Drop Trailer Shipping Service

Looking for Reliable Drop Trailer Shipping? Partner with TLI

Drop Trailer

If you are a large manufacturer, distributor, or small business shipper needing reliable transportation for full truckload shipments, drop trailer services from TLI is the ideal solution. With drop trailer shipping from TLI, you get access to our carrier nationwide network of over 10,000 drop trailers to meet your just-in-time inventory and logistics needs.

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Freight Audit

How does Drop Trailer shipping work?

The concept behind drop trailer shipping is simple – TLI arranges the delivery of an empty trailer to your facility which you then load with your freight. When ready, your loaded trailer is transported to its destination for customer unloading. It’s an extremely flexible option for shippers:

Benefits Drop Trailer Description
On-Site Storage Trailers can be used for additional inventory storage space until you are ready to ship.
Load on YOUR Schedule You load trailers when it’s convenient for your operations. No need to rush to meet a truck arrival appointment.
Cost Savings Reduced waiting times and increased productivity contribute to lower operational costs for both shippers and carriers.
Reduced Downtime Drop trailers help minimize downtime for both shippers and carriers. With pre-loaded trailers, trucks can quickly exchange trailers and continue their journey without the need for extensive wait times.
Flexibility Shippers can load trailers at their convenience, and carriers can pick up and deliver trailers based on their schedules, leading to improved overall logistics flexibility.

Shipping Services


Drop trailers are unpowered semi-trailers that are detached, or "dropped", at a shipper's facility to be loaded with freight. Some key points about drop trailers:


  • They are detached from the truck tractor and left at a shipper's facility until they are ready to be transported elsewhere. This allows the shipper to load the trailer on their own schedule.
  • When the shipper is ready, they inform the transportation/logistics company, who then sends a truck to pick up the loaded trailer and transport it to its final destination.
  • Drop trailers can provide storage flexibility for shippers as they can load excess inventory and use them for additional warehouse space until they need the loads transported.
  • Using drop trailers instead of keeping drivers and tractors waiting during loading/unloading can be more cost efficient for certain types of freight shipping.


Large freight brokers like TLI have pools of thousands of carriers equipped with drop trailers, all available to be placed at your desired locations.

drop trailer

Drop Trailer

Responsibility Considerations

  • Shippers, you retain responsibility for loaded trailers while at their facility, including security, damage, and theft prevention.

Equipment Options

  • Drop trailers come in different sizes (28 ft, 53 ft), types (dry vans, refrigerated, flatbeds), and configurations (swing doors, roll up doors) to meet your specialized hauling needs.

Loading Requirements

  • Improperly loaded trailers can lead to fines, penalties or cargo damage. Follow weight distribution guidelines and secure freight correctly or consider a live-load.

Accessibility

  • Make sure your dock access and yard can accommodate safe maneuverability of truck tractors dropping off and picking up trailers. This includes enough turn radius and trailer parking.

On-Site Trailer Management

  • Have assigned personnel responsible for administering the use of drop trailers on your property including appropriate coordination with TLI's operation's dream team.

Drop Trailer Advantages


Benefit Description
Large Trailer Fleet With access to over 30,000 carriers nationwide, TLI has capacity when and where you need it.
Tracking Monitor your loads transit via TLI's shipping software.
Single Point of Contact One TLI transportation coordinator handles your needs.
Truckload Truckload allows shippers to have access to the entire capacity of the trailer. These shipments typically go from point A to point B with no transloading.
Fast Processing TLI commits to responding to all drop trailer requests with extreme urgency.
Accurate Billing TLI offers freight invoice audit services to ensure you pay for only what you ordered.

Ship it TLI!

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