Pallet freight means moving goods stacked on pallets, with a forklift loading them onto a truck. It is how most stock, building supplies and bulk goods travel between suppliers, warehouses and shops.
Why pallets?
- A forklift lifts a whole pallet in one go, so loading and offloading is quick.
- The goods are stacked and wrapped as one unit, so they are easier to protect.
- A pallet can be counted, labelled and checked from pickup to delivery.
How a pallet is prepared
- Stack boxes or bags evenly, with the heaviest at the bottom.
- Keep the stack inside the edges of the pallet. Overhang gets knocked and crushed.
- Wrap the whole stack in stretch wrap, over the pallet base as well.
- Label each pallet with the delivery details.
A wrapped, evenly stacked pallet is the single biggest factor in goods arriving undamaged.
How a truck is loaded
On a curtain-side truck the curtain slides open along the whole side, so a forklift can place pallets from the side or from the back. The pallets are packed tightly against each other, and the load is strapped down before the truck moves.
What the driver needs from you
- The pickup and delivery addresses, with a contact name and number at both.
- The number of pallets and roughly how heavy they are.
- Whether there is a forklift or loading dock at each end.
- The time the goods will be ready.
If there is no forklift at the delivery address, tell us when you ask for a quote so we can plan the offload.
How much can one truck take?
That depends on the weight and the size of the pallets, not just the number. MDL Logistics carries loads from 1 ton up to 10 ton. Send us the pallet count and weight and we will tell you what fits.
Need a truck for your load?
We move loads from 1 to 10 ton anywhere in South Africa. Read about our goods transport service or ask for a quote.