Transportation

Premier Transportation specializes in moving CNC Machine Tools and other high value commodities, which require extra care in handling. We operate a fleet of owner operators and company drivers who understand the care required to properly secure, pad, and tarp your valuable shipments. We operate all air-ride tractors and trailers and we understand the importance of making and keeping appointments.

We move machines as small as several thousand pounds and oversize shipments over 100,000 pounds. We properly insure every load for up to $1,000,000.00.

We know we are an extension of your business and the successful sale of your product. When we pick up and deliver you can expect a clean courteous driver; clean, safe equipment; and the tools to do the job right. These are some of the reasons why you should call Premier Transportation when you want it done right!

FAQ

Q: What determines your pricing?
A: We know what it will take to get a quality driver to take a certain size shipment for a certain number of miles to its destination. We take that dollar amount and add a percentage mark-up to it. Most of each dollar of freight will go to the truck for fuel, equipment and driver wage. The rest of that dollar stays with the company for insurance, phones, facilities, support staff and a modest profit.

Q: Why do some carriers or brokers have lower prices?
A: There could be many reasons. They may have less (and less expensive) insurance coverage. They may pay their drivers less. In some cases they may be sacrificing their profit margin in order to make sure they get their truck moved. Sometimes a very large carrier with hundreds of trucks can operate profitably on smaller margins, but these carriers will be more challenged to provide consistent driver quality. Sometimes carriers set their prices too low without even realizing that they are going broke. Hundreds go out of business every year. At Premier we believe we are the right size and have the right price structure to offer consistent, high quality service for those customers who need that.
Q: Does Premier put freight on other companies’ trucks?
A: Yes. Even the largest carriers in the country have to sub-contract some of their loads (often called “brokering” freight).  This is due to fluctuating demands and driver shortages that often keep fleets smaller than needed. When Premier uses sub-contractors we are selective in whom we use. We oversee and track the shipment the same way we do our own trucks, and we make sure our insurance covers the shipment.

Q: Are there restrictions on when you can move oversize loads?
A: Yes. There are a number of things that impact the delivery times of oversize shipments. The restrictions can vary from state to state. Generally the larger the oversize shipment, the more restrictions there will be. The restrictions for a load 10′ wide are different from one that is 12′ feet wide or 14′ wide. Some states want you to only move during the day and in some places you can only move at night. There are often restrictions in and around large cities during peak traffic hours. The rules can vary from Federal highways to State highways. Weather can also have affect oversize loads as can the length of the days. Weekends and holidays can carry varying restrictions as well. Our staff is familiar with these restrictions and will take these factors into account in quoting you a realistic delivery schedule.

Q: What is a fuel surcharge and how is it calculated.

A: Fuel is one of the major expenses associated with getting your shipment from point A to point B. When the price of fuel goes up significantly a carrier has to charge more to maintain their operating margins. If there is some question as to when fuel prices will stabilize, carriers will add a fuel surcharge to their base rate. When fuel prices stabilize a carrier may eventually raise their base price and eliminate the fuel surcharge.

Most trucks pulling our kinds of trailers and loads may only get about 5 miles per gallon.  So a 2000-mile trip from Los Angeles to Chicago will require about 400 gallons. When fuel is $4.00 per gallon this trip can cost $1600 in fuel alone.

Important Terms.

LTL Service: This originally stood for “less than load”. It applies to shipments, which do not fill the trailer to capacity. An LTL shipment to UPS or Yellow Freight usually means a small box or a standard pallet. For a heavy specialized carrier an LTL shipment could be a 5000-pound machine, or even a 20,000 pound machine. When you request this service you understand that there will be other shipments on the trailer with your shipment and you will be flexible about the delivery schedule in exchange for a better price. When you ship your machine as an LTL with us we will still make and keep delivery appointments once we establish the schedule. However because there are other stops on the load that schedule could change. We try to accommodate all requested delivery schedules even at the lower LTL price, however this is not guaranteed.

Truckload Service: This applies to shipments which do fill the trailer to capacity or to smaller shipments which are in such a hurry that you are willing to pay the cost of using the whole trailer to avoid the possible delays from other freight.