior to document submission.

Most banks offer loan and/or lease programs. The difference is that the loan program transfers title at the end of the payment obligation, whereas the leasing component offers a rent type environment during the course of the lease with a buy out option at the end of the lease period to take title. Usually, the monies required upfront to acquire a loan are higher and eliminates many candidates. The Leasing arena requires anywhere from usually first and last payment to approximately 30% down of the acquisition cost depending on the applicant and the risk factors determined by the lender. As the economy has become weaker and the risk factors have become higher, it isn't uncommon to see up to a 30% down payment required on a start up situation. Additionally, some lenders will not finance an over the road truck that is over five years old as well. The standard for others may be ten years. Other niche lenders may require lower credit scores, such as 550-650 but their interest rates may range between 20-40% depending upon the application's time in business and personal credit scores..Once again, the front money can vary from lender to lender.

On the loan and lease programs for a semi truck applicant, the borrower must investigate whether the bank and/or financial institution considers this a qualified asset which they will lend on. Most lenders don't like this type of asset, they consider it high risk and would prefer to lend on more traditional type assets like bulldozers, dump trucks, excavators etc. Other niche lenders specialize in other industries such as transportation only which may include limos, limo buses, ambulances and over the road trucks as described here. Loans and leases usually run anywhere between 36 -60 months based upon the age of the semi truck.

The semi truck applicant is seeking a relationship with the lender no matter whether it is a start up or seasoned business. The front money to commence the lending vehicle, the monthly payments and the buyout clauses at the end of the lending instrument, if there is one, is paramount in making a prudent business decision. The amount of paperwork and hoops to jump through to get to end of the financing process must be considered in the total evaluation process.

As we discussed above, there can be a long drawn out paperwork process to obtain your financing. Recently, some of the lenders have changed their computer qualification models and require application only programs This means that there are no income tax returns required, time consuming personal financial statements needed, and other key documents either prepared and /or requested. This program is usually geared for the seasoned or fleet operator business but there are also start ups programs available from some lenders. These application only lending programs run as high as $250,000 for available financing. It is important for the semi truck applicant to check out all the lending programs available. The collateral on a financing deal is usually the over the road truck acquisition, additional collateral isn't required but may be looked at for weaker applicants. The minimum credit score required for all semi truck applicants may run as low as 575 if there are off lease and repos available.

The last thing you should be aware of is dealer/financing inventory programs. What this means, the lender has repos and/of a off lease inventories that they want to move for cash flow purposes. This financing arrangement is geared to the start up as well as seasoned business and may offer the over the truck applicant an excellent buying and financing opportunity. Some programs offer as little as first payment only to get the owner operator into the deal. Check around and see what is available. It could save you thousands..

When you are shopping for an over the road truck financing, consider the following, the front money, the monthly payments, what collateral is required, the insurance coverage, and what the buyout clauses mean. Also, make sure you have a good source of income coming from a contract and/or other methods to support your debt financing and gasoline costs.

Happy hunting for your over the road truck and its related financing.....

J.M Luna has over thirty years in the financial field. This includes accounting and taxes, leasing and commerical and hard asset money loans. U.S Corporate Capital assists the start up as well as the seasoned business.

The Role Of Cargo Agents

If you have ever worked with a freight shipping company, or been a part of one, then you know how important cargo agents really are. If not, then you might wonder what the job of a cargo agent really is. Who are they and what do they do? If you are serious about learning about the shipping industry, then you need to know.

What is the job of a cargo agent? Their job is simple, but not easy. Cargo agents arrange and track cargo and freight for trains, airlines or trucking companies. They decide freight routes and prepare all shipping documents. The agents take orders from customers and arrange for the delivery of the cargo.

A cargo agent also keeps records of the amount of cargo, type, weight and dimensions. They run a virtual lost and found for inventory, and keep track of the condition that the cargo is in. On top of that, a cargo agent also must do miscellaneous tasks. The usual salary for a cargo agent is around $20,700 to $54,480 per year, but the average wage hovers somewhere around $25,720 to $43,250.

The typical cargo agent also receives usual company benefits and companies usually pay for uniforms. If someone wants to find a rewarding career that does not require a four year post secondary education, then being a cargo agent might be a good idea, because often a degree is not required.

This is basically the job of cargo agents in a nutshell. Some agents work on the side of a freight shipping company, and some agents work more for the companies that make the products to transport. Regardless of who they really work for, being a cargo agent can be quite interesting, and can give a level of fun to a job, especially if the agent really likes planes and air cargo companies.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on cargo agents, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Off Lease and Repos, Semi Trucks, Big Rigs, and Over the Road Trucks

In today's unstable economy, the start up and seasoned business has an unique opportunity to acquire an attractive deal for off leases and repos for semi trucks, big rigs and over the road trucks. Due to a contracting economy, many lenders have excess inventories on their books that they need to put back into their revenue stream as quick as possible. These in-house inventories are non income producing, therefore putting pressure on the lender to make a deal with the consumer. These deals can be found in the price, the financing or a combination of both.

