It might be the most wonderful time of the year but getting your shipping in order during the holiday crunch can cause more headaches than too much eggnog. Most carriers adjust their holiday shipping schedules to include back-out dates and cut-off times on certain days of the year. Whether you are moving a truckload of trees or simply delivering to a customer's doorstep, it's important to take note of key dates to keep your holiday shipping running smoothly.
Holiday schedules for LTL freight carriers
You can't get your shipment moving if there's no trucks on the road. In LTL freight shipping, it's critical to check which dates your chosen carrier will be closed. Below, we've noted the most common freight carriers and their holiday shipping schedules for 2019:
- YRC Freight will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and December 31-January 1.
- XPO Logistics will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- Old Dominion will be closed November 28, December 24-25, and January 1. There will be limited operating hours on November 29 and December 31.
- New Penn will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1. There will be limited operating hours on December 31.
- Pitt Ohio will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- Reddaway will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- Dayton Freight will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- R&L Carriers will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- Estes will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- Central Transport will be closed November 28, December 25, and January 1. There will be limited operating hours on November 28 and December 24.
- Roadrunner will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- FedEx Freight will be closed November 28-30, December 21-22, 24-25, 28-29, and January 1. There will be modified service hours on December 23 and December 31.
- Holland will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1. There will be limited operating hours on December 31.
- New England Motor Freight will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- AAA Cooper will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- ArcBest will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1.
- UPS Freight will be closed November 28-29, December 24-25, and January 1. There will be modified service hours on December 1.
When it comes to your smaller, ground shipments, it's important to keep on top of peak surcharges during the holiday season. While both FedEx and UPS have announced that they will not implement additional fees on residential shipments, those that are over-sized or require additional handling will. UPS will apply surcharges to larger packages from October 1-January 4. Charges will be applied for those packages requiring additional handling from November 24-January 4. FedEx will charge extra for larger packages from October 21-January 5. The carrier will apply peak surcharges for those that require additional handling from November 18-January 5.
Deadlines and closures for small package shipments
For your small package shipments being moved by FedEx, make sure to check out the last days to ship and reference the 2019 holiday schedule so you can adjust your own holiday shipping schedule.
PartnerShip office schedule
If your holiday shipping has you frazzled, PartnerShip can help you get sorted this season. Just a reminder, our office will be closed so we can enjoy time with our families November 28-29, December 25, and January 1. Happy Holidays!