Guides and tools for shippers.
Practical, plain-language resources for planning dry van, flatbed and hotshot freight, written for the people who actually book the trucks.
Start here
Retail DC Delivery Guide
Routing guides, appointments, pallet specs, labels, BOLs and lumpers: how to get a load accepted at a retail distribution center.
Read the guide →GuideHotshot vs. Flatbed vs. Dry Van
A side-by-side comparison of trailer types, plus six questions that decide which one fits your freight.
Read the guide →GuideShipping Motors & Switchgear
Crating, center-of-gravity marking, tarps, securement and unloading for electrical equipment on an open deck.
Read the guide →Free toolTrailer Selector
Answer five quick questions about your freight and get a trailer recommendation. No email required.
Try the tool →ChecklistQuote-Ready Checklist
The 12 details a carrier needs to price your freight right the first time, on one printable page.
See the checklist →GuideWhat It Costs to Ship a Skid Steer (2026)
Sourced price ranges by distance and region, what raises the quote, hotshot vs. flatbed, and the four-chain tie-down rule.
Read the guide →GuideWhat It Costs to Ship a Mini Excavator (2026)
Machine classes and weights, hotshot vs. flatbed by size, sourced distance-band ranges and the tie-down rules for tracked machines.
Read the guide →GuideWhat It Costs to Ship a Generator (2026)
Skid weights by kW, enclosures and lift points, hotshot vs. flatbed, sourced distance-band ranges and site-readiness checks.
Read the guide →GuideWhat It Costs to Ship Motors & Switchgear (2026)
Crated motors and switchgear sections on a partial or full deck: sourced ranges by distance, minimums and what moves the price.
Read the guide →GuideHotshot Freight Rates Explained (2026)
How a hotshot price is built: linehaul, minimum, deadhead, fuel and accessorials, with dated public ranges and a worked example.
Read the guide →CalendarShipping Seasons Calendar 2027
Month by month: the holidays, enforcement weeks and seasonal crunches that tighten truck capacity, with a printable one-page PDF.
See the calendar →TemplateCarrier Scorecard
How to grade the carriers you use on eight measures, plus a free Excel scorecard that does the math every month.
Read the guide →Free toolsAll Free Tools
Hotshot estimator, pallet calculator, trailer selector, bill of lading generator, readiness score and the bottleneck quiz in one place.
Open the tools →Free toolAccessorial Charges & Fee Checker
A plain-language glossary of 30+ freight fees, what triggers each one, how to avoid it, and a checker for the fees your move will attract.
Check your fees →Market notesFreight Market Pulse
Dated market context with named sources: diesel, flatbed and van direction, and what it means for the loads you are planning.
Read this week →Free toolPallet & Linear-Feet Calculator
How many pallets fit in a van, box truck, hotshot deck or flatbed by floor and weight, plus linear feet and LTL vs. truckload.
Try the tool →Free toolHotshot Estimator
ZIP to ZIP: estimated road miles, transit days, whether the load fits a non-CDL or CDL hotshot, permit flags, minimum tie-downs and a diesel line.
Try the tool →Printable checklists and templates
PDFs and a spreadsheet you can fill in once and keep on hand for any freight request. Each one is free with your email.
The Shipper's Quote-Ready Checklist
One page. Every detail a carrier needs to price your freight right the first time.
Get the PDF →Retail DC Delivery Checklist
POs, appointments, pallet specs and paperwork — what receivers check before they accept your load.
Get the PDF →Open-Deck Load Prep Sheet
Dimensions, weights, securement and unloading: fill it out once so any carrier can price flatbed or hotshot freight accurately.
Get the PDF →Shipping Seasons Calendar 2027
One printable page: the holidays, enforcement weeks and seasonal crunches that move truck capacity, month by month.
Get the PDF →Fillable Bill of Lading Template (PDF)
A one-page straight bill of lading you can type into on screen or print, with hazmat fields and a field guide on page two.
Get the PDF →Carrier Scorecard (Excel)
Score every carrier on the same eight measures each month (on-time pickup and delivery, tenders, claims, damage, invoices and tracking) and log FMCSA safety checks beside the score.
Get the spreadsheet →Shipping a car?
Averstone Logistics does not offer vehicle transport yet. These two guides help you understand prices and choose a shipper safely.
Car Shipping Cost by Distance (2026)
What people pay at 500 to 2,500 miles, open vs. enclosed, what changes the price, and a drive-vs-ship comparison.
Read the guide →Consumer guideHow to Verify a Car Shipper
Broker vs. carrier, the FMCSA lookups, the red flags behind most complaints and a 10-point checklist before you pay anyone.
Read the guide →Have freight coming up?
Send the lane, dates and freight details. We'll contact you the day our registration is active.
We answer every message within 30 minutes, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm ET, and within 6–12 hours at other times.