An off lease and repo semi truck has been returned to the lender as the lease has expired. The lessee has made a decision to return the item in lieu of exercising the buyout option. A repo has arisen due to a default of the lessee for non payment terms or a violation of the terms of the lease. Either way, the lender has taken these trucks back and/and now must recondition them and either sell these trucks or re-lease them.

The lender will either advertise their inventories through their internal sales force, trade journals such as truckpaper, truck trader etc or utilize outside professionals such as brokers to move their inventories as quick as possible. Sometimes, as these inventories either sit or whatever reasons aren't moving, the lender will put these items up for auction.

Some of the lenders in the market have advertised personal credit qualifications as low as 575, prior bankruptcy rules amended or ignored and start ups welcome. Additionally, the front money to commence the lease can start as low as first payment to whatever you might able to negotiate. Some of the lenders have application only programs up to $250,000. There are no financial statements, income tax returns or bank statements required. Additionally, some lenders may defer some of payments to get the semi trucks financed. The buyout clauses on these over the road trucks can range from a $1.00 buyout to 10% to 20% Trac leases to possible fair market value buyouts. One should understand these clauses because they have an impact on the passing of title.

For this article, the type of items we are going to identify as potential deals for the customer are the following manufacturers.

Petebilt, Mack, Kenworth, International, Freightliner, and Volvo.

Additionally, these semi trucks utilize a substantial amount of diesel fuel and this gasoline cost should be evaluated in conjunction with the finance costs of the truck. As the price of oil keeps going up, the decision making on both the dealer/lender and the customer has made it more difficult to balance the factors of profitabilty and survival.

In conclusion, this is a buyers market for semi trucks and one should evaluate all the factors relating to this acquisition including gas costs, air emissions, environmental type requirements, buyout clauses and the related financing.

Happy hunting for your acquisition and related financing...

J.M Luna has over thirty years in the financial field. This includes accounting and taxes, leasing, hard asset and commercial loans. U.S Corporate Capital Leasing Group works with the start up as well as the seasoned business.......

Tips When Choosing Air Cargo Service

The definition of air cargo service is simple. It is simply the extra advantages that a cargo transportation service will offer to their customers. Many air cargo companies have a large list of services that they offer, depending on the type of airline. If a company is responsible for transporting passengers, then their service list will look different than that of a company involved in transporting goods.

Each air cargo company decides what services to offer to its customers. Some companies offer more services than others. Services offered to passenger airlines can include: baggage handling, ticket verification, skycap, unaccompanied minor escorts, wheelchair services, and many more. Services offered as part of freight shipping services can include things such as, road feeder services between different airports and airport to inland container depots, air cargo clearance centers, centers for perishable cargo, and warehousing for bonded and non bonded air cargo.

Another important service for air cargo companies is document control. If documents for the air cargo are not always one hundred percent in line, then things are much more likely to go wrong. A good air cargo company will ensure that all the documents for their cargo are in order.

With the increased safety requirements imposed on the air cargo industry and the world in general since 2001, it has been harder and more expensive to ship goods by air. Containers can only be a certain size, weight limits are different, only so many toxic materials can be sent on a plane at once; it is astonishing how many new restrictions the industry has received since then. With these newer restrictions on cargo airlines, it is more important than ever to choose a cargo company that offers reliable air cargo service options to the client, for whom they are hauling cargo.

A very important service that a cargo airline should offer is the service of air cargo tracking. Being able to track a shipment, and knowing where it is at any given time is invaluable to the business or company that is shipping the goods. Knowing what fees are charged for what goods is also important before picking a shipping airline. Additionally, it is extremely important to be aware of what goods are legal to ship through the air and which are not. A cargo agent will usually handle these kinds of issues if the business has one employed.

It is important when choosing a cargo airline to ensure that they give appropriate air cargo service. The little extra features that a company offers can really make the difference between a pleasant shipping experience and a horrible one. Also, always be aware of the airport security laws, what is legal to ship by air, and what type of containers are necessary to ship certain goods by air. Good air cargo companies will aide you greatly in these decisions.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on air cargo service, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Container Shipping

Container shipping as the term suggest is the carriage of large or bulk containers from one place to the other. This may sound easy; but in fact container shipping is one of the most challenging parts in setting and running any industry. Container shipping is not carried by any ordinary ship but requires a burly ship having loads of space. These specified ships are termed as "cargos" and the process "containerization".

Container shipping is mainly part of commercial transportation and logistics sector, better calling it lifeline of these sectors. Today no freight forwarding, logistics or supplying can be conceived without container shipping. You will be amazed to know that container shipping is one of the largest contributors to global economy. The finest thing about this sector is that here both ends are benefited in terms of revenues and financial asset. That means, place from container shipping is carried and to the end place; every one is benefited and that has been the prime factor for encouragement of container shipping all round the world.

Not only this, there are several other factors as well that make container shipping one of the most attention grabbing sectors in the world. Container shipping has emerged as the largest recruiters of human recourse in the time. Finest thing is that it comprises people of all qualifications and profiles. However, with the incoming of modern methodologies, there has been professionalism in the sector. That is very much visible with loads of container shipping companies jumping in the business of container shipping. These companies are not only making loads of profit but have renovated the shapes of cliché face of container shipping.

