What we plan in this category
- Packaged dry goods — snacks, cereal, pasta, baking ingredients, canned and jarred foods.
- Beverages — bottled water, canned and bottled soft drinks, shelf-stable juice and drink mixes.
- Pet food — bagged kibble, canned pet food and treats.
- Food packaging and inputs — empty cartons, film and dry ingredients moving into a plant.
Beverages weigh out before they cube out
This is the single biggest planning difference in food and beverage. A van of light snacks fills the floor long before it gets heavy. A van of bottled water or canned soda does the opposite: it reaches the legal gross weight with floor space still empty. Two practical consequences:
- Your pallet count per load is set by weight, not by the 26 positions on the floor. Send actual pallet weights, including the pallet and wrap.
- Weight has to be distributed, not just under the total. Heavy pallets bunched at one end can put an axle group over its limit even when the gross is legal. Loading pattern matters.
Usable payload varies with the tractor and trailer, so we confirm it per load instead of promising a fixed number.
Clean, odor-free and food-grade trailers
Food receivers can and do reject trailers. A previous load of chemicals, a lingering odor, a wet floor, a hole in the roof or pest activity is enough. Packaged food can pick up odors through cardboard, and pet food is no different. On food loads we pass your requirements to the carrier in writing, such as:
- Trailer swept, dry and free of odor, debris and pest activity before loading
- No prior hazardous or strong-smelling cargo, if your policy restricts it
- Roof, walls and doors intact so the load stays dry
- Seal applied at pickup, with the seal number recorded on the bill of lading
Your team should still inspect the trailer at the dock. If it doesn't meet your standard, reject it and call us — that's the point of putting the standard in writing.
FSMA sanitary transportation, in general terms
The FDA's rule on sanitary transportation of human and animal food sets expectations for shippers, loaders, carriers and receivers on many food shipments, and it has exemptions — some fully packaged, shelf-stable products among them. Whether and how it applies depends on your product, packaging and role. We don't claim every load is covered or exempt. We ask for your written sanitary and segregation requirements and confirm them on each load.
Lot codes and traceability
Food shippers often need lot or batch codes recorded against each shipment so product can be traced if there's ever a question. If your receiver needs lot numbers on the bill of lading or a packing list, tell us at the quote stage and we'll make sure the paperwork reflects it.
Pet food bags and pallet stability
Large bags of kibble are soft, slippery and heavy, and a poorly wrapped pallet can lean or collapse on the road. Good stretch-wrap, corner boards, slip sheets between layers and load bars to stop pallets sliding all help. Tell us bag size, layers per pallet and whether pallets stack, and we'll plan accordingly.
We focus on lanes across the Southeast, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, the Midwest and California — send your lane and we'll confirm before quoting. Delivering to a grocery or retail DC? See our Retail DC Delivery Guide or start a quote.