The problem
Pallets rejected at delivery because the receiver has no forklift.
Tailgate + electric pallet jack on every suitable truck — we ground-unload safely at street-level commercial and residential addresses.
Service
Pallet Transport Brisbane, Regional Queensland & Northern NSW
One pallet or a truckload. General, Express and Hot Shot delivery, with rigid tailgate trucks for suitable sites without a forklift.
Move one pallet or a full truckload between served locations across Brisbane, South East Queensland, regional Queensland and Northern NSW. Ontime Haulers handles pallet freight for wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and trade suppliers, travelling directly or through our Archerfield depot. Choose General Service for overnight delivery in most zones (some regional zones take around 2 business days), eligible Express for same-day pickup and delivery, or Hot Shot for urgent freight subject to availability. No forklift at the receiving site? Request a rigid tailgate truck with an electric pallet jack and confirm safe access when booking. Enter the pickup and delivery addresses, pallet count, loaded dimensions, weight and unloading needs in Quote & Book for a live quote.
What we offer
- Commercial pallet transport from a single pallet to full semi-trailer and B-double loads
- Standard pallet guidance: up to 1.2m x 1.2m x 2.0m and up to 1,000 kg per pallet
- CHEP, LOSCAM and plain (standard) pallets accepted
- Hydraulic tailgate and electric pallet jack on every suitable truck
- Commercial-to-commercial, and commercial-to-residential delivery where service rules allow
- Express Same-Day when both pickup and delivery are in eligible Zone 1 or Zone 2 suburbs (book by 9:00 AM, or in advance)
- General Service for cost-effective metro and regional pallet freight (book by 2:00 PM)
How it works
- 1
Quote & Book
Enter pickup and delivery addresses, pallet count, loaded dimensions, weight and extra services online for a live quote. You can confirm the booking without an upfront payment; our accounts team contacts you about invoice and payment terms.
- 2
Pickup
The right vehicle is dispatched — tailgate rigid trucks for ground-level sites, semi-trailers where a dock or forklift is available.
- 3
Deliver
Safe ground-level or dock unload with electronic proof of delivery issued on completion.
- 1
Quote & Book
Enter pickup and delivery addresses, pallet count, loaded dimensions, weight and extra services online for a live quote. You can confirm the booking without an upfront payment; our accounts team contacts you about invoice and payment terms.
- 2
Pickup
The right vehicle is dispatched — tailgate rigid trucks for ground-level sites, semi-trailers where a dock or forklift is available.
- 3
Deliver
Safe ground-level or dock unload with electronic proof of delivery issued on completion.
Pallet freight coverage from Brisbane
Our five-zone network connects served locations directly or through our Archerfield depot. Check the pickup and delivery locations before selecting your service.
Brisbane and South East Queensland
Brisbane East, Brisbane North, Brisbane South and Brisbane West, plus Gold Coast, Beaudesert, Caboolture Bribie and Hinterland Brisbane.
Regional Queensland
Routes include Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Dalby, Gympie, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Roma and Stanthorpe. See Service Areas for the complete network.
Northern NSW
Served areas include Tweed Heads Murwillumbah, Ballina Lismore and Casino Kyogle. Confirm the service and expected delivery day for your locations when booking.
What is palletised freight?
Palletised freight is any goods secured to a pallet so it can be lifted, moved and stacked as one unit. It is the standard way businesses transport stock, raw materials and finished goods because it reduces handling, speeds loading and protects product. We accept CHEP and LOSCAM equipment as well as plain one-way pallets, and we handle standard, oversize and overheight loads.
Standard pallets
The most common footprint in Australia — typically 1165×1165 mm or 1200×1000 mm. Ideal for cartons, bags, drums and stacked product.
CHEP and LOSCAM pallets
Pool pallets accepted. Note the pallet account or exchange details on your consignment and we record the transfer on the proof of delivery.
Oversize and overheight pallets
Freight that overhangs the pallet or sits higher than a standard load gets dedicated deck space and additional restraint.
Heavy palletised goods
Building products, machinery parts and dense materials are matched to a truck with the right tailgate rating and deck capacity.