Container shipping companies presently have most advanced technologies and scientific enhancements to tackle any task on given day. That is pretty unlike the previous ways when container shipping was considered unsafe and very much risky. Cases of malfunction and casualties have been reduced at drastic rate and that is good news for aspirant container shipping companies. The other aspects like container tracking are same fruiting like container shipping is doing. Very much related to the stream, container tracking has also been facilitated with wholesome exposure of modern technology and investors.

There has been lot talked about container shipping business over the years but present static show that this is one of the most blooming sectors. There are several centers identified all across the world where container shipping is a main source of income to the overall economy. Korea, Japan, Denmark, China, India and many other nations have been the prime players in the business of container shipping.

Looking at the prosperous future and potential, this sector promises loads of benefits to the global economy. Adding to it, frequent modern technology, patterns and other enhancements are always there to make the container shipping topnotch business than any other.

Author is operating a website related to container shipping . For the most up to date and advanced container tracking and shipping lines mechanisms come visit us.

Learning About Air Cargo Carriers

If you want to do business with air cargo companies, then it is necessary to be informed about the different types of air cargo carriers that they might be using. There are many things to learn about cargo planes; things such as, how much space each plane has, what kind of prices are charged when shipping using the planes, what kinds of planes they use, and many other things. With all the information available, it is good to know at least a little about cargo airlines and their operations.

Air transport is essential to manage and control the flow of goods, energy, information, and other vital resources needed for commerce and other types of services. Without air cargo services, it would be impossible to do any kind of global trading, import/export processes, or repositioning of raw materials and products, unless using the services of ocean freight.

Air transport has also streamlined several business processes, such as making it easier to receive information, the speed of transportation, faster exchanges of inventory, and many others. There are many different kinds of cargo planes out there. Some of these include the Boeing 707, Douglas DC-8, Ilyushin Il-76, and Douglas DC-3. Some air cargo companies are starting to modify turboprop planes to be used as cargo carriers as well.

The Boeing 747-400 is one of the most often used air cargo carriers. It can hold most types of cargo with ease and has an area available to hold around 26,000 cubic feet of freight and/or cargo. While these planes are used to move most types of cargo, when larger payloads need to be transported, even bigger cargo planes are used by the air cargo companies.

These super transporters can carry around 47 tons of freight, but believe it or not, there are even bigger cargo planes. The largest cargo plane is the Antonov AN-225 and it is used to haul items, such as helicopters or tanks. It is very useful in this application as it can hold around 250 tons.

Now you know a little something about air cargo carriers that you might not have known before. It is interesting to find out the importance of something that you might not otherwise think about.

It is also very important for a freight shipping company to know all this transport information to run their businesses. Now, whether you are looking to ship something by air cargo, gain a position at a cargo airline or perhaps answer trivia game questions, you will have some of the answers.

Visit Mike Selvon portal for more information on air cargo carriers, and leave a comment at our air freight services blog. Don't forget to claim your FREE gift.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

How Factoring Freight Bills Helps Transportation Companies

Working capital is the lifeblood of a transportation company. Whether you own a carrier or a brokerage, you constantly need to juggle fuel payments, repairs and driver salaries. What makes the business challenging is that most customers pay for their freight bills in 30, 50 or even 60 days. Slow customer payments put a strain on your cash flow. This makes running the business very hard and sometimes makes growth impossible.

One obvious solution to this challenge is to look for business financing. Ideally a business loan can be used to strengthen your bank account and help cover any gaps in your cash flow. However, qualifying for business loans can be challenging as there are many requirements that you'll need to meet. This includes having audited financials, two to three years of profitable business experience and meeting the financial institutions collateral requirements.

There is another alternative though. Suppose that you could get an advance on your clients slow-paying invoices. So instead of waiting - you would get paid a substantial amount. If you consider this for a moment, you would realize that most of your working capital problems would go away. You would have enough funds to pay for fuel, drivers and repairs. And there is one way to achieve this – it's by factoring your freight bills.

Factoring provides an advance on your slow paying invoices. The advance is usually about 90% of the invoice, with 10% held in reserve. The 10% reserve is returned to you, less a small service fee, once the invoice is fully paid for.

Invoice factoring has a number of advantages. For starters, it's easy to qualify for. The biggest requirement is that you do business with credit worthy clients. Aside from that, you must own a well run business with good prospects for growth.

Another advantage of accounts receivable factoring is that you funding line is tied to your sales. This makes invoice factoring a dynamic financing product, were your line increases as your sales increase. This is an ideal solution for transportation companies with solid growth plans.

About Commercial Capital LLC

We are a leading factoring company and can provide freight factoring and freight bill factoring to transportation companies. For information call (877) 300 3258.

