Glossary

Trailer Drops

Definition

Trailer drops, also known as drop and hook operations or drop trailer services, is a shipping method used in the trucking industry that involves dropping off a full trailer at a customer's location and hooking up an empty one. It's a logistics strategy designed to increase efficiency and decrease dwell time — the time a truck spends at a loading dock.

— sennder Team

FAQ

Trailer drops offer increased efficiency, flexibility, and reduced detention fees.
Challenges of trailer drops include the need for more trailers, space requirements, and increased trailer maintenance.
Trailer drops are most beneficial in situations where loading or unloading is likely to be time-consuming.
Trailer drops can help drivers make better use of their Hours of Service by reducing dwell time.
Example or usage in road freight logistics

A grocery chain uses trailer drops for their deliveries. A logistics provider drops a trailer full of goods at one of the chain's stores and picks up an empty one left from a previous delivery. The store staff can then unload the goods at their own pace, and the trailer is ready for pick-up during the next delivery cycle.

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