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Shipper FAQs: Working With Coyote

We want to make your experience working with Coyote as easy as possible.

This list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) will help guide you as you quote, ship, track and settle your Coyote shipments.

If you need additional help, you can always reach out to your Coyote rep or contact us.

We grouped the questions into sections — click to jump to the section where you need help.

Working With Coyote Logistics

Q: How do I start shipping my freight with Coyote?

You can request a quote to join our network or talk to a specialist about your unique shipping needs.

Prefer to manage your freight online? Register for your free CoyoteGO® account to start quoting, booking and tracking shipments through our digital freight platform. 

Create My Account

Already have an account? Log in today at go.coyote.com.

Q: How long does it take to receive a freight quote?

No time at all — you can get instant LTL and truckload quotes at anytime from our online quote tool.

For an enhanced quoting experience and the ability to build and book shipments, sign-up for a free CoyoteGO account.

For intermodal quotes, open deck quotes, or any other non-standard freight quotes or pricing opportunities, contact us. A Coyote freight specialist will typically respond within an hour during normal business hours.

Q: How do I get a designated point-of-contact to oversee my account?

If you sign up for CoyoteGO, get a quote and move forward with booking a shipment, you will be able to ask questions via the Help Center, which will connect you to a Customer Support Representative. This person will work with you to address changes or issues in your loads.

Based on the complexity of your supply chain and the volume of freight you move, your point of contact may change to best meet your business’s needs.

If you need assistance with online CoyoteGO quoting or booking, contact information for your team of Coyote specialists is listed right on the main dashboard of the platform for easy access.

Q: How do I apply for credit with Coyote?

There are a few ways to apply for credit.

The fastest and easiest way is in CoyoteGO. You can learn how to do that in this guide.

You can also access Coyote’s credit application & agreement and work through your Coyote rep to submit.

If you’d prefer to pay with a credit card, you can also do that instantly in CoyoteGO.

Q: How do I track my shipment?

There are a few easy ways to get digital updates on your shipments.

You can check on your freight anytime in your CoyoteGO account — this guide will show you how.

You can also work with your rep to set up an EDI or API integration so we can feed tracking information into your system.

There are also two ways to access load tracking without signing into CoyoteGO — this is great for keeping your customers up-to-date on their shipments.

  • Visit tracking.coyote.com and enter either the Coyote load number or the shipment’s PRO number.
  • Once you’ve completed booking your shipment and you reach the Quote & Ship success page, you’ll receive a public tracking link. You can copy this link and email it directly to anyone who needs to know how your shipment is progressing

Q: What should I do if I have an issue after normal business hours?

We are here to help you resolve issues no matter the time of day.

If you have an issue during normal business hours, contact your rep for help.

After hours? Don’t sweat it. We offer 24/7/365 support. Just call 877-6-COYOTE to talk with a Coyote specialist.

Using CoyoteGO

Q: What technology solutions does Coyote have to help me ship, track and optimize my freight?

CoyoteGO is our free digital freight platform that seamlessly connects you to carrier capacity.

Once you create your account, you can start quoting, booking and tracking your shipments any time on your desktop or mobile device

Note: CoyoteGO is accessible on your mobile device by logging in to go.coyote.com. The CoyoteGO mobile app is only for carriers.

Our team can even help automate manual tasks through EDI or API integration to make data exchange easy for higher volume shippers.

Q: How do I sign up for CoyoteGO?

Register here. It’s fast, free and easy.

Q: How do I use CoyoteGO? 

You can view all CoyoteGO resources, including new features and updates, in this curated resource center.

In this content center, you can find a four-part user guide that covers every aspect of our digital freight platform.

About Coyote Logistics

Q: What modes and services does Coyote support?

Coyote works with shippers and carriers across all modes and equipment. In addition to full truckload, we offer less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment, as well as intermodal shipping for over-the-rail needs.

  • Refrigerated / reefer
  • Flatbed
  • Private Fleet
  • Multi-stop
  • Drop-trailer
  • Step-deck
  • Cross-border
  • Drayage
  • Expedited
  • Over dimensional/overweight
  • Hazmat
  • High-value
  • Local
  • Government

To learn more about our multimodal solutions, talk to a Coyote specialist today.

Q: What other business solutions does Coyote provide?