TSA Plan to X-Ray Air Cargo thru Freight Forwarders - Additional Airline Security Measures

Security checkpoints, lost luggage & travel delays; all unpleasantries but considered the norm in airline travel post 9/11. Like it or not, heightened airline security is here to stay. Since I work for a manufacturer that specializes in security seals for the Airline Industry; I pay special attention to the additional security measures that need to be taken by the TSA. This along with discussions with our Security Seals Manager has helped me obtain a true perspective on current events involving airline security.

Below, Brian Lyle, our resident Security Seal Expert, reveals to me what it is like to be an airline frequent flyer & knowledgeable on Airline Security:

"Traveling to meet with our customers & making certain their needs are met is my life. As a Business Unit Manager for Security Solutions at Stoffel Seals Corporation, a typical work week for me consists of constant travel throughout North America. Post 9/11 passenger screening intensified greatly. Despite the additional focus on travelers and their luggage, the feeling of security and safety still eludes most passengers. As highlighted many times in the press, a real vulnerability still exists once you make it through security and board the plane. Not all cargo on passenger airplanes is required to be scrutinized by the TSA".

According to Thomas Frank, USA TODAY - 4/11/08 - TSA plan to X-ray air cargo unrolls -–- The Transportation Security Administration is launching a program that for the first time aims to screen all cargo on passenger airplanes. Apparently, this program is being launched on the heels of government audits criticizing the TSA's current cargo security program. Presently, the TSA uses computers to identify packages but only requires passenger airlines to fully screen 'some' cargo. This will not be the case in 2010. The 9/11 Bill states that in 2010, all passenger plane cargo will need to be screened. The goal of the TSA program is to have 12,000 freight forwarders handle the screening process (screen packages with X-ray machines and explosive sensors at warehouses & factories) and deliver the checked cargo to airports. Currently, the TSA has no intention of purchasing the x-ray equipment for these facilities. However, if forwarders choose not to screen, they run the risk of going out of business.

Since Brian is a frequent business traveler & Security Solutions Manager, he commends the TSA for taking the necessary security measures to make certain that all passenger plane cargo is appropriately screened. Furthermore, Freight Forwarders should not be intimidated by this seemingly daunting task. Established Security Seal Corporations such as Stoffel Seals have successfully assisted in positively securing the supply chain and can assist in making the new security responsibilities of Freight Forwarders much easier with the use of security seals.

Security Seals place controls in a system where there are multiple points of possible failure. Seals such as tamper evident security seals, CTPAT compliant high security seals, bolt seals & cable seals will provide freight forwarders with the additional security measures necessary to indicate if cargo has been appropriately screened or if tampered with. Stoffel Seals has a long history of servicing the airline industry and understands the challenging requirements of implementing and maintaining an effective airline security seal program.

With the installation of the TSA plan to x-ray air cargo & the efforts of freight forwarders to follow thru on this plan & make it truly effective, airline passengers will once again feel secure when traveling.

Security checkpoints, lost luggage & travel delays are inconveniences but minor when the ultimate reward is feeling safe and secure when flying.

For additional information on Stoffel's Security Seal Program, please contact: Brian Lyle, Security Seals Business Unit Manager - Stoffel Seals Corporation –Phone # 800 344-4772 - email address: info@ Stoffel Seals Corporation - Security Seals -

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Air Freight Taxes

The Airport and Airway Trust Fund are providing funds for capital improvements to the US airport and airway system in the United States. Also, there has to be kept in mind that trust fund taxes have been imposed on both commercial and non-commercial aviation, in order to fund the aviation. Pay attention to the fact that there are practically two types of taxes which are being imposed on the air freight services, being represented by waybill tax imposed on freight transportation, and fuel taxes on gasoline and jet fuel for freight services. Air freight tax is charged on all domestic air cargo transportation at 6.25% ad valorem excise tax, in the United States. Keep in mind that this tax only applies to transportation that begins and ends in the United States. The shippers are the ones liable for the air freight tax payment, unlike air passenger taxes. Therefore, if they fail to make reasonable efforts to collect the tax that has been imposed, transportation providers are subject to penalties.

An important aspect which has to be taken into consideration is being represented by the fact that there is no disclosure requirement with regard to air freight tax in the United States. Also, there has to be kept in mind that, on the other hand, air freight companies are being required to factor in an additional 0.1 cent leaking underground storage tank trust fund tax as well, besides the fuel taxes. Pay attention to the fact that it is recommended to make sure that you are aware of all the taxes involved within an air freight company before signing up for its services. It is important as well to be considered that, even though there are several taxes which are being required to be paid in order for one to apply for the air freight services, there are as well many benefits involved within the transportation of goods by air.

For more resources regarding general freight trucking or even about what is air freight and especially about freight brokering please review these pages.

Your Guideline for Choosing the Type of Air Freight Services

One's choice of air freight must be dictated by their immediate and long term needs which maximize the services provided by air freight companies. Obviously, one only has to avail of certain services that he truly needs.

There are various types of air freight services specially designed for specific purposes. While many may perform multiple objectives, it is still best not to tax yourself with money and time just by choosing the service that you don't actually require.

Since not all packages have the same size, weight, type of delivery and duration of delivery, air freight industry has created various methods and categories wherein customers may choose their needed type of service. In this article we would try to discuss in brief the various air freight services that you may choose from. Please read on.

