What Freight Rerouting Means

Freight rerouting changes where a shipment goes after it has already left the origin. A buyer cancels, a store closes, a warehouse fills up or a customer moves the order to another site. The freight then needs new instructions.

Carriers can often reroute, but the change is rarely free and rarely instant.

Who Can Ask for a Reroute

Usually the party that controls the shipment under the bill of lading can change its destination. That may be the shipper or, in some cases, the consignee or a party holding a negotiable bill.

Federal law treats negotiable and nonnegotiable bills of lading differently. The Federal Bills of Lading Act definitions explain both types. Because the rules turn on the document, check which kind governs your shipment before asking for a change.

Freight Rerouting Costs

Carriers often charge for a reroute. The fee may cover the change itself, any extra miles and any time the freight spends at a terminal. Rates vary by carrier tariff, so no figure appears here.

• Reroute or diversion fee
• Added mileage or a new linehaul charge
• Terminal storage while the change happens
• Redelivery fees if an attempt already failed

Timing and Transit

A reroute may add days. Freight already on a linehaul trailer usually reaches the next terminal before it can turn. Meanwhile, the new destination may need an appointment.

So ask the carrier for a new delivery estimate before you confirm the change. The article on missed delivery appointments explains how appointment timing affects freight.

Paperwork After Freight Rerouting

A reroute needs new instructions in writing. The carrier may issue a corrected bill of lading or a delivery order. Federal rules list the consignee and destination as required bill of lading content.

Keep the request, the carrier’s confirmation and the revised paperwork together. If the freight arrives at the wrong place, those records show what you asked for.

Special Freight

Hazardous materials, food and high value freight may face added limits. A new route may cross different rules or need a different carrier. Cold chain freight may need temperature checks during the delay.

For those loads, confirm the new plan with the carrier and any compliance advisor before approving it.

Alternatives to Rerouting

Sometimes a reroute is not the cheapest fix. The freight could deliver as planned and move later from the original site. Or it could go to a nearby warehouse for short term storage.

For example, a hypothetical apparel shipper whose store order was cancelled mid route might compare a reroute fee with the cost of delivering to its own warehouse. The right answer depends on real quotes, so get both before deciding.