Freight Quote
Tailored Freight Solutions Just A Click Away.
Secure a competitive, fully itemised freight quotation with INH Transport—no unwelcome add-ons, just transparent figures you can rely on. Whether you’re arranging LTL or FTL capacity across Australia, we have the routes, rates, and end-of-year offers you need to meet your targets and deadlines. Let’s get your shipments moving on terms you understand and trust—request your quote now.
What Freight Companies Consider in Freight Quotes
When requesting a freight quotation, understanding the key factors freight companies assess can help you secure the best value. At INH Transport, we prioritise clarity and detail to ensure you know exactly what goes into our freight quotes.
Base Rate
The base rate is the starting point of every freight quotation. It covers the essential cost of moving your shipment, determined by factors like vehicle type, load capacity, and handling requirements.
Distance and Kilometre Rate
Distance plays a crucial role in freight quotes. A per-kilometre rate is applied, factoring in the trip's length, road conditions, and route planning to deliver your goods efficiently.
Fuel Levy & GST
The fuel levy is a variable charge that reflects fluctuating fuel prices and is primarily affected by the weight and nature of the load. For metro freight movements using heavy rigids, the fuel levy currently adds roughly 15% to the base rate. Linehaul operations with prime movers see a higher fuel levy impact, contributing about 24% to the total rate. GST is applied to ensure compliance and full transparency.
Nelly - Earthworx
“Delivered last night - thank you, highly recommend this carrier” Efficient and friendly service.”
Patrick Killahy - Killahy Construction
With INH Transport, transparency is key. We offer fixed pricing with no room for hidden fees, last-minute charges, or surprise demurrage. Many transport companies pass on costs for delays, weather-related incidents, or operational inefficiencies, but we don’t believe in charging for what’s outside your control. You can trust that the price you’re quoted is the price you’ll pay.
INH Transport exceeded my expectations and would highly recommend their services to anyone in need of dependable freight transport solutions! Thank you for your proactive service!"
Ozsarac & Sons-Kebab Machine Sydney
“Absolute legends still go the job delievered on top even in late notice."
Frequently Asked Questions
To avoid hidden costs, identify the most common extra handling fees associated with palletised goods. These might include pallet re-stacking or re-wrapping charges (often around $30–$60 per pallet), specialised forklift rentals or extensions ($50–$100 per hour), and pallet exchange fees ($10–$20 per unit). Once you know what to look for, request a fully itemised breakdown from your carrier—preferably in writing—to have a clear record of each potential charge. Then, negotiate a capped or bundled handling rate, ensuring that you won't pay beyond the agreed amount even if you need extra support on arrival.
At INH Transport, we regularly help clients secure comprehensive, all-inclusive quotes, ensuring that from the warehouse to the drop-off point, the price you’re quoted is the price you’ll pay.
Carriers tend to adjust rates as peak seasons approach, especially when demand outstrips available trucks. In 2024, driver shortages, increased fuel costs, and stricter capacity controls introduced by some carriers have tightened market conditions. To get a stable rate, start sharing your projected surge volumes—say, 150 extra pallets of beverages in December—months in advance. While not guaranteed, you can often negotiate a seasonal ceiling on surcharges by committing to a minimum volume. This forward planning can help secure more predictable pricing than reacting to last-minute rate spikes.
At INH Transport, we’ve seen clients who lock in these terms ahead of time ride out high-demand periods with far fewer cost surprises.If you know the delivery point can’t accommodate large prime movers and requires a rigid truck with a tail lift, flag this at the quoting stage. For example, a tail-lift service might add $50–$100, and hand unloading could run $30–$60 per pallet. By specifying these needs up front, you can push for an all-inclusive rate that accounts for the required vehicle type and extra labour—rather than facing a grab-bag of fees on delivery day. While not all carriers will guarantee fixed pricing, those who value long-term relationships may lock in these details if you provide enough lead time and volume guarantees.
At INH Transport, we’ve guided clients through this process, ensuring rural drop-offs and less accessible sites don’t spark unwelcome, last-minute charges.Height restrictions often influence freight costs, though exact standards vary by carrier. Generally, a half pallet is around 1.2m high, while a full pallet might allow stacking up to around 2.4m. Exceeding these heights can push you into higher rate categories—some shippers observe that going from half pallet to full pallet size can raise the per-pallet price by around 35%. Most HR trucks can handle loads up to roughly 2.8m, but exceeding common pallet heights may trigger custom surcharges or require reconfiguration.
These figures are industry guidelines rather than strict rules. The best approach is to verify dimensions and costs directly with your carrier. At INH Transport, we’ve helped clients fine-tune their pallet profiles, working within recognised height limits to secure more predictable, cost-effective quotes.
Instead of simply asking your carrier to “be flexible,” consider presenting them with a known range of weights and volumes you expect throughout the year. For example, detail that on some shipments you might send a 200kg pallet of cleaning supplies, while at other times you’ll dispatch 500kg drums of industrial solvents. Armed with these scenarios, your carrier can create a tiered or bracketed rate structure—perhaps one price for loads up to 250kg and another for 250–500kg—that still fits within your pallet footprint. This way, if your mix shifts from light cartons in January to heavier drums in March, you’ll already have agreed-upon pricing for both cases. While it may not eliminate all re-negotiations, it significantly reduces surprises and admin work each time your product composition changes.
At INH Transport, we’ve helped clients implement this kind of weight-tiered agreement. By laying out possible variations in advance, we ensure that even when their product mix fluctuates, their quote remains stable and predictable.
Many 3PL warehouses charge daily storage or delay fees if they can’t unload your shipment promptly. While exact rates vary, a ballpark figure might be $20–$50 per pallet per day. Pallet quality also matters—using standard pallets like CHEP or LOSCAM can avoid extra handling fees (often around $5–$15 per pallet) that might arise if non-standard pallets slow down unloading.
To include these costs in your freight quote, start by obtaining the 3PL’s fee schedule and pallet requirements. Share these details—anticipated volumes, pallet types, expected delivery windows—with your carrier or forwarder. Although a fully fixed “all-in” rate isn’t always possible, going in armed with this information lets you negotiate a clearer cost structure. For instance, you might cap storage fees after a certain number of days or secure a slight discount if you commit to using approved pallets exclusively.
At INH Transport, we’ve guided clients through this process, helping them incorporate known 3PL charges upfront so that when goods arrive at the warehouse, they’re not blindsided by unexpected costs.
Standard carrier liability is typically limited and often does not fully cover your cargo’s actual value. While carriers are obligated to meet their basic liability commitments, this usually amounts to a low, per-kilogram payout rather than full-value reimbursement. It’s standard industry practice for shippers, not carriers, to secure additional cargo insurance if they want comprehensive coverage.
For example, if you’re shipping $50,000 worth of machinery and the carrier’s liability only covers $2,000 under their terms, you’ll need to arrange supplementary insurance through your forwarder or an insurance broker. This can often be rolled into your quote as a premium based on the declared value of your goods. While it may feel counterintuitive, full-value insurance is generally a customer-driven add-on, not a carrier-provided service by default.
Prefer to Talk with our Allocator?
When you speak with our allocator, you’re talking directly to the person who will oversee your shipment from start to finish. No handoffs, no confusion—just clear communication and personalised service every step of the way. Reach out today and experience freight done right!
William Nguyen honed his logistics expertise with renowned clients like The Bavarian Group, famed for their German beers, and through in-depth dealings with NSW ports. His close relationships with multiple 3PLs mean every detail—height restrictions, truck allocations, operational timetables—is meticulously planned. Tireless and responsive, whether it’s 3pm or 3am, William remains your steadfast point of contact, ensuring each pallet is managed flawlessly and every delivery runs like clockwork.
Head Allocator & Sales Manager