Freight & Logistics Guides
Clear, practical guides for shippers — how freight brokerage works, choosing the right mode and equipment, moving freight across the U.S.–Mexico border, and controlling cost in any market. Written by the team at OTX Logistics Group.
What Is Drayage? Meaning, Types, and How It Works
Drayage is the short-haul movement of containers between ports, rail ramps, and warehouses. Here's what it means, the main types, and how drayage fits into your freight network.
USMCA Certificate of Origin: What It Is and How to Complete It
The USMCA certificate of origin lets qualifying goods cross the U.S.–Mexico border duty-free. Here's what the certification requires, the nine data elements, and how shippers keep it accurate.
Carta Porte Explained: Mexico's Freight Document in Plain English
Every truck moving freight in Mexico needs a carta porte supplement. Here's what it is, why Mexico requires it, who issues it, and what U.S. shippers on cross-border lanes need to know.
Shipping Freight to Mexico from the U.S.: A Step-by-Step Guide
Everything a shipper needs to move truckload freight from the U.S. into Mexico — carriers, border crossings, documentation, transit times, and the mistakes to avoid.
What Is a Freight Broker? What They Do and Why Shippers Use One
A freight broker connects shippers with vetted carriers and manages the move from tender to delivery. Here's how brokers work, what they cost, and when using one makes sense.
Freight Broker vs. Freight Forwarder: What's the Difference?
Brokers arrange transportation; forwarders can take possession, consolidate, and issue their own bills of lading. Here's how the two models differ and which fits your freight.
NMFC Codes and Freight Class: How LTL Freight Is Priced
Every LTL shipment is priced by its NMFC code and freight class. Here's how the classification system works, why it matters for your rates, and how to avoid costly reclassification.
Partial Truckload (PTL) Shipping: When It Beats LTL and FTL
Partial truckload fills the gap between LTL and a full trailer — fewer touches than LTL, lower cost than FTL. Here's when PTL is the right call and how to book it.
How Freight Brokers Help Shippers Find Capacity
What a freight brokerage actually does, how the non-asset model works, and why a strong carrier network is the difference between a covered load and an empty dock.
FTL vs. LTL Freight: Choosing the Right Option
When full truckload beats less-than-truckload — and how to weigh cost, transit time, handling, and shipment size to pick the right mode for every load.
Dry Van vs. Flatbed: Which Equipment Fits Your Load?
Matching your freight to the right trailer — enclosed dry van or open-deck flatbed — and why the wrong equipment choice costs time, money, and sometimes the whole shipment.
Why Texas Is the Gateway for U.S.–Mexico Freight
Laredo, El Paso, and the Texas crossings that make the state the busiest cross-border freight corridor in the country — and what that means for shippers.
5 Ways to Get Better Freight Rates in a Tight Market
Practical, controllable steps shippers can take to secure capacity and control costs when trucks are hard to find — from flexible windows to smarter mode selection.
The Documents Behind a Cross-Border Shipment
A shipper's overview of the paperwork that moves with U.S.–Mexico freight — commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and more — and how coordination keeps it all on track.