Brian JonesDo you have a business that requires logistical support or a big shipment that requires shipping? You’re in luck as in this article, we’re going to talk about the best freight forwarders in Edmonton.
This list is based on the services offered by these freight forwarders, their online trackers, and their company policies.
We also answered some of the most common questions about freight forwarding and freight forwarding companies.
How Much Does Freight Forwarding Cost
Freight forwarding is a personalized service. Costs vary depending on the size, type and destination of the shipment.
Other costs to consider include extra services like customs documentation, storage and equipment usage for heavy hauls. This is why most freight forwarders don’t have a specific price list.
They usually prefer that you give them a call to discuss the specifics of your shipment. From those details, they will give you a quotation or sample computation for the costs.
But just to give you some rough numbers, here are our standard estimated average costs for shipments via freight forwarders in Edmonton.
| Shipment Type | Average Cost |
| Less than truckload (LTL) – (1 Pallet) – within Alberta | $110 to $145 |
| Less than truckload (LTL) – (1 Pallet) – to other parts of Canada | $140 to $240 |
| Less than truckload (LTL) – (1 Pallet) – to California and select parts of the USA | $180 upwards |
Where to Get the Best Freight Forwarders in Edmonton
Now that you have a rough idea of how freight services cost in Edmonton, let’s look at the list of Edmonton’s best freight forwarders. Read on to find which company will suit your needs well.
1. FMC International Global Forwarding and Logistics
| BEST FOR | Environmentally sound freight forwarder |
| WEBSITE | https://fmc-international.com |
| ADDRESS | 18905 111 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB, Canada T5S 2X4 |
| CONTACT NUMBER | +1 (780) 444-8656 +1 (780) 444-6323 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Open 24 hours |
| SERVICES OFFERED | International Freight Forwarding, Project Logistics, Third Party Logistics, Customs Compliance |
| ONLINE STATUS TRACKER | Yes |
FMC International (Canada) Ltd. was established in 1998. They serve both general cargo and large project clientele.
FMC International (Canada) Ltd. has a wide selection of services that will suit almost every freighting need. Among these are International Freight Forwarding, Customs Compliance, Project Logistics, and Third Party Logistics.
Some of their international freight forwarding services are import documentation, export documentation, heavy haul services, commercial vehicle clearances, hazardous cargo handling, and insurance.
Meanwhile, some of their project logistics services are capital project management, chartered aircraft, heavy-lift inland movements, and supervision services.
Collaborative agent partnerships, capacity requirements, global vendor management, inventory reduction programs, and consulting services are some of their third-party logistics services.
FMC International also expressed its commitment to environmentally sound and sustainable services. They have programs to reduce their carbon emissions through spillage prevention and use of recycled products, among others.
The freight forwarder is also equipped with an Online Tracking System. This way, you can rest easy knowing you can track your cargo and know its whereabouts.
Pros
- One-stop-shop, wide range of services
- Convenient online tracking
- Customs compliance offer on all freight services
Cons
- Not always speedy at responding when contacted online
Customer Reviews
Here is what customers have to say about FMC International:
“Keeping us informed daily allowed us to organize the project efficiently. I feel confident that everything possible was being done to expedite this move on time and budget. FMC is truly customer-focused and has proven to be a reliable partner.”
-LH
“If you asked me what their #1 feature is, I’d have to say the reliability of knowing a job will be done to the same high degree of execution every time. Nothing gives me more comfort than knowing a job will be done well with a single email or phone call. FMC International makes you feel like you’re their primary focus for every shipment”
-HS
2. Pentagon Freight Services Canada Ltd.
| BEST FOR | Heavy hauls |
| WEBSITE | https://www.pentagonfreight.com |
| ADDRESS | 2544 Ellwood Dr SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 0A9, Canada |
| CONTACT NUMBER | +1 780-989-4115 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Not indicated, please call their office for updated details |
| SERVICES OFFERED | global forwarding, project logistics, material management, consultancy services, and technology |
| ONLINE STATUS TRACKER | Yes |
Pentagon Freight Services Canada Ltd. has been in operation for more than 15 years. They take pride in being one of the world’s largest privately-owned forwarding service companies.
