Freight Shipping Services Across Canada
Moving freight across Canada is not a simple proposition. The country spans six time zones, two coasts, and thousands of kilometres of highway, rail, and intermodal corridor. Weather, distance, border crossings, and carrier capacity all factor into whether your goods arrive on time, intact, and within budget.
Most businesses do not need a carrier that covers every option. They need one that handles their specific freight — reliably, predictably, and without requiring them to manage multiple vendor relationships to get a shipment from A to B.
Olympia Transportation has been moving freight across Canada since the late 2000s. We are an asset-based carrier, which means we own our equipment — 105 trucks, 400+ chassis, 60+ dry vans, and warehouses in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto. When you book a shipment with Olympia, it moves on our assets, managed by our people, from pickup to delivery.
Freight Shipping Services We Offer
Unlike many freight companies in Canada that broker your shipment to whatever carrier has space that week, Olympia provides freight services using our own fleet and facilities. This gives businesses a consistent, accountable experience — not a different carrier every time.
We offer the following freight shipping services from our network of facilities across British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario:
Full Truckload (FTL)
FTL is the right choice when your shipment fills a trailer — or when it needs dedicated capacity regardless of size. With FTL, your freight moves point-to-point on a dedicated truck with no shared space, no intermediate stops, and no other shippers’ cargo involved. It is faster, reduces handling risk, and is the preferred option for high-value, time-sensitive, or fragile goods.
Olympia’s FTL service operates on regular lanes between Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto, with flexible routing for additional origin and destination points.
Less Than Truckload (LTL)
LTL is designed for shipments that do not need a full trailer. Your freight occupies a portion of a shared truck, and you pay only for the space it uses. It is a practical, cost-effective solution for businesses shipping pallets regularly without the volume to justify a full truckload.
Olympia’s LTL service combines the cost efficiency of consolidated freight with the accountability of an asset-based carrier. You get competitive rates without the unpredictability of brokered shipping.
Intermodal Freight
For long-haul cross-country shipments, intermodal combines the cost efficiency of rail with the flexibility of truck delivery at each end. Olympia coordinates the full intermodal chain — truck pickup, rail movement via CN or CP Rail, and final delivery — as a single managed service. Businesses shipping between Western Canada and Ontario regularly choose intermodal to reduce cost without sacrificing transit reliability.
Flat Deck and Over-Dimensional Freight
Not all cargo fits in a standard dry van. Olympia’s flat deck service handles freight that cannot be enclosed — construction materials, machinery, industrial equipment, and oversized loads that require proper permits and experienced drivers. We operate a dedicated flat deck fleet for Western Canada with access to extended reach equipment for loads that exceed standard dimensions.
Temperature-Controlled Shipping
Products that require refrigerated or temperature-controlled transit — food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and other sensitive goods — need a carrier with certified equipment and proper chain-of-custody documentation. Olympia operates temperature-controlled vehicles with HACCP-certified warehousing at multiple facilities to support cold chain requirements across Canada.
Cross-Border Freight to the United States
Olympia handles cross-border shipments between Canada and the United States, managing the carrier coordination, documentation, and customs requirements for both southbound and northbound freight. Our bonded carrier status and experience with CBSA and US Customs processes reduces border delays and keeps your freight on schedule.
FTL or LTL: Choosing the Right Mode for Your Shipment
The Benefits of Transloading vs Intermodal
One of the most common questions businesses face when arranging freight shipping in Canada is whether to book a full truckload or consolidate into an LTL service. The answer depends on four variables: volume, urgency, cargo type, and route.
Factor | Choose FTL when… |
Volume | Your shipment fills 24+ linear feet of trailer space, or you are moving 10+ pallets in a single load |
Urgency | Your freight is time-definite and cannot tolerate terminal stops or consolidation delays |
Cargo Type | Your goods are high-value, fragile, or require minimal handling between origin and destination |
Route | You are shipping between two specific points on a dedicated lane with no need for multi-stop routing |
Factor | Choose LTL when… |
Volume | Your shipment is 1 to 8 pallets and does not justify the cost of a full trailer |
Budget | Cost per unit matters more than transit speed, and you can absorb a slightly longer delivery window |
Frequency | You ship regularly in smaller volumes and benefit from consolidated pricing across multiple lanes |
Flexibility | You need freight delivered to multiple locations or can work with day-definite rather than same-day delivery |
If you are uncertain which mode suits your shipment, Olympia’s team will assess your freight profile and recommend the most cost-effective option. There is no obligation to book — just an honest answer.
Freight and Warehousing — One Provider, One Conversation
Most carriers move freight. Most warehouses store it. Finding a single provider that does both — with owned assets on both sides — is genuinely uncommon. Olympia does.
When your inbound container arrives at the Port of Vancouver, our drayage team picks it up, moves it to one of our warehouse facilities, and stores, sorts, or cross-docks the cargo as needed. When it is ready to move again, our fleet handles outbound distribution — to retail stores, distribution centers, or direct to your customers.
This connected model eliminates the friction between freight and warehousing providers. There are no miscommunications between your carrier and your 3PL, no extra coordination calls, and no handoffs where cargo accountability gets fuzzy. One team manages the full chain.
