Liftgate Delivery

A liftgate is a hydraulic platform on the back of a freight truck that lowers your shipment from truck bed height to ground level. If your location does not have a loading dock or forklift, liftgate delivery is typically required for IBC totes and drums.

When You Need a Liftgate

  • Your delivery location does not have a raised loading dock
  • You do not have a forklift available at the time of delivery
  • You are receiving at a residential or rural address
  • Your facility has a dock but it is inaccessible (blocked, under construction, etc.)

Cost

Liftgate delivery is a flat surcharge of approximately $150 per shipment. This covers the carrier's cost of dispatching a truck equipped with a hydraulic liftgate. The exact amount appears in your freight quote at checkout.

How It Works

  1. Select "Liftgate Required" during checkout
  2. The carrier dispatches a truck with a hydraulic liftgate
  3. At delivery, the driver lowers pallets from the truck to ground level
  4. You use a pallet jack to move the containers to their final position

Note: The driver will lower the shipment to ground level but is not responsible for moving it beyond the truck. You need a pallet jack or similar equipment to move the pallets from the delivery point to storage.

Alternatives

  • Loading dock: If your facility has a dock, standard freight delivery is cheaper — no liftgate needed
  • Forklift on site: If you have a forklift, you can unload directly from the truck bed
  • Inside delivery: For an additional fee ($200), the carrier will bring pallets inside your building. See surcharges for details.

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