The simplest form of cargo shipment falls under the household goods category which include items such as furniture, house accessories and pieces of goods similarly typed in this section. Since these don't normally require special services, your cargo may be delivered on the same day it was sent or depending on the service option chosen.

The second class of air freight is the express or overnight express delivery. These normally cover items such as mail letters, small envelops and other smaller items. Since they are relatively light, cargoes of this kind come in air freight company packaging. Two of the most notable air freight company rendering this service are the FedEx express and the UPS.

Depending on the available service options, prices and type of delivery may vary including the duration of travel. Most items in this category travel some distance through air and may go coast to coast in a couple of days or overnight.

The next category available is the ground or parcel shipment. Since items in this type are slightly larger and heavier than the first two categories, the shipping of items may take a number of days and may move anywhere from 500 miles a day to 700 miles. Most ground shipments weigh around 100 pounds or less and each item don't normally exceed 70 pounds.

Depending on the service provider, parcel shipments may either travel by road, rail and air. However the latter is rarely offered.

This shipment covers most of the business-to-customer type of service and is often used by companies that make use of cash-on-delivery system of purchase.

When you need is the service of shipping much larger and much heavier stuffs, you might want to look into your options covered by the freight shipments.

Less-than-Truck-Load is the service that you must avail if you have cargoes of less than 15 000 pounds. Most shipments of this kind cover business to business shipment and are often referred to as motor freights.

This type of air freight service often comes in mixed freight environment which means that cargoes are combined with some other shipments and can be transferred from one carrier to another, depending on the type of service the shipper has chosen.

Shippers are required to arrange for their packaging since most air freight carriers don't give any form of assistance in packaging the cargoes. Meanwhile, Truckload Freights are the largest of this kind. They go anywhere from 15 000 pounds to 43 000 and length can extend up to 53 inches long.

This type of shipment is often mixed with other shipments in one equipment and arrives at the exact trailer they were shipped on.

Kim and Charles Petty,experts in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to schedule strategy session on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & abroad go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

Friday, January 16, 2009

What You Should Know About Air Freight Carriers

Freight is technically the term used to describe the cargo for shipment. Air freight, on the other hand, is the cargo that is being shipped via air. This may be done using typical passenger airplane aboard the cargo area or through specialized cargo planes dedicated for this special industry.

It is primarily divided into three categories: a) household goods, b) express deliveries, c) parcel shipment, and d) freight shipments.

Each of which is priced depending on the system as provided by the National Motor Freight Classification. Each class also corresponds to the goods that can be shipped. Say for household goods, only those that can be considered furniture and household appliances can be subjected to price ranges and services provided in this area. Express deliveries, in general, include items such as mails, business papers and envelopes. Parcels, on the other hand, include those items that are usually boxed. Freight shipment though covers all other huge items that can't be accommodated by services functioning in the lower classes.

Air freight is further subdivided into two categories: The Less-than-Truckload Freight which basically accommodate items that are less than 15 000 pounds and have the height of exactly 28 inches or even lesser than that. The other subcategory of freight shipments is the Truckload Freight that covers item weighing 43 000 pounds or less and has the length not exceeding to 53 inches.

Shipments larger than these are often carried by super cargo planes. Those relatively huge items such as military equipments, planes and helicopters are carried through the Antonov AN-225- the largest cargo plane in the world.

For each type of air freight cargo, there is basically some air freight carriers to do the job. Most often than not, smaller items can be shipped using passenger air planes turned into air freight carriers.

Boeing 747-400 is usually configured into air freight carrier since it has space large enough to accommodate items for forwarding. But since it is not purely designed as an air freight carrier, there are some crucial limitations that impedes to its absolute use for this exact purpose. Nevertheless, when used as an air freight carrier, it may function well enough to transport cargoes of various kinds towards their proper destinations.

Air freight carriers like Bekins and North American Van Lines specialize in household goods delivery. FedEx Express, UPS and DHL top rate the field of express deliveries yet it is basically everybody's game since this field appears to be the easiest route when you want to make money in the forwarding business. Leading air freight carriers in the parcel division (also known as ground shipment) are FedEx Grounds and UPS. While for Less-than-Truckload and Truckload freight areas, air freight carrier names like Old Dominion, AAA Cooper, Averett Express, Roadway, Schneider and JB Hunt are the most trusted.

In the air freight industry, there are also middlemen in the playing field. These are often called as freight brokers since they are the institutions that create arrangements between shippers and air freight companies. Brokers are reached through online marketplaces. They are the best sources for discounts since they have the direct contacts with air service providers.

Major air freight brokers are CHRobinson, Hub Group, Twin Modal and Rockwell.

If you want better and easier access to the names we have listed above, it is best to find sources through online intermediaries such as Transcore DAT, F and uS Kim and Charles Petty,experts in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to set up strategy session on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & abroad go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

The Advantage of UPS Air Freight

UPS air freight is one of the leading names in world-class delivery services today. This is because UPS air freight has continually shown that they can exceed the standards set by other shipping industries. It is because of UPS air freight that many people today are able to meet their freight deadlines. They are able to deliver the merchandise when it is needed.

