InTek Freight & Logistics understands people are a bit anxious when onboarding a new freight provider into their business, which comes from unknowns and “what did I miss in the vetting process”.
To remove help eliminate the anxious feeling of what the onboarding process is with InTek’s Intermodal Division we’ve written this short article.
Onboarding with InTek’s Intermodal Division
Rates
All InTek intermodal rates are door-to-door rates, meaning InTek handles everything from pick-up to final delivery.
Like other freight companies, if there is an event or requirement that was not included in the rating structure accessorial charges will be incurred. Examples of accessorial charges include:
- Detention at loading and or unloading if a drop container pool program was not established and the time to load is beyond the typical 2-hours.
- Per diem on equipment in a drop pool if a container sits beyond the free time allowed before moving.
- Rail storage occurs when a container is required to sit at the destination intermodal ramp due to issues securing a timely delivery appointment.
The last thing InTek wants to do is invoice its customers an accessorial charge because that means something did not go as planned in the shipping process. InTek’s accessorial charges are billed to its customers at the same rate the railroads bill us, so this is not a profit center as is often the case with other carriers.
Accessorial charges can often be avoided through great communication between our two companies.
Intermodal Rate Term
The time period the rates are in effect is communicated at the time of the quote. The standard rate terms from InTek can be any of the three listed below:
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Annual- The capacity commitment is based on a weekly average base load count.
- Includes InTek’s committed capacity clause, which will ensure you have a set number of containers each and every week.
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One-Time Spot Rate
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Special Project
- Pricing is set for a short period of time.
For more on intermodal rates we recommend reading Cost of Intermodal Transportation: Rates, Fees and Variables where we cover the various rate offerings, the structure of intermodal rates, what drives intermodal quotes up and down and what to watch out for when obtaining intermodal rates and service.
InTek Welcome Packet
InTek understands you’ll need some information from us, so we’ve established a link on our website for you to pull down the following:
- InTek Corporate Information
- Operating Authority
- MC #
- Surety Bond
- Federal Tax ID
- W-9
- SCAC Code
- Certificates of Insurance
- SmartWay Certificate
Click on the below for all the information shared above.
Credit Application
The credit application is included with the welcome packet.
We ask that the credit application be filled out in advance to ensure we are ready to go immediately after you are comfortable with the service and rates.
Click the below button for immediate access to the credit application.
Corporate Address
Billing Information
Payment Options
Three (3) Credit References
Bank Reference
Onboarding Call with Operations
Every InTek customer has an onboarding call for the following reasons:
- Introductions of the people involved on both our customer’s side and the assigned Customer Operations Manager.
- Discuss how your assigned Customer Operations Manager will work and manage the freight with you.
- Share after hours contact names, numbers and emails, along with the same for the escalation contacts.
- Discuss the loading and unloading characteristics of the freight.
- Provide a loading diagram for proper blocking and bracing for the intermodal rail transit segment.
- For our team to capture the references and paperwork our customer requires for its internal management and to process their freight invoices.
- InTek invoices only after it receives all shipment paperwork required by its customer.
- Walk through how the customer wants to see their shipment status data and what is required on the daily, weekly and monthly reports.
- For more details on how InTek can provide tracking and tracing information, please read Real-Time & Accurate Freight Shipment Visibility with InTek. In this article we stop through the various types of push or pull reports we provide, along with portals and electronic interfacing.
Prior to the onboarding call, we recommend shippers read the following:
- How to Ship Intermodal without Damage
- Intermodal Weight - The Most Common Issue for Shippers
- Demurrage, Detention, Per Diem & Storage - Overview & How to Avoid
- Blocking and Bracing for Intermodal Freight Shipments
The areas we recommend paying closest attention to in the articles.
- Blocking and Bracing – why is it important and it is not as complicated as many think.
- Shippers responsibility for proper securement of the load for rail transit.
- Intermodal weight as it relates to gross and allowance per axle.
- Additional details on the accessorials that could be incurred with Intermodal movements.
- The article on blocking and bracing includes a great video on walking through the Class I intermodal guidelines.
Welcome Aboard
We are thankful you’ve entrusted InTek with your business.
We commit to you that we’ll do everything possible to make your transition to our intermodal service an easy process and one you’ll be happy you made for years to come.
For more about InTek we invite you to review the following videos.
4 Minute Overview of InTek Freight & Logistics.
One of InTek's Customers Shares Their Experience with InTek.
InTek Unique Customer Approach to Solving Shippers' Logistics Challenges.
For more on InTek Freight and Logistics, please visit our website, blog or reach out to us.
