FedEx Freight vs. UPS Freight 

UPDATE: UPS has sold their freight division to TFI International.

When it comes to logistics, UPS Freight and FedEx Freight are two of the biggest companies that retailers and wholesalers can use to ship their wholesale pallets. Naturally, any prospective customer looks into the depths of these carriers to choose which one is best for them. In this article on FedEx Freight vs. UPS Freight, we talk about rates, packaging methods, label printing facilities, shipment tracking facilities, delivery times, and more. 

FedEx Freight  

Founded in 1971, FedEx is amongst the leading shipping companies globally and has gained a name for being a reliable service. Over the years, their popularity has only increased as more business owners sign up to the carries. FedEx makes shipping convenient with cheaper rates combined with better packaging handling.  

It is noteworthy that there aren’t many differences between UPS and FedEx when we talk about logistics, packaging, or delivery service. A common reason many prefer FedEx over its competition is that FedEx covers a wider delivery network, serving more locations. Advantages of the carries include on-time delivery, tracking, liability coverage, and much more. 

UPS Freight 

UPS is the oldest logistics/parcel service in the world. It was founded in 1907. UPS Freight saw immense growth in its beginning years which has now simmered down to a steady flow of orders. 

But, it can be expected that they will be thriving many years from now solely due to the standards of their operations. UPS Freight delivers shipments with compliance checks, a high level of security, and speed. E-commerce store owners using UPS often prefer to use in-house label printing and shipment tracking system. 

Keep in mind that shippers generally have to pay a bit more to experience the true services of UPS. Apart from prices, their service is definitely one of the best in today’s time where almost everyone has to send and receive shipments. 

Comparing FedEx Freight and UPS Freight 

Delivery Times 

Business owners need to consider delivery times as one of the key factors that go into choosing a shipping service. Delays in shipment could cost them their business or backlash from the customer, neither of which is desirable. 

Delivery times have been fixed by FedEx and UPS based on the kind and weight of the product being shipped along with the origin and destination.  

FedEx has a convenient One Day Freight service where shipments are delivered before 10.30 AM the day after dispatch. On the other hand, UPS has something similar named the UPS Freight Guaranteed A.M. 

This service promises to deliver shipments the following day by 10.30 AM. If you’re using the International FedEx Economy Freight, shipments will take a maxim of five days to be delivered at the set address. Using UPS’ Worldwide Express Freight will let you deliver your products within a maximum of three business days.    

Both shipping carriers provide users with a convenient On-Time Delivery Guarantee that pledges the consignees’ package(s) will arrive timely. The estimated date and time can be found on the “Track Order” section of their app and it won’t take longer than the given delivery time mentioned. 

Weights 

Both FedEx and UPS have pre-defined weight categories within which every shipment must be sorted. FedEx and UPS also have a minimum weight restriction that says each package to be delivered should weigh more than 150 lbs. Anything that crosses that mark will be priced differently and receive a different packaging. 

There is a maximum weight limit on freight shipments too - 20,000 lbs. in both cases. Any package exceeding the weight will cost extra with an Overweight Shipping fee applied to it.  

Required Documents 

Both national and international shipments require specific documents, especially for the latter. These are mainly used to declare customs apart from working like the shipment’s biography. 

The documents you will require are the Commerical Invoice and the BoL (VICS Bill of Lading). BoL acts as the final shipping label and invoice for FedEx Freight. In contrast, the BoL, Commercial Invoice, and Shipping Label are all needed for international shipments.  

Shipment Tracking 

Tracking is now easier than ever with the availability of reference numbers and tracking numbers that the shipping carrier will generate.  

UPS offers a more comprehensive tracking system in comparison to FedEx. With the former, customers can track shipments from the pickup point till it reaches their doorstep. 

Liability Coverage 

FedEx and UPS will bear up to a hundred dollars for any damage to the shipment or if it’s lost or misplaced. This coverage is applicable on all Freight shipments by default. You can also get extra coverage at a surcharge. 

In terms of liability coverage, UPS Freight has set its mark to $25 per lb. per package while for FedEx Freight, it’s $2 per lb. per package. 

Once the customer receives the package and checks it, they can apply for compensation if there is anything missing or lost. The following documents need to be submitted to raise the complaint. 

No matter how big the company, handling large volumes of shipments is always a challenge. Selecting the right shipping service makes all the difference. Hope we were able to help you make a decision with our FedEx Freight vs. UPS Freight article.