At Walmart, there are five main load types:
- TL or FTL: Full Truckload
- RAIL: TL moving as Intermodal/Rail
- CP: Consolidation loads; “Load Dest Type” CP
- FLEET: TL assigned to Walmart Private Fleet as the carrier
- LTL: Less than Truckload
- SMPKG: SSPO (See small package instructions)
TL: Full Truckload
TLs must be loaded within 2 hours of the appointed time set up in TSCP 2.0. If not there may be detention chargers, the driver could get pulled, and/or there could be a TONU charge.
Multi-Stop Pickup
There are times when two suppliers will share a truck. These are called Multi-Stop Pickup (MPU) trucks. Although it would seem that these fall somewhere between TL and LTL, they are seen from Walmart’s perspective as TL.
All of their rules for this form of shipping (pg. 62 of the Shipping and Routing Guide) stem from this issue. Walmart will receive it as a single TL, but from the perspective of the suppliers using the truck, it is a kind of LTL.
RAIL: TL moving as Intermodal/Rail
When TLs are moved via rail, Walmart requires a packet including all the BOLs and the master BOL to be taped to the inside of the right-hand door of the trailer. The seal number on the BOL must match the seal on the trailer or container “without any handwritten amendments or alterations” (Shipping and Routing Guide, pg. 63).
CP: Consolidation loads; “Load Dest Type” CP
Consolidation, also referred to as “Center Point” or “Inbound Consolidation” is for Routing Statuses whose “Load Dest Type” says CP. This means that the load is going through a consolidation center on its way from the supplier to a Distribution Center.
FLEET: TL assigned to Walmart Private Fleet as the carrier
These are usually handled by Walmart internally.
LTL: Less than Truckload
Collect POs that are less than truckload weight or cube will go through Optimization and will be assigned to load(s).
Walmart lists the following best practices for shipping LTL:
- All LTL freight must be palletized.
- Utilize the carrier assigned in Routing Status and initiate contact to schedule the pickup appointment as soon as you receive routing (retain your P/U# for reference). The CPD, as listed in Routing Status, needs to be the scheduled P/U date. If the carrier requests a different ship date to achieve delivery success, please accommodate.
- Properly communicate to the carrier the pallet spaces that are ready for pickup.
- Before the carrier arrives for their pickup appointment, your POs need to be palletized and the paperwork needs to be ready. If the freight is not ready upon arrival, the driver may depart without being loaded. The driver must be loaded within 20 min.
- Ensure LTL carriers are provided an efficient check-in process.
- Record the load ID, POs, and Due Date (from Routing Status), and designate as Collect on the BOL.
- When LTL drivers arrive, ensure all scheduled Walmart freight is loaded.
- If the carrier fails to arrive for pickup or does not have room for all of the scheduled freight, communicate with the carrier to reschedule.
SMPKG: SSPI (See small package instructions)
Once shipments drop below the ideal size for regular palletization, standardization of shipping becomes considerably more complicated. Pages 69-72 or the Shipping and Routing Guide will be helpful, but the updated Secondary Packaging Supply Chain Standards (SPSCS ‘23) should also be studied thoroughly, especially Appendices A and B.