What are the advantages of UPS air freight?

First of all, UPS air freight operates in major business centers across the world. This means that the people who need delivery services the most have access to them. It is a known fact that most businesses today need to deliver or receive materials and merchandise in order to continually operate. We no longer live in a world where a business can survive isolated in its own locality. UPS air freight connects businesses to major centers and thus, ensures the delivery of the needed goods.

UPS air freight also has the advantage of technology. Everyone today has at least an idea of what technology can do to change a business. It is often the case that small businesses can get ahead of competition by simply having better technology. UPS stays ahead of the game by employing technology that allows people to track their cargo online. This means that wherever your cargo is, you can see it through the internet. This, of course, helps reassure people that their cargo is safe with UPS air freight. This also serves the purpose of keeping the personnel on their feet. Because of the visibility of the shipments, the personnel of UPS air freight will do their best to make sure that your cargo is taken care of.

There are also different types of services to choose from. This means that people will be able to customize their delivery service as they see fit. They will be able to actually choose the service that they think will be right for their cargo. Some of these services are:

1) Urgent Shipments - this service is designed for people who are in a hurry. The shipments are given priority to ensure that they arrive long before the deadline is due. This UPS air freight service can be availed of by people who are willing to pay a little extra cash for a great burst of speed. Urgent shipments also have sub-categories to further accommodate the rushing customer.

2) Routine service - if you opt for the routine service, your cargo is still assured to arrive quickly. It is through this transportation and shipment service that UPS air freight first attracted its customers. After all, in order for the special services to become truly special, then the regular service must be exemplary.

3) Customized service - if your cargo needs some sort of special handling then this is the UPS air freight service for you! There are certain things in life that we know need special care. Because of this, we often take it upon ourselves to device ways to truly make sure of the safety of these things. UPS air freight provides people with an opportunity to assure themselves that the things they are shipping will remain to be safe, even in a journey around the world.

As you can see, many are the advantages of UPS air freight over other services. That's the reason why UPS air freight remains to be one of the major players in the world of delivery today.

Kim and Charles Petty,experienced in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to schedule strategy meeting on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & overseas go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

The Expansion of the Emery Express Air Freight

The Emery Express air freight was founded in 1946. It was the air shipping forwarder to operate with a license from the CAB or the Civil Aeronautics Board. The Emery Express had been working in partnership with famous airlines and was given a certification as the universal air shipping carrier.

By that time, the Emery Express carrier operated out of New York headquarters with a flotilla of automobiles that specifically two Ford class wagons. Since then, the express air freight has produced over $2.9 billion ocean, global air customs brokerage and other logistics company.

After ten years, the company had expanded its services overseas. Its first international agency was built in London and had established transatlantic service. The express air freight advanced to the edge of modern technology. The computerized tracing and tracking system known as the Emery Control or the EMCON was developed.

Unfortunately, fuel crisis arise during the time of early 70s. The company had prompted to charter its own airliner and consecutively launch the famous Emery Air Force in the mid 70s.

The company now offered additional services such as closed-loop operation of the transportation process, from pick up to delivery using the Emery aircrafts and trucks.

In 1987, due to an offer for expansion in the letter market, the Emery Express coordinated and get hold with the "Purolator Courier". But the acquisition turned to be unsuccessful. The Emery exerted more effort to carry on its services until it was purchased by the famous airfreight known as the Consolidated Freightways Inc.

The CF Inc. eventually merged Emery with CF airfreight- CFI's Inc. present air shipping company. CF that time became the parent and owner of Emery. Thus, the new Emery known as the Emery Forwarding was founded.

After 2 years, the new Emery, known as the Emery Forwarding again struggled monetarily. In return, the CFI Inc planned and implemented marketing and management restructuring that paved way for Emery to become the share leader in the air freight business.

By 1992, new marketing strategies and operations had begun to turn the air freight industry around. Little by little, it had brought back the confidence of the costumers. The company had received several awards from known companies as the "primary carrier".

Undeniably, the company has set to its good financial setting. Its profit gained and at the same year, it won a 10 more years of $1 billion contract from the US postal office to carry out express mails.

The Emery Forwarding has launched its logistics services in 1992. It also improved its air global and ocean customs brokerage. In addition, the company upgraded its information system to meet the needs of the customers.

On the other hand, the Emery's parent company- the CFI Inc, reorganized itself with the development of new motor carrier unit. Eventually, it was renamed CNF Inc. with its existing company, the Emery, Menlo Logistics, and the Con-Way Transportation Services.

In 2001, Emery Forwarding was merged with Vector SCM. It has been part of the Menlo integrated group of service providers.

Today, Emery Forwarding still looks forward to dealing with more customers in a different direction to a better strategy and more supply of good services and business solutions. The company as part of the Menlo group now proffers ocean forwarding and global air services. It is reported to have a record of 12,000 employees providing 200 countries with chain services and business solutions.