Their physical offices are located in Calgary, and in Edmonton, Alberta but their operations encompass import and export traffic through all Canadian major centers such as those in Halifax, Montreal, Winnipeg, Toronto, Saskatchewan, Vancouver, the Territories, among others.
Their expertise includes global forwarding, project logistics, material management, consultancy services, and technology.
For global forwarding, they offer import services, export services, customs brokerage, domestic transportation, packaging, warehousing, and international overland transportation.
For materials management, their services include inventory management, consolidation, and distribution.
They also offer full supervision of heavy loads and rigs. Their global IT systems maximize performance through effective deployment strategies.
Their online tracker is also readily available and accessible on their website.
In 2020, Pentagon Freight signed a code of conduct implementing a policy to treat its employees with fairness and respect.
This means that they vowed to not tolerate discrimination against applicants or employees based on race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or disability.
Supporting companies that do this is important to a lot of people nowadays, so it’s worth noting.
Pros
- Wide reach with branches across the world
- Wide network of equipment for heavy haul and abnormal loads
- Has a strong and progressive employment code of conduct
Cons
- There is no dedicated website or social media for their Edmonton branch
- Not active on social media for queries
Customer Reviews
Here is what customers have to say about their experience with Pentagon Freight Services Canada:
“Top-of-the-line service!”
-Bill
“Had a positive experience with this freight forwarder. The transaction was smooth and the staff was very helpful. They were also informative. Thumbs up.”
-Carry
3. Cole International
| BEST FOR | Shipments through North America |
| WEBSITE | https://www.coleintl.com |
| ADDRESS | 310, 8657 – 51 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta T6E 6A8 |
| CONTACT NUMBER | +1 780-437-1936 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday to Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm Saturday and Sunday Closed |
| SERVICES OFFERED | International and domestic freight, trade consulting, project logistics, customs brokerage |
| ONLINE STATUS TRACKER | Yes |
Cole International’s history dates back to 1930 when founding member Cole McCubbin began a customs brokerage in Ontario. More than 70 years later, Cole International grew to service various industries including oil, automotive, retail, agriculture, and tech.
The freight forwarder has office locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Outside Canada, they have branches in North Dakota, Michigan, Montana, New York, Texas, and Washington.
Their services include international ocean and air forwarding, cross-border and domestic freight, and project logistics.
For international ocean and air forwarding, their services include less-than-container load, full container load, next flight out, hand carry, export documentation, letters of credit, and cargo insurance.
For shipments within North America, they have ground services, air services, cargo insurance, assembly services, and distribution services.
What’s also good is they have resources on their website to explain their logistics process – like infographics to let their customers understand the entire process of shipping.
Pros
- Very responsive to online client reviews, whether positive or negative
- Extensive network in Canada and the US
- Variety of industries served
Cons
- Their network is focused only in North America (Canada and the US)
- Not for heavy haul
Customer Reviews
Cole International is very much appreciated by the community for its service. Read on to see why they believe Cole International is one of the best freight forwarders in Edmonton:
“Cole has always gone above and beyond to assist us with our shipping and importing needs. From the very first shipment when we knew very little about the process they have worked to help us understand all of our options. They have been an asset to our business and we are grateful.”
-Aaron
“We had a truck shipped from Canada to the US. Sharon B made the whole experience effortless. We simply could not have completed the paperwork without her. This company is superb. They should be your first call.”
-Debra
4. CSA Transportation
| BEST FOR | Same-day pick-up for select shipments |
| WEBSITE | https://www.csatransportation.com |
| ADDRESS | 4610 76 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T6B 0A5 |
| CONTACT NUMBER | (877) 279-0585 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday to Friday 8 to 5 Saturday to Sunday closed |
| SERVICES OFFERED | Less than truckload, truckload, flat deck, Upgraded cargo insurance |
| ONLINE STATUS TRACKER | Yes |
CSA Transportation started in 1986 in a square foot rented office in Toronto. When founder Herman Fallic started the company, his focus was on California to Toronto trucking.
