What information do you need for a freight quote?

Most quote requests arrive missing two or three things, and the gap is almost always the same: nobody told the shipper which details actually change the number. A broker can guess, but a guessed quote gets revised later — usually after you've already told your customer a price.

Here is the full list, in the order I ask for it, with what each detail changes. Complete information helps a broker quote with fewer assumptions; it does not guarantee a price or available capacity. If you have five of the eight, send them anyway and say what's still unknown.

1. Origin and destination, at least to the ZIP code

City and state are a useful start; ZIP codes make the locations more precise. Rates depend on the lane, available capacity and timing. Nearby towns can price differently, and a remote destination may affect the rate if a carrier has limited options for its next load.

If there are multiple stops, say so early. A second or third delivery changes both the price and which carriers will take it.

2. Pickup date, and how firm it is

"Any day this week" and "Tuesday between 8 and 10, appointment required" are different shipments. Flexibility is worth real money — a load that can move a day either way gives me a much larger pool of trucks to work with.

Tell me the delivery expectation too, including whether the receiver books appointments and how far ahead.

3. What the freight actually is

"General freight" tells me nothing. The commodity determines whether it needs temperature control, whether it's high-value or theft-target freight, whether it's regulated, and how it has to be secured. Brand names are fine; so is a plain description like "boxed vitamins on pallets."

4. Total weight

Give the weight in pounds, and say whether it includes pallets and packaging. Together with dimensions, axle configuration and route requirements, it helps determine suitable equipment and loading arrangements. Confirm unusually heavy freight before dispatch; do not rely on a general payload estimate.

5. Piece count and dimensions

Send the number of pallets or pieces, their footprint, height and whether the freight can safely be stacked. Stackability may reduce floor space, depending on the product and loading plan. For flatbed or oversized freight, give the length, width and height of each piece in inches so equipment and any route-specific permit needs can be assessed.

6. Equipment type, or "not sure"

If you know it's a reefer at 34°F, that's the fastest possible start. If you don't, describing the freight and how it loads is enough for me to recommend equipment — and sometimes the recommendation is cheaper than the assumption. Never pick a trailer you're unsure of just to fill in the field.

7. Loading and unloading access at both ends

This is the detail most often left out, and the one that most often costs money on the day. For each end: is there a dock, a forklift, staff to unload, or nothing? Does the driver have to touch the freight? Is the site residential, gated, or hard for a 53-foot trailer to enter?

A liftgate, a driver-assist unload, or a limited-access delivery are all normal — they just need to be priced in advance rather than discovered by a driver at 4pm.

8. Special requirements

Include temperature and operating mode, tarps, food-grade or washout requirements, seals, team drivers, declared cargo value, hazardous-material details, or a specific carrier your customer requires. Insurance limits and commodity exclusions vary; any required coverage needs to be confirmed for the shipment. Anything a carrier must agree to before dispatch belongs here.

What if you don't know one of these?

Say "unknown." It's a useful answer — it tells me where the risk sits, and I can quote with a stated assumption instead of a silent one. What creates problems is a number supplied to fill a blank: a guessed weight or an assumed dock changes the truck I book.

A quote is a price based on the information available when it was given. If the details change, the price can change — that's true of every broker, and it's better said upfront than discovered later.

Sources and notes

This article describes the author's own quoting practice as a freight broker. It contains no statistics, and it should not be read as legal, insurance or regulatory advice.

No universal vehicle weight, permit or insurance limits are specified here. Confirm the actual equipment, route, commodity and coverage requirements with your broker and carrier before booking.