Kim and Charles Petty,experienced in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to schedule strategy meeting on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & abroad go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

Thursday, January 15, 2009

A Historical Look At The Air Freight Industry

During the early years of aviation, people were constantly looking for practical uses of airplanes. People were amazed with the machines that enabled men to fly, but the question of what to do with them plagued everyone's mind. Of course, the uses for airplanes could not be limited to entertainment, because that would be wasting the huge potential of the technology on a pretty superficial industry. The air freight industry began with the journey of a bolt of silk from Dayton to Columbus, Ohio in November 1910.

That fateful trip gave birth to the airfreight industry as we know it today. After that event, everything just progressed to new heights for the air freight industry. One of the pioneers of the air freight industry is American Railway Express. The name of the company points out to the fact that before the advent of the air freight industry, cargo was usually transported by train.

The airfreight industry made a lot of conveniences possible. First, there was the matter of speed. Air freight sped up deliveries between businesses. This means that the air freight industry made it possible for businesses to acquire various merchandise when they needed it. This also saved a lot of money on storage. Before the advent of the air freight industry, businesses had to keep as much stock as possible. This helped them to meet orders in time. Because of the introduction of air freight, businesses could just fly in any merchandise.

During the 1920's, shipping of cargo via air grew more popular. In November 14, 1926, the National Air Transport Company was born. This company delivered the first air cargo in the United States in September 1, 1927. Many more companies were founded as promoters of the air freight industry. As the industry was still relatively young, these companies did not make much profit.

The air freight industry got to a slow start because of the fact that they had stiff competition coming from passenger carriers. Many established passenger carriers opposed the establishment of an all-cargo air freight industry mainly because they feared it would destabilize the air industry.

Another reason why the air freight industry did not grow as people hoped was that most businesses were unable to sustain the huge losses associated with starting an air freight operation. While some people attempted to remedy this by combining air freight with air passenger transport, they only succeeded in slowing down the industry.

The revolution of the air freight industry came about when a man named Fred Smith noticed that the common practice of combining air freight with passenger freight was highly inefficient. He proposed that air freights should have different flight patterns from passenger flights. He was successful in gathering funds mainly because of his proposal for a guaranteed next-day-delivery service. And so it was that in April 1973, the Federal Express began operations. Of course, the initial years of business were hard. However, after three years of flying cargo, the company was beginning to show profit.

By the 1980's, Federal express was a household name. This just goes to show you how far a truly great idea can take you. Today, the air freight industry is booming and companies make millions of dollars in profits. That's a far cry from the way that air freight businesses lost money in the past.

Kim and Charles Petty,experts in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to set up strategy session on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & overseas go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

Pros and Cons of Air Freight Forwarding and Integrating

With the global arena opening its arms on all people ready to take its offers and take aways, there surely have emerged newer forms of forwarding businesses. The pace at which globalization has taken center stage is lightning quick that you can already consider yourself out once you fail a couple of times.

Time is the bane and relief for all businessmen. It wont wait for you, and that is a fact, yet it will always spar you to move faster than what you have first done. If you would not want to be left behind from the current trend, advises will tell you to utilize the fastest ways of arranging and doing stuffs.

With the massive effects of internet in our common and business life, there is no telling how much faster trend can be in the nearest future. This is often why businessmen are pushed towards maximizing the facilities provided by air freight forwarders.

Reliability is probably one of the main qualities shippers are looking for among air freight forwarders. Luckily, this is what exactly air freight forwarders offer and even sizing their efforts to accommodate the doubled demand on forwarding services.

This has been quite the trend for the last several years. Express consignment carriers had been bulking up their efforts to meet the tremendous needs of shippers by creating various services and products. Add to this the fact that most of them had been bombarding improvements on transit times, provisions of quality service and simplifying the construction of assigning costs while continually reaching out various points worldwide.

Worldwide marketing, selling and manufacturing are simply becoming intensified. Frankly, the game is not simply on having better prices of shipments but of making shipments faster and lesser bent to risks.

For long, air freight forwarders had dominated the business yet much effective means of sending products to consumers are being devised to optimize services, says some experts.

This job is then being taken by integrators who seem to have cut off various processes in intensifying the speed of delivery. This gives the shippers some leverage over their competitors especially in the area of heavy weight shipping.

Traditionally, heavy weight shipments are done by consolidating various items into single shipment. This can obviously take off some crucial time before the goods approach the market. And with competition at hand, you are sure to have lost some sales if your competitors are making use of faster means of sending their products towards the end consumers.

While air freight forwarding had been useful for so many years the necessity to amplify the pace of doing business is placed above all. Thus, when there come other options for doing exactly that, businessmen easily take sides and go for one that will give them the best.

What seems to be the failure of air freight forwarders is that they normally have longer processes than air freight integrators. Instead of having goods handled by various people, integrators create a system wherein the exact trailer to which your goods were loaded in is the trailer that will dispatch your items later. This cuts off all other entities that perform the job.

But you see, in the end it will always fall down to which option you choose. It is just a matter of seeing which has the greater value- doing business with air freight forwarders or with integrators?

