What is zone skipping?
Zone skipping consolidates individual packages or orders to fill truckload (TL) or less-than-truckload (LTL) capacity. The aggregated shipments move across multiple carrier zones to a hub near the destination, where freight is deconsolidated for local final mile delivery. As a result, zone skipping improves efficiency when moving freight across regions.
A shipper moving freight from an East Coast facility to many West Coast customers is a typical example. By skipping the zones between origin and destination, the shipper serves customers from a West Coast hub and cuts last mile delivery costs.
Carriers benefit too. LTL zone skipping avoids multiple stops at hubs along a route, which maximizes driver time and uses available trucking capacity more fully.
What is a shipping zone?
Shipping zones are geographic regions that carriers use to measure the distance a shipment travels. Zones are grouped by U.S. Postal Service zip code based on the distance from the point of origin to the final destination. Each zone carries a different transportation cost, and cost varies by carrier.
The U.S. zone map runs from zone 1 (closest) to zone 9. According to the source material, USPS, UPS and FedEx use the same zone structure for U.S. shipments.
United States shipping zones
Zone 1: Up to 50 miles
Zone 2: 51 to 150 miles
Zone 3: 151 to 300 miles
Zone 4: 301 to 600 miles
Zone 5: 601 to 1,000 miles
Zone 6: 1,001 to 1,400 miles
Zone 7: 1,401 to 1,800 miles
Zone 8: More than 1,800 miles
Zone 9: Freely associated states
Benefits of zone skipping
Zone skipping can save money, shorten transit time, improve tracking and reduce the risk of loss or damage.
Zone skipping saves money
Consolidating many packages or orders into one larger LTL or truckload shipment over a long distance costs less than using multiple providers and stops. After the skip, freight sits closer to the end customer, so last mile delivery costs fall.
Zone skipping shortens transit time
Consolidated shipments avoid stops at carriers' regional hubs, which removes the delays tied to those stops. Final mile distance and time also shrink because destination hubs are closer to customers.
Zone skipping improves tracking
Loads and trucks are tracked at zone stops, so zone skip shipments stay visible in real time. Fewer stops mean fewer chances to lose visibility. Estimated time of arrival (ETA) updates can reach customers before final delivery from the destination hub.
Zone skipping reduces the risk of loss or damage
Fewer stops and fewer touches lower the chance of damage or theft.
Skip zones, not savings
How technology supports zone skipping
A transportation management system (TMS) supports zone skipping through load planning, pooling and advanced routing. Last mile capabilities then complete the cycle with reliable final delivery.
Load planning
Load planning configurations can match specific needs and the best options for moving freight. Plans are shared digitally with vendors and customers, which streamlines communication and reduces manual work.
Load build optimization maximizes container and trailer space and uses stacking configurations to limit damage in transit. By analyzing shipping patterns and current capacity and price trends, a TMS helps load plans deliver the best service and cost.
Pooling and advanced routing
A TMS supports pool distribution, which consolidates LTL shipments for advanced scenarios such as zone skipping. Shippers can fan shipments into a consolidation center or move consolidated loads to regional hubs for final mile delivery.
Advanced routing finds the most efficient route for each shipment. Pooling and routing together let users limit trucks and trailers, identify fuel-efficient routes and reduce carbon footprint.
Last mile
Last mile technology serves couriers, LTL carriers, truckload carriers, private fleets and white glove delivery services with capabilities such as:
Predictive delivery down to the hour
Real-time execution and autonomous optimization
Street-level routing and exception resolution
White glove service capabilities, including returns and claims
Better forecasting and planning for freight movement across the supply chain
These capabilities improve driver and capacity management and reduce manual handling time and expense. Keeping zone skipping strategies, transportation execution and final mile management on one platform also centralizes transportation data in a single, accessible resource.