Special delivery: Limited access shipping.

April 7, 2019

The phrase special delivery often creates a sense of excitement that someone is about to get something really great. Well, if one considers extra fees a prize, they’re in luck!

It’s more likely, though, someone is not expecting to pay extra for a delivery to a location considered special, which are more commonly called Limited Access or Non-Commercial destinations.

Over the years, we’ve found these names to be deceptive for customers, who often incorrectly assume they will not receive an extra charge if they’re picking up and delivering to business locations or commercially zoned areas. Keep reading to learn more about limited access delivery.

What is a limited access location?

To understand limited access delivery, we should first define special delivery. Special delivery is essentially any shipment that requires expedited delivery or specific handling instructions. While special deliveries go hand in hand with limited access deliveries, they aren’t one and the same.

A limited access location is an area where pickup or delivery is restricted or limited. Unsure of what that means? Think of it from the driver's perspective.

If the driver has to go out of their normal route area, cannot pull up to a loading dock and load or unload within 10-15 minutes, the location will be considered either Limited Access or Non-Commercial and additional fees will apply.

This typically means gated areas a driver must check into, commercial establishments not open to the walk-in public, or destinations where an employee is not available to assist with loading or unloading.

Below is a list of specific destinations considered Limited Access. Since some locations are at the discretion of the carrier, this is not an all-inclusive list, but instead includes the most common places where additional charges will apply:

Camps
Carnivals
Churches
Colleges
Construction sites
Fairs
Individual/Mini storage units
Military Bases
Mine Sites
Mosques
Prisons
Schools
Synagogues
Temples
Universities

As you can see, many of these locations could be easily be mistaken as normal pick up or delivery sites.

It’s important to know ahead of time whether or not you’ll be dealing with a limited access location. Otherwise, you could experience added delays, extra costs, reroutes or even redelivery.

Where Freightquote comes in.

Here at Freightquote by C.H. Robinson, we understand the importance of laying out every detail before a shipment ever hits the road. If you’re unsure of how to handle a limited access delivery, consider speaking with a shipping expert to learn how to navigate the process. A freight service provider will help you avoid the added costs a special delivery may bring and ensure you get the job done smoothly.

Interested in learning more about how to get started with Freightquote? Use our self-service tool and get a quote, today.

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