Kim and Charles Petty,experts in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to set up strategy meeting on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & abroad go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Some Services Offered by Delta Air Freight

Delta Air freight is one of the leading companies in the cargo industry today. They offer many services that enable people to acquire goods or send their goods from anywhere and to anywhere in the world. Let's face it: that kind of service is in high demand today. Delta Air freight provides this service through different means:

1) Domestic shipments - Delta Air freight can deliver your cargo to any place within the United States and in some Canadian provinces through their domestic shipment service. This Delta Air freight service comes in two options:

a) Priority first freight - this Delta Air freight service is perfect for those whose cargos exceed weight and size limitations. This Delta Air freight can deliver your items when you need it delivered. The service is guaranteed to deliver your cargo. The only problem you will be having is fitting the capacity of a certain flight. This means that if Delta Air freight can find room for your cargo, it will be delivered.

b) DASH - if you want speed instead of convenience then Delta Air freight DASH might be the best service for you. This is because Dash guarantees delivery the same day! Isn't that just amazing? Of course, on order to get this speed, you will have to sacrifice the convenience of being able to ship anything you want. You'll have to restrict your cargo to those which comply with the standards set by Delta Air freight.

2) International shipments - items that are shipped internationally are handled with different standards of high quality care. These Delta Air freight services are:

1) Equation - this Delta Air freight service is designed for the express delivery of items that are less than 70 Kilograms in weight. These shipments are prioritized so people expecting packages can get them as quickly as possible.

2) Variation - this Delta Air freight service is used to deliver sensitive cargo such as livestock, pets, pharmaceuticals and artwork. This Delta Air freight service features dedicated procedures with the shipping. It also features specialized containers so as to prevent any damage to any goods.

3) Dimension - This is the standard airport-to airport cargo transportation. It, of course, features the acceptance of any type of item that does not require any special handling. Because the items do not require special handling, this means that Delta Air freight will be able to utilize the space as much as possible. This Delta Air freight service is perfect for people who are just getting tired of having their luggage lost by airlines.

3) Special shipments - there are many items that cannot be considered into these categories. Here are some special shipments offered by Delta Air freight services:

a) Delta cares - people who need to have the remains of their loved ones shipped often worry about the treatment that the body receives during the delivery. This Delta Air freight service is designed for the peace of mind of the bereaved.

b) Pet shipments - if you need to have pets shipped, then this Delta Air freight service is for you. You need to follow a certain set of guidelines in order to have your pet delivered. Delta Air freight will deliver your pet with the best of care and in the most comfortable way possible.

So what are you waiting for? Call Delta Air freight today.

Kim and Charles Petty,experienced in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to set up strategy meeting on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & abroad go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228

Air Freight Containers Facts

Some may think that a person's interest in knowing about air freight containers is weird. Many people tend to take objects and containers for granted. Think about the last gift you got. Do you remember exactly what item it was? Now, do you remember what was used to wrap it?

People tend to ignore these details because they think that the present is more worthy of focus than the box it's carried in. Many people tend to forget that the box is what protects the present in the first place. Knowing about air freight containers is very important as it allows you to realize the conditions that your cargo goes through when it is being delivered. You can see whether a certain air freight container is suitable to protect and to hold your cargo.

Did you know that the term "air freight container" is rarely used by people working on airlines? The proper term is actually "unit load device" or ULD. This fact alone can help you in making faster inquiries regarding air freight.

Another fact about air freight containers that you should know about is the fact that there are actually standards used to determine the quality of an air freight container. In fact, there is actually an association which determines the specifications of air freight containers. This is to make sure that all manufacturers of air freight containers make their products as uniform as possible. This means that there will be no substandard products.

The International Air Transport association is in charge of the details concerning air freight containers. This association is responsible for setting the standards that would ensure the correct transport of cargo.

Here are some of the details that they specify:

1) Container size - of course, standardization of the air freight container size is important. It helps people determine if the type of air freight container that they got can actually be used in transporting their cargo. This also makes it easier for companies to determine which type of air freight container is appropriate for their cargo. Knowing this is also very important in determining how much space your cargo will take up in a plane.

2) Door - it is necessary to standardize the doors of air freight containers in order to make sure that people are able to actually get their cargo to fit into the container. The door size is not the only factor that's standardized. The material used to make the door is also standardized. This is done in order to make sure that the cargo is protected from any potential hazard.

3) Modifications - different types of cargo require different types of air freight containers. These modifications are also standardized in order to help determine the dimensions of an air freight container easier. This of course, saves a lot of space and money. The modifications could be designed to accommodate the safety of various cargos, or it could be designed to ensure the comfort of animal cargo.

4) Material - the materials used in the making of air freight containers are also standardized. This is done in order to easily determine the weight of the cargo and container. This of course, is very important since it determines the efficiency of any vehicle to transport cargo. The materials used in making air freight containers also have a big impact on the protection of the cargo.

Kim and Charles Petty,experienced in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to schedule strategy session on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & overseas go to VirtualRealEstateInvestingPRofits or call 1-800-311-9228