How to Prevent Damage in Long-Haul Freight

Most damage claims trace back to weak packaging, poor palletization, and unclear handling. Fix those and long-haul exceptions drop dramatically.

Packaging: sturdy cartons sized to contents, remove voids, double-tape bottoms, and add corner protection.

Pallets: sound deck boards, even weight, zero overhang, brick-stack layers, and secure with corner boards/straps and proper stretch-wrap.

Environment & labeling: desiccants for moisture-sensitive goods, reefers with verified set-points when needed, and only labels you can actually support.

Chain of custody: photos before wrap, at pickup, and at delivery; seal numbers on the BOL; note exceptions clearly on the POD with photos.

At delivery: inspect before signing and be specific on the POD — 'subject to inspection' offers little protection.