Pickup and delivery
Liftgate and Residential Freight Charges
Decide whether pickup or delivery needs a liftgate, non-commercial service, appointment or inside handling before requesting a rate.
A liftgate is commonly required when a site lacks a usable dock or forklift for the handling unit. Residential or other non-commercial locations may also trigger a separate service category because of route, access, appointment and equipment needs. There is no universal charge: enter the amount from the governing carrier rate.
What changes the result?
A useful calculation starts with the physical scope and the written commercial terms. These are the factors to make explicit:
- Dock or forklift at each location
- Handling-unit weight and footprint
- Liftgate platform and capacity limits
- Residential or non-commercial site classification
- Appointment, threshold and inside-service boundary
Use one scope for every quote
Give each business the same information and ask it to resolve the same boundaries. That makes the totals more comparable and exposes work left as an allowance or exclusion.
- Check pickup and delivery separately
- Confirm the freight fits the equipment
- Describe the site accurately
- Include every required service in the rate request
Liftgate is location- and freight-specific
A site without a dock may need a liftgate, but the handling unit must also fit the platform and remain within equipment limits. Large, long or unusually heavy freight needs direct carrier confirmation.
Residential is not the same as inside delivery
A residential or non-commercial charge can describe the location. Liftgate supplies loading equipment; inside service changes where the freight is moved. Appointment or limited-access terms may be separate again.
Resolve the last fifty feet
Ask who unloads, where the driver stops, whether the surface is suitable for a pallet jack, and whether the consignee can receive during the carrier's window. These details prevent a low linehaul estimate from hiding an impossible delivery plan.
Questions people ask
Do I need a liftgate if I do not have a loading dock?
Often, unless suitable unloading equipment is available and accepted by the carrier. Confirm the handling-unit size and weight.
Is liftgate service charged at both ends?
Pickup and delivery are separate operating events. Request the service at each location that needs it.
Does residential delivery include carrying freight inside?
Do not assume so. Residential location, liftgate, threshold and inside service can be separate definitions and charges.
How much does liftgate service cost?
Use the current amount in the governing carrier tariff, contract or quote. It is not universal.
Method and sources
The model is a planning tool, not a quotation. These are the published sources used for this page; read the full assumptions before relying on a range. Source review: 14 September 2026.
- Old Dominion accessorial-charge guide
Carrier definitions and examples for liftgate, non-commercial, appointment, detention, inside and redelivery services; reviewed 14 September 2026.
- FedEx freight packing guidance
Carrier handling-unit, packaging and liftgate-size context; reviewed 14 September 2026.
- Old Dominion current tariff register
Current carrier rules, tariff and non-binding accessorial-reference boundary; reviewed 14 September 2026.