Regardless of shipper size or complexity, Coyote can configure the supply chain solution best suited for your business.

Between our primary capacity, managed supply chain (TMS services), and flexible supply chain options, we can scale to meet your unique high-volume needs.

Q: Does Coyote offer TMS services?

We believe that shippers need more than just a transportation management system in order to anticipate change and adjust with the fluctuating market.

That’s why Coyote provides managed TMS solutions, pairing end-to-end network execution and real-time visibility with data intelligence from a dedicated team.

Looking for onsite or outsourced services? Our team can help to build the level of support your supply chain needs.

Learn more about our managed TMS and supply chain solutions.

Q: What industries does Coyote service?

We strive to meet the needs of customers across all industries, including:

  • Retail
  • Consumer Goods
  • Transportation
  • Energy & Infrastructure
  • Food & Beverage
  • Government & Non-Profits
  • Industrial Goods
  • Paper & Packaging
  • Pharmaceuticals & Health Care
  • Technology

Q: How many carriers does Coyote work with?

Coyote has built relationships with over 70,000 North American carriers, from owner-operators to national private fleets, to help move your freight any time or anywhere.

Our freight marketplace is entirely centralized — there is no internal fragmentation or competition between Coyote offices or branches.

If you ship freight in Europe, we also have built relationships with 14,000 European carriers to help you move international freight.

General Freight & Logistics Questions

Q: What’s the difference between less than truckload (LTL) and full truckload (FTL)

Both truckload and LTL are methods of surface transportation that use trucks to move freight.

Though they are similar, there are a few important differences between these two modes.

At the most basic level:

  • In LTL shipping, you are sharing trailer space with other shippers’ freight, and, the LTL carrier will often transload your freight into different trailers.
  • In truckload shipping, the driver and full trailer are dedicated to your freight exclusively — you do not share trailer space and the driver will deliver straight through to your destination.

Learn more about the differences between truckload and LTL.

Q: When is LTL not a good choice for my shipment? 

LTL is cost-efficient, but it isn’t always the best choice depending on your service requirements and the size of your shipment.

Service:
If your freight needs to be picked up and/or delivered on a strict or tight schedule, LTL may not be a good choice. Your freight will not deliver straight through, and transits are not guaranteed. For tight timelines, truckload is likely a better option.

Size:
If your shipment is over six pallets, volume LTL or partial truckload, or potentially even truckload, will be better options. If you are shipping over 12 pallets, you will almost certainly need a full truck.

Q: What are the size limitations for LTL shipping?

Generally speaking, your shipment should be under 96” wide and under 100” in height. Anything over this is considered oversized freight and will require special equipment.

As far as length, 12 linear feet is the approximate maximum — over that, and volume LTL, partial truckload or full truckload may be better options.

Here are approximate guidelines:

  • Max width: 96”
  • Max height: 100”
  • Max pallets: 12, but 6 or less is ideal (assuming standard pallets)
  • Max length: 28 linear feet, but 12 or less is ideal

Q: How much does it cost to ship LTL freight?

LTL shipping allows multiple shippers to share space on the same truck, which creates a cost-efficient transportation solution (compared to full truckload).

Your exact LTL freight rate will vary based on a number of factors, including:

  • Type of freight (freight class)
  • Dimensions
  • Distance
  • Shipping lane

Q: What is LTL Freight Class?

Freight class is an industry-wide numeric classification system used to categorize commodities transported through LTL shipping.

There are 18 different freight classes, ranging from Class 50 to Class 500, and every single item that ships LTL falls into one of these categories.

Getting your freight class correct is very important in getting an accurate LTL rate.

Learn more about LTL freight class and NMFC codes.

If you need additional help determining your freight class, contact your Coyote sales rep or reach out in this contact form.

Q: What is TMS?

TMS, or a Transportation Management System, is technology that many shippers utilize to more efficiently plan freight shipping needs.

We encourage shippers to have a TMS in place to make shipping more efficient and can offer dedicated shipping lanes to carriers for consistent business every week.

We can also connect to your TMS systems for tracking, tendering and rate confirmation leverage.

Q: What truckload market insights can Coyote provide?

Using our proprietary data, Coyote publishes a quarterly forecasting index — the Coyote Curve® — to help shippers navigate the ebbs and flows of the market.

We have several different resources to help shippers learn more about the truckload market. Here are a few to get started: