Shipment Preparation Requirements for Dragonfly Delivery
Properly prepared freight arrives on time, in the condition it left in, and without the delays, damage claims, or re-delivery fees that result from inadequate packaging, disorganized loading, or missing access information. Shipment preparation is the client's responsibility and one of the most controllable factors in delivery success. Here is what proper preparation looks like for the freight types Dragonfly Delivery handles most frequently.
Pallet and Skid Preparation
Palletized freight should be stable and self-supporting before the driver arrives. Items should be stacked with heavier goods on the bottom and lighter, more fragile items on top. All items should be secured to the pallet — stretch wrap applied from the base of the pallet upward, not just around the middle of the load. Corner guards should be used on any pallet carrying fragile or finished-surface items such as tile, cabinetry, or fixture boxes. The pallet itself should be in sound structural condition — cracked or broken pallet boards are a safety risk and a common cause of load collapse during transport.
Boxed and Crated Goods
Individual boxes should be closed and sealed. Open-top boxes or boxes with insufficient tape are not suitable for freight transport — contents shift and spill during loading, transit, and offloading. Crated items should have their hardware checked to confirm the crate is structurally sound. For items with finished surfaces, wrapping or padding inside the outer packaging reduces surface damage risk during the inevitable contact and vibration of road transport.
Fragile and High-Value Items
Fragile items including stone countertops, porcelain fixtures, glass components, and finished hardwood surfaces require internal packaging that immobilizes the item within its outer box or crate. Foam inserts, blanket wrapping, and corner padding all serve this function. The outer packaging should be marked clearly with fragility indicators — not as a signal to handlers to be careful, but as a visual cue during loading that influences stack placement and load securing decisions.
Labels and Documentation
Every shipment should be clearly labelled with the delivery address, receiver name, and contact phone number. For multi-pallet shipments, each pallet should be individually labelled. The Bill of Lading — which dispatch will provide for each confirmed job — should accompany the shipment from pickup. For shipments with declared value, supporting documentation such as a purchase invoice should be available at pickup.
Pickup Readiness
Freight should be ready and accessible at the confirmed pickup time. This means packaged, palletized, at the pickup location, with the pickup contact available to authorize the BOL. Late-ready freight extends the driver's wait time beyond the standard included window and results in wait-time charges. If the freight will not be ready at the confirmed time, contact dispatch as early as possible to adjust the pickup window before the driver is in transit.
Access Notes at Booking
Delivery access conditions need to be communicated at booking, not on delivery day. Does the delivery location have a dock, or is tailgate service needed? Are there parking restrictions that affect truck access? Is there a required delivery window imposed by the building or receiving location? Is the receiver available during the scheduled delivery window? Does the delivery require building access through a managed entry — buzzer, security desk, or elevator booking? Each of these conditions affects dispatch planning, vehicle assignment, and timing. Identifying them at booking produces a smooth delivery. Discovering them on arrival produces delays, failed deliveries, and additional costs.
Questions on Preparation
If you are unsure whether your freight meets preparation requirements, contact dispatch before the scheduled pickup. Call Dispatch or include your preparation questions in the intake form submission. It is significantly less disruptive to resolve a preparation question before pickup than to refuse freight at the pickup location because it is not transport-ready.
