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Software and portal accessFind tracking, pull reports, and drill into any order or tracking number.
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Pickup timePick a two-hour window that fits your day, then dial it in.
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Transportation phone numberThe back office, and ideally the direct line to your driver.
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Bags and materialsOn hand and stored before day one, not chased down after it.
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The manifestKnow where to print it, then hand it to the driver in person.
You signed with a new carrier and you have a first pickup date. The week before that date is where you set the program up to actually run. A few things are worth locking in before the first truck shows up, and here is the checklist I work through.
Software and portal access
Make sure the software is fully set up before day one, not just the API key connected. You want to be able to find tracking information, download reports, and double-click into any order or tracking number to see exactly what is going on. Full visibility is the point. If you cannot see into an order when something looks off, you are flying blind on the days you can least afford it.
Pickup time
Most carriers give you a two-hour pickup window, and you choose the one that fits your operation. If you ship later in the day you might take 4 to 6 PM. If you finish earlier you might take 2 to 4 PM. Set the window, then plan to dial it in, because the first few days are rarely perfect. The driver might come early, or come late. Some carriers send the same driver every day, others rotate. You want the pickup as reliable as you can get it, because a predictable pickup is what lets you build the rest of the day around it.
Transportation phone number
This is what makes the pickup reliable. Get the back office number, and if you can, the direct contact for your driver, especially if it is the same driver each day. That relationship is worth more than people expect. Anyone who self-fulfills or runs a 3PL wants this line open, and when you are bringing on a new carrier you want it established as early as possible, not the first time something goes wrong.
Bags and materials
Most carriers let you use whatever bags and materials you want, so make sure you have somewhere to store them, whether that is a Gaylord or bins. If you need free materials, a lot of carriers will provide them on request. Put that request in early so the materials are on hand before your first pickup date, rather than chasing you after it.
The manifest
At the end of the day you hand the driver a manifest, the forms that cover each batch of shipments. Print it after you have printed everything else for the day. What I would recommend is knowing exactly where to print it, then printing it when the driver actually arrives. Ask for a few extra minutes, hand it over in person, and walk through it with them to confirm it is exactly what they need before they leave. Do not just hand over a stack without talking to the driver. The last thing you want on day one is a bag of packages going out with an inaccurate manifest or labels that have issues, because that is a batch of orders delayed a few days while it gets sorted out. That is not how you want to start.
None of this is complicated. Skipping it is how a clean onboarding turns into a rough first week. Lock these five in before the truck shows up, and day one starts to look like every day after it.