As of 2021, CSA Transportation has locations across Canada including Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. They also have branches in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.
While CSA Transportation has not conquered international shipping yet, they have scaled up their operations within North America.
They offer same-day pick-ups for shipments booked before 2 pm. They also have scheduled daily departures and customs facilitators on staff.
The company services about 700 trailers of less than truckload per month with competitive pricing and fast transit times. For full truckload shipping, they have volume pricing and multiple drop features.
To know how much your shipment costs, just head over to their website and click the “online quote” button, and fill-up the form.
They also have resources for clients available on their website such as documents, forms, information on fees, and shipping instructions.
Pros
- They have a bulk tracking tool
- With same-day pickups
- Extensive experience in Canada to USA shipments
Cons
- Building is hard to find and has no parking
- Only replies to positive comments
- Not for worldwide shipping
Customer Reviews
Here are some of the customers’ honest takes on CSA Transportation’s service:
“CSA takes the hassles out of our company’s freight requirements. Gary has been an absolute pleasure to deal with. Quick responses and very polite. I have had several deliveries now with the company. All very responsibly priced and overall execution from time of pick-up to delivery is immaculate. Will begin using CSA for all of our future freight requirements. WELL DONE!!”
-Kayla
“Although at first, their building was difficult to maneuver around due to very little signage I was able to get my package delivered on several different occasions.”
-Fab
5. Livingston International
| BEST FOR | Worldwide cargo shipping |
| WEBSITE | https://www.livingstonintl.com |
| ADDRESS | 12210 17 St NE, Edmonton, AB T6S 1A6, Canada |
| CONTACT NUMBER | +1 780-456-2132 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday to Friday 8 am to 10 pm |
| SERVICES OFFERED | Customs brokerage, Global Trade Management, Various modes of freights, trade consulting, vehicle transport services, trade technology |
| ONLINE STATUS TRACKER | Yes |
Livingston International started in 1945 as an export packaging firm. Founder Gerry Livingston then grew the company by acquisitions over the years.
While its roots focused on the US and Canada shipping, this freight forwarder has grown to the point where it now does worldwide shipping.
In 2015, Livingston International expanded into Brazil and India. A year after, they expanded to Taiwan.
Livingston International operates with its “five basic truths” and one of them is that “they never sleep”. This means that they provide clearance services 24/7, every day of the year.
Their services include customs brokerage, global trade management, trade consulting, business process services, trade technology, and vehicle transportation services.
Their industry expertise includes agriculture, tech, oil, heavy equipment, automotive, pharmaceutical, retail, lumber, and small businesses. They also have pricing options for one-time shipments, occasional shipments, and frequent shipments.
They also have valuable resources on their website like updates on transportation news and webinars on the shipping industry.
Pros
- Very responsive online to praises, queries, and complaints
- Has options for small scale industry
- Has options for heavy haul
Cons
- No dedicated page for their Edmonton branch
- Online tracker only for US-bound and Canada-bound shipments
Customer Reviews
Customers have positive reviews about their experience with Livingston International. Here are some of their remarks:
“I am very pleased with Livingston. They were fast, very pleasant to deal with, informative, and professional. They handled my car move from Quebec to Edmonton. Their pricing was also very competitive.”
-David
“My family was moving from Edmonton, Alberta to Potsdam, NY. I had to ship my vehicle to Ottawa to cross the border into New York. Livingston International has an amazing team. There were some delays with the trains. However, the team was immediately responsive and helped me get my car right on time. They answered all emails and phone calls with patience and kindness. Thank you, Katrina Hales and Leanna Santorsola! You helped me during an incredibly stressful time. I wish you continued success.”
-Cynthia
FAQs about Freight Forwarders
And with that, we conclude the list of the best freight forwarders in Edmonton.
International shipping is hard and labor-intensive. Having a good freight forwarder that will serve all your needs will make the task easier.
If your freight forwarder is on the list, or if you are planning to transact with one of the top freight forwarders in Edmonton, tell us! We love hearing from our readers.
By the way, if you are also looking for the best delivery services in Edmonton, read here.
