Your Go-To Resource for Hitch Safety

U.S. Residential Delivery Fees
& WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THEM

A growing number of freight carriers are charging additional fees to deliver freight to addresses they deem residential. The method used to determine if an address is residential varies by carrier, as does the fee they charge to provide this service. To simplify things AHP charges a Flat Residential Delivery Fee for truck shipments, regardless of the carrier we chose.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

AHP, as well as many other suppliers (and freight carriers alike), utilize data from the USPS Address Management (AMS) database to determine if an address is classified as residential or commercial. This service is called RDI™ and is obtained through 3rd party vendors that have been certified by the USPS. It’s important to note, that the USPS doesn’t actually designate an address as residential or commercial. Instead, land use and zoning is determined by local government agencies. The USPS simply maintains a database of the information provided to them.

WHY IS MY COMMERCIAL ADDRESS DEEMED RESIDENTIAL?

If the delivery address is zoned as commercial, and you are still being charging a residential delivery fee, it’s because the USPS Address Management (AMS) database states the address you provided is classified as residential. To get this changed, you need to go to https://postalpro.usps.com/ppro-tools/address-management-system to locate the nearest USPS Address Management System Office. Once contacted, they can begin the process of reviewing and updating their system, provided the address in question is zoned as commercial by the local government agency.

WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS?

Resolving this discrepancy now will pay off for years to come. Many companies currently use RDI™ technology and the list is growing. This is not just an AHP issue. Other suppliers, various freight carriers and even small package couriers such as UPS and FedEx utilize this this tool to calculate shipping rates for residential delivery addresses. It’s likely you may already be paying higher shipping rates based on the classification of your address.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

If you or your customer have exhausted all efforts with the USPS Address Management System Office and have been unsuccessful updating an address classification to commercial, there are still some options to be considered.

  • Have the goods shipped to another address that is recognized as commercial.
  • Have the goods held at the delivering carriers freight terminal for pick-up. While there are fees associated with this service, they are less costly than a residential delivery fee.
  • Utilize your own preferred freight carrier and have the freight charges billed to your own account. This is often a viable option if you have negotiated special rates for residential deliveries. If you choose this option, simply provide us with a Bill of Lading and we will be happy to utilize it when processing the shipment.

Damaged, Partially Delivered & Lost Shipments & how to handle them

As shipments travel over long distances and transfer from truck to truck, the chances of being on the receiving end of a damaged or short shipment continue to grow. How you handle the receipt of these shipments can determine whether a successful claim resolution can be achieved with the carrier. Before signing for any shipment (freight or parcel), it is essential you inspect it for noticeable damage and correct piece count. If you observe any damage or discrepancies, make sure to note this on the POD (Proof of Delivery) before signing for it. Once you have signed a POD as complete and undamaged, achieving a successful claim outcome is drastically reduced. Take as many pictures as necessary to document your observations and do not discard any packaging related to the damaged or missing goods as the carrier may insist on inspecting these items during their investigation.

WHAT DO I DO?

If you suspect a shortage is due to an order picking error and not due to a damaged or short shipment, contact your AHP Representative so they can start an internal investigation with the shipping warehouse. However, if you have received damaged or missing goods you believe resulted from freight or parcel carrier neglect, follow the steps below. These same steps apply for lost shipments as well.

First, determine if the shipment in question was billed to an AHP carrier account (shipped Prepaid) or was billed directly to your own carrier account, a third-party account (per your request) or collect.

THE SHIPMENT IN QUESTION WAS BILLED TO AN AHP CARRIER ACCOUNT

Promptly contact your AHP Representative and provide them with all the details of the shipment in question. Many carriers have deadlines that must be met for a claim to be considered so time is of the essence. Make sure to provide your AHP Representative with the POD you may have signed at the time of delivery and any other supporting documentation like pictures of damaged goods, packing lists, etc. Your AHP Representative will review these documents and discuss with you the best course of action based on the details you provided.

If a carrier claim is required to remedy the matter, keep in mind claim resolution can take up to 90 days with parcel carriers and up to 120 days with freight carriers. In the meantime, any replacement goods sent out will be billed to your account or paid for at time of shipment, depending on the terms of your AHP account.

THE SHIPMENT IN QUESTION WAS BILLED TO MY OWN CARRIER ACCOUNT

If the shipment in question was billed directly to your own carrier account, on a third-party account (per your request) or shipped collect, you will need to reach out directly to your carrier to initiate a claim. For convenience, we have provided some links below to facilitate the process.

UPS: https://www.ups.com/guestclaims/create?loc=en_US
FedEx: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/claims.html
Purolator: https://www.purolator.com/en/resources-support/file-claim
R&L Carriers: https://rl-cdn.com/docs/rlc/shipping-forms/freight-loss-claim-form.pdf
Dayton Freight: https://www.daytonfreight.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ClaimFormPrint.pdf
GLS: https://www.gls-us.com/support
XPO Logistics: https://www.xpo.com/help-center/how-file-claims-and-refunds/
Estes: https://www.estes-express.com/downloads/EstesClaimsForm.pdf

Easy & Transparent Return Policy

Return Goods Policy & Procedure

On occasion customers may need to make a parts return to AHP. Reasons for return may include: Incorrect parts may have been ordered or received, Customer may not have needed all the ordered parts, Duplicate order, Parts ordered are not suitable for the application, or parts may have issues regarding form, fit or function.

Prior to returning any AHP purchased, the customer must contact AHP and supply the following:
Contact information and account number Product order date
AHP invoice number Part number(s) Quantity
Reason for return

After the request has been received, reviewed and approved, the customer will be issued a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) Document with an RGA Number.

  • Goods must be shipped to the specific AHP warehouse noted on the RGA Document.
  • Each carton must be marked with the RGA number and a copy of the RGA Document must be included with the shipment.
  • Failure to include the RGA Document may result in additional restocking charges taken from the resulting credit note.

Upon receipt and a complete incoming inspection of the returned goods, the customer will be notified of the resulting invoice credits.

  • AHP will only consider returns of products in sellable condition, un-damaged and in original packaging.
  • Product returns processed within 30 days of purchase are not subject to restocking fees; however products beyond the 30 day period, if approved for return, will incur a 20% restocking charge.
  • No C.O.D. shipments will be accepted.
  • Return shipments without an RGA number will not be accepted.
  • Non qualifying parts received by AHP will be returned to the customer C.O.D.