Why Businesses Choose Olympia
There are hundreds of freight companies in Canada. Here is what makes the difference when businesses compare Olympia to the alternatives:
We Own Our Assets
An asset-based carrier controls its own equipment — trucks, trailers, chassis, and warehouse facilities. That means we set our own service standards, we manage our own drivers, and we are accountable for your freight at every stage. Brokers pass that accountability to whoever they booked. Olympia does not.
National Warehousing Integrated with Transportation
Our six warehouse facilities across BC, Alberta, and Ontario are not separate businesses — they are connected to the same fleet and dispatch team. Freight that arrives at our facilities can be stored, sorted, cross-docked, or redistributed on the same day, using the same team.
Technology That Actually Gives You Visibility
Olympia uses Geotab GPS tracking, Camelot TMS, Loadlink, and Tritium Tech to provide shipment visibility from the moment your freight is picked up to the moment it is delivered. Real-time location, exception alerts, and integrated reporting — not a link that says ‘in transit.’
25+ Years of Canadian Freight Experience
Olympia has been operating on Canadian freight lanes since the late 2000s, starting with 5 trucks and growing into a national operation. That experience matters on winter mountain passes, at border crossings, and when a problem needs solving at 6 AM on a Thursday.
CIFFA-Certified for International Freight
For businesses that need freight forwarding alongside domestic shipping, Olympia holds CIFFA certification. Ocean freight, air freight, customs documentation, and cross-border logistics are handled in-house — no separate freight forwarder required.
How to Evaluate Freight Providers in Canada
Not every carrier is suited to every freight requirement. Before signing with a provider, here are the questions that matter:
Do they own their equipment or broker it?
Asset-based carriers control their own fleet and are directly accountable for service. Freight brokers source capacity from whoever is available, which means your service experience can vary significantly between shipments — especially during peak capacity periods.
Do their lanes match your shipping needs?
A carrier with strong Ontario coverage is not necessarily the right choice for a BC-to-Alberta lane. Verify that a provider has genuine asset coverage — not just theoretical reach through broker relationships — on the routes you actually use.
What technology do they offer for visibility?
GPS tracking, real-time updates, and EDI or API integration with your systems are now standard expectations. If a provider cannot offer proactive shipment visibility, that gap will show up as customer service calls and missed delivery windows.
Can they connect freight with warehousing?
For businesses managing inventory alongside transportation, the ability to use a single provider for both dramatically reduces coordination complexity. When evaluating freight companies in Canada, prioritize those with physical warehouse facilities rather than those who simply refer you to a third-party 3PL.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Olympia offer that other freight companies in Canada don’t?
Olympia is one of the few asset-based carriers in Canada that combines national truck freight, intermodal coordination, cross-border shipping, port drayage, and 3PL warehousing under a single ownership structure. Most providers specialize in one of these areas. Olympia connects them all — which matters when your freight crosses multiple modes and facilities on its way to the customer.
How do I get a freight shipping quote in Canada?
Getting a quote for freight shipping in Canada with Olympia is straightforward. Use the freight quote form on our website and provide your origin, destination, freight dimensions, weight, and commodity type. Our team will come back with a competitive, itemized quote — typically within a few hours for standard lanes.
What is the difference between FTL and LTL freight?
Full Truckload (FTL) gives your freight a dedicated trailer from origin to destination. Less Than Truckload (LTL) consolidates your freight with other shippers’ cargo in a shared trailer. FTL is faster and involves less handling; LTL is more cost-effective for smaller shipments. Both are available through Olympia depending on your volume and timing requirements.
Do you handle cross-border freight between Canada and the US?
Yes. Olympia manages cross-border freight in both directions — southbound from Canada into the United States and northbound from the US into Canada. We handle carrier coordination, customs documentation, and border crossing requirements. Our bonded carrier status ensures freight moves through ports of entry with minimal delay.
Can you connect freight with warehousing at your facilities?
Yes. Olympia’s warehouses in Vancouver, Burnaby, Delta, Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto are directly connected to our transportation network. Inbound freight can be received, stored, cross-docked, or fulfilled from the same facility — without coordinating between separate logistics providers.
What industries does Olympia serve for freight shipping?
Olympia serves businesses across retail and wholesale distribution, food and beverage, manufacturing, e-commerce, paper and pulp, oil and gas supply chain, construction, and pharmaceutical logistics. Our HACCP certification, bonded trucking capability, and over-dimensional fleet allow us to serve a wide range of commodity types and regulatory environments.
How is freight tracked during transit with Olympia?
Every Olympia shipment is tracked using Geotab GPS across our fleet, managed through Camelot TMS, and visible to clients through real-time shipment reporting. You receive proactive updates on transit status, estimated arrival windows, and any exceptions that arise during delivery. We do not wait for clients to chase us — we communicate first.
Get a Freight Quote
Whether you need a one-time truckload or a long-term freight arrangement across Canada, Olympia is ready to quote your lanes. Fill in our online form and our team will respond with a competitive, no-obligation quote.
We quote FTL, LTL, intermodal, flat deck, temperature-controlled, and cross-border shipments. Most standard lane quotes are returned within a few hours.