Freight Touch
A freight touch (or "handling event") occurs every time a shipment is physically moved—loaded onto a trailer, unloaded at a terminal, sorted, or transferred between vehicles. Touch count is one of the most important factors in predicting transit time variance and damage risk.
Definition
Freight Touch is industry terminology for any event where freight is physically handled by workers or equipment during transportation. In LTL shipping, a typical shipment experiences 4–10 touches; in direct truckload, as few as 2 (loading and unloading). Each touch adds time, cost, and risk.
Why Freight Touches Matter
Every touch introduces variability into the supply chain:
- Time consumption: Each handling event takes time—unloading, sorting, reloading. In aggregate, touches can add days to transit
- Damage opportunity: Every time freight is moved, there's risk of drops, forklift damage, or improper stacking. Claims data shows strong correlation between touch count and damage frequency
- Error potential: Each touch is an opportunity for mislabeling, wrong-trailer loading, or paperwork errors
- Schedule dependency: If any touch point operates slowly (labor shortage, volume surge, equipment issue), the delay propagates through subsequent handling
Typical Touch Counts by Mode
Full Truckload (FTL)
2 touches: Load at origin, unload at destination
Direct dock-to-dock service with minimal handling. This is why high-value and damage-sensitive freight often ships FTL despite higher cost.
LTL (Less Than Truckload)
4–10 touches: Depending on lane and carrier network
A typical LTL shipment: pickup → origin terminal load → origin terminal unload/sort → linehaul load → hub terminal unload/sort → destination terminal load → destination terminal unload/sort → delivery truck load → delivery. Cross-country shipments may route through multiple hubs.
Parcel
4–8 touches: Depending on sort hub routing
Parcel networks use automation to reduce human touches, but packages still move through multiple sort facilities and vehicles.
Intermodal (Rail + Truck)
4–6 touches: Dray to ramp, rail load, rail unload, dray from ramp
Containers provide protection during rail movement, but the drayage connections at both ends add handling events and variance.
Touches and Transit Time Variance
The relationship between touch count and transit time variance is compounding, not linear:
- Each touch has its own variance distribution (some touches run smoothly, others hit delays)
- Total variance is the sum of all touch variances—more touches, wider distribution of outcomes
- A single slow touch (e.g., congested Dallas terminal during peak) can add 24+ hours
- This is why service standards on multi-touch lanes are harder to meet consistently
Common Misconceptions
- "Automation eliminates touches." Automation speeds touches and improves consistency, but packages and freight still physically move through sorting and transfer points. The touch still happens—it's just faster.
- "Premium service means fewer touches." Not always. Premium service often means priority handling at existing touches rather than fewer touches overall. The freight still routes through the network—it just gets handled first.
- "The carrier controls all touches." Origin shipper dock operations and destination receiver unloading are also "touches" that affect total transit time, but they're outside carrier control.