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A liftgate is a hydraulic platform mounted on the back of a freight truck that lowers pallets from the trailer down to the ground. It is the standard way to deliver freight to homes and businesses without a loading dock. It is usually booked as an add-on with an appointment, and the driver typically will not carry the freight inside.
One honest note first: LetterAgent sells Canada-only Xpresspost parcel labels, so liftgate service is outside what LetterAgent offers. This guide explains the general service. The truck backs up to your driveway or curb, the driver unfolds the liftgate platform from the rear of the trailer, and your pallet rides the platform down to ground level. The driver then wheels the pallet off the gate with a pallet jack and leaves it where the truck can reach. That is the whole service. It solves one problem, the height gap between a trailer bed and the street, and nothing else.
This is why liftgate service is almost always paired with a delivery appointment. The carrier calls ahead to confirm someone will be there, because a driver cannot leave a pallet unattended the way a parcel driver can leave a box on a porch. Miss the appointment and the freight goes back on the truck, often with a re-delivery fee attached.
| Situation | Do you need a liftgate? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home with no dock | Almost always yes | Houses do not have loading docks; the pallet has to get down somehow |
| Small business, ground floor, no dock | Yes | Same geometry problem as a house |
| Business with a loading dock or forklift | No | The dock or forklift does the liftgate's job |
| Very heavy single item | Yes, and confirm capacity | Liftgates have weight limits; an oversized item may need a crane instead |
The classic case is residential freight: a home gym, a hot tub, a pallet of flooring, a generator. Anything that ships on a pallet to a street address almost certainly needs liftgate service booked in advance. Carriers that spot a residential address on a freight booking will often add the liftgate charge themselves, because they know the driver cannot unload a pallet by hand.
This is the part that surprises first-time freight buyers. The driver's job ends at the curb or the end of your driveway. They will not carry the pallet up your steps, wheel it into your garage, unpack it, or take the pallet away afterward. If you need the freight moved inside, that is a separate service: inside delivery, and above that, white glove. A liftgate gets the pallet to the ground. Everything after that is yours, so have a plan, and have help, before the truck arrives.
Also plan for the pallet itself. Freight arrives strapped to a wooden pallet that the carrier usually leaves behind. Know where you will put it and how you will dispose of it; many municipalities pick them up as bulky waste, and some pallet recyclers collect them for free.
Book it when you book the freight, not after. Liftgate is an accessorial service, industry jargon for an add-on, and it carries its own fee on top of the freight rate. If you forget and the driver shows up without a liftgate-equipped truck, the shipment gets rescheduled and you pay for the failed attempt. Tell the carrier the delivery address is residential with no dock at the quoting stage, and confirm the appointment window a day ahead.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
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