Zone skipping consolidates individual packages or orders to fill truckload (TL) or less-than-truckload (LTL) capacity. Aggregated shipments are transported across multiple carrier zones to hub destinations for local final mile delivery. As a result, zone skipping in logistics improves efficiencies in moving freight across multiple regions.
What is Zone Skipping?
Zone shipping in logistics consolidates parcel or freight loads to move larger cargo quantities across longer distances. Skipping carrier zones allows shippers to reduce transit time and decrease transportation costs.
A shipper moving freight from an East Coast facility to many West Coast customers benefits from zone skipping shipping. By skipping zones between origin and destination, the shipper reduces last mile delivery costs by serving customers from the West Coast hub facility.
What is a Shipping Zone?
The United States freight zone map is standardized and ranges from zone 1, the closest, to zone 9. USPS, UPS, and FedEx use the same freight zone logistics map in USA shipments. From the logistics zone map, zone 1 is considered anywhere within a 50-mile radius.
U.S. Shipping Zones
- Zone 1: 50-mile radius.
- Zone 2: 51-150-mile radius.
- Zone 3: 151-300-mile radius.
- Zone 4: 301-600-mile radius.
- Zone 5: 601-1000-mile radius.
- Zone 6: 1001-1400-mile radius.
- Zone 7: 1401-1800-mile radius.
- Zone 8: 1801+ mile radius.
- Zone 9: Freely associated states.
Benefits of Zone Skipping Shipping
Zone skipping shippers can save money, shorten transit time, improve tracking and reduce the risk of loss or damaged shipments.
Zone Skipping Saves Money
Zone Skipping Shortens Transit Time
Zone Skipping Improves Tracking
Zone Skipping Reduces Risk of Loss or Damage
How MercuryGate Supports Zone Skipping in Logistics
MercuryGate TMS supports zone skipping in logistics by providing load planning, pooling, and advanced routing solutions. MercuryGate’s Last Mile solutions complete the zone skip shipping cycle with reliable and efficient last mile delivery.
Load Planning
Load planning configurations within the TMS can be defined to align with specific needs and the best options for moving freight. Load planning completed within the TMS is shared digitally with vendors and customers to streamline communications and reduce manual activities.
Load build optimization maximizes container and trailer space and uses stacking configurations to minimize damage in transit. By analyzing shipping patterns and current capacity and price trends, MercuryGate TMS ensures load planning activities yield the best service and cost.
Pooling and Advanced Routing
MercuryGate TMS finds the most efficient route for freight shipments. Pooling and advanced routing allow users to limit trucks and trailers, identify the most fuel-efficient routes, and decrease carbon footprints.
Learn how to improve cost control and profitability with freight optimization.
Last Mile
MercuryGate logistics solutions for the last mile serve couriers, LTL carriers, truckload carriers, private fleets, and white glove delivery services:
- Predictive delivery down to the hour.
- Real-time execution and autonomous optimization.
- Street-level routing and exception resolutions.
- White glove service capabilities, including returns and claims.
- Enhanced forecasting and planning for freight movements across the supply chain.
