Avoiding Freight Surcharges
Cahoot Freight bills LTL shipments at the rate calculated from the information you enter when you book. When the freight the carrier handles doesn't match what was booked, the carrier issues a rebill (a surcharge) to correct the cost. This article explains the most common rebills, how to avoid them, and how to dispute one if you believe it's incorrect.
Common LTL Freight Surcharges and How to Avoid Them
The table below lists the surcharges merchants see most often on Cahoot Freight LTL shipments, why each one is billed, and how to prevent it.
| Surcharge | Why you were billed | How to avoid it |
| Incorrect weight | The actual freight weight didn't match the weight entered at booking, so the carrier reweighed the freight and recalculated the cost. Weight directly affects pricing. | Weigh the complete freight — product, packaging, and pallet — on a certified scale before booking, and enter that exact total weight. If the weight changes before pickup, edit the shipment and notify Cahoot right away so the cost recalculates before pickup. |
| Incorrect dimensions | The pallet's measured size didn't match the dimensions entered. Size affects freight class and pricing, so the carrier re-measured and recalculated. | Measure the fully assembled, shrink-wrapped pallet at its longest, widest, and tallest points — including any overhang and the height of the pallet itself — and round up. Update the shipment if the dimensions change. |
| Additional freight | More pieces or pallets were tendered to the carrier than were booked. | Book every pallet and piece you intend to ship. Don't hand additional freight to the driver without updating the shipment first. |
| Liftgate pickup / delivery | The pickup location had no loading dock or forklift, so the driver needed a liftgate that wasn't selected at booking. | Select liftgate at booking whenever a location can't load or unload freight without one. |
| Residential delivery | The delivery address was residential or limited-access but was booked as a commercial location. | Mark residential or limited-access destinations (homes, residential-zoned businesses, schools, etc.) when you book. |
| Appointment | The destination required a scheduled delivery appointment that wasn't arranged or flagged at booking. | If the receiver requires a delivery appointment, note it at booking and confirm the receiver's contact details are correct. |
| Delivery attempt / Pickup attempt | The carrier arrived but couldn't complete the pickup or delivery — freight wasn't ready, no one was available, or the location couldn't receive it — so a re-attempt was billed. | Have freight staged and ready, and someone available during business hours. Confirm the receiver can accept the shipment on the scheduled day. |
| Reconsignment | The shipment was rerouted or the destination address was changed after it was booked or picked up. These are among the most expensive rebills. | Confirm the complete, correct destination address before booking, and avoid changing the address after pickup. |
| Detention | The driver waited beyond the free loading or unloading window (typically about two hours), so a per-time fee was added. | Stage freight before the driver arrives and load or unload promptly. |
| Documentation | The Bill of Lading or other paperwork was missing, incomplete, or didn't match the freight. | Make sure the Bill of Lading is complete and matches the freight — piece count, weight, dimensions, and addresses — and hand it to the driver at pickup. |
Document Every Shipment
Good records protect you two ways: they help you confirm your booking is accurate before the freight leaves, and they give you a starting point if you need to dispute a rebill later.
Before each freight shipment leaves, capture:
- A photo of the assembled pallet on the scale showing the total weight
- The measured pallet dimensions (length, width, and height, including overhang)
- The completed Bill of Lading
- The itemized commercial invoice or packing list for the freight
How Surcharge Disputes Work
Because you book LTL freight through the Cahoot portal, Cahoot disputes rebills with the carrier on your behalf. When a rebill comes in, Cahoot reviews it and, where there's a case to dispute, requests supporting documentation from you. The documentation needed depends on the reason for the surcharge.
| Surcharge reason | Documentation Cahoot will request |
| Incorrect weight, Incorrect dimensions, or Additional freight |
An itemized Commercial Invoice, Packing List, or Spec Sheet that identifies the commodity shipped, with each item's quantity, dimensions, and weight stated separately. This is the invoice sent from the supplier to the consignee as proof of purchase for the items — not the Cahoot Freight invoice and not the Bill of Lading. If your item dimensions and weights are properly configured in Cahoot, we can use the inbound or work order page as the packing list. |
| Residential delivery | Proof or photos of the delivery address showing it is a commercial business and not situated within a residentially zoned area. |
| Other reasons | Cahoot will let you know exactly what's needed when the rebill is reviewed. |
When Cahoot requests documentation, provide it as quickly as possible — the sooner the evidence is submitted, the better the chance of overturning the charge. Upload the requested documents using the conversations panel. If you have questions about a rebill or what to submit, Submit Ticket.