Standard pallet size and weight guidance
Ontime Haulers uses one simple standard for palletised freight: a maximum of 1.2m x 1.2m x 2.0m (length x width x height) and up to 1,000 kg per standard pallet. Anything outside that guidance is still often movable — it is simply quoted and vehicle-matched separately, so tell us the real measurements at booking.
Maximum dimensions
1.2m long x 1.2m wide x 2.0m high per standard pallet, measured including any packaging, wrap or overhang.
Maximum weight
Up to 1,000 kg per standard pallet. Heavier pallets are matched to a vehicle with the right payload and tailgate rating.
Measure the loaded pallet
Height is measured from the floor to the top of the load, not the top of the pallet base. Overhang counts toward the footprint.
Outside the guidance
Overheight, overlength or heavier-than-standard pallets are quoted individually. Send dimensions and weight with your quote request and we will confirm the suitable vehicle.
Who uses our pallet delivery service
Any business that needs to move stock on skids regularly or occasionally.
Manufacturers and wholesalers
Distribution to warehouses, retailers and trade customers across Brisbane and regional Queensland.
Retailers and distributors
Store replenishment, inter-store transfers and seasonal stock movements.
Construction and building suppliers
Tiles, hardware, fittings and materials delivered to site with ground-level unload.
Food and beverage suppliers
Palletised drinks, ingredients and packaged goods moved with care and on time.
Healthcare and laboratories
Medical supplies, equipment and sensitive products handled carefully from pickup to delivery.
Tyre wholesalers
Bulk tyre deliveries to fitment centres and retail stores with tailgate and pallet jack.
Commercial and residential pallet delivery
Not every delivery point has a forklift or a loading dock. Our fleet is set up for both commercial and residential hand-unload.
Commercial-to-commercial
Warehouse-to-warehouse, warehouse-to-retailer and depot-to-branch deliveries with dock or ground-level unload.
Commercial-to-residential
Trade supplies, home-based businesses and personal deliveries brought to ground level by tailgate and pallet jack.
Construction site delivery
Pallets lowered to ground level at site lay-down areas. Site access and safe unload requirements are confirmed at booking.
No forklift required
The combination of hydraulic tailgate and electric pallet jack means your receiver does not need a fork or dock.
Freight we commonly handle
If it can be secured to a pallet, we can usually move it.
Retail and wholesale stock
Cartons, packaged goods, promotional material and store transfers.
Industrial and engineering parts
Machine components, spare parts, fittings and hardware for factories and workshops.
Building and construction materials
Tiles, fixtures, joinery, tools and site supplies.
Food and beverage
Palletised drinks, dry goods and packaged products.
Tyres and automotive parts
Passenger, light truck and commercial tyres, plus automotive components.
Medical and healthcare supplies
Equipment, consumables and sensitive products delivered with care.
What determines suitability and vehicle selection
Vehicle selection depends on the freight dimensions, weight, pallet count and access at both ends. We recommend the smallest suitable truck so you do not pay for unused deck space.
Pallet count and dimensions
A 2T truck suits 6 pallets, a 4T 8, a 5T 10, an 8T 12 and a 12T 14 pallets, and semi-trailers handle 22 to 40+ pallets.
Total weight
Heavy or dense pallets are matched to a vehicle with the right payload and tailgate rating, with up to 1,000 kg per standard pallet.
Pickup and delivery locations
The pricing zones at each end determine which service levels are available and the expected transit time.
Loading and unloading facilities
A dock or forklift at both ends allows faster turnaround. Where there is neither, we send tailgate and electric pallet-jack capability.
Tailgate requirements
Tell us at booking if either end needs a ground-level unload so the correct tailgate-equipped vehicle is allocated.
Site access and timing
Narrow driveways, height restrictions, construction sites, shopping complexes, schools and booked delivery windows all affect the vehicle and the run plan.
Service levels for palletised freight
Choose the service level that matches your urgency and budget.
General Service
Overnight delivery for most service zones; some regional zones take around 2 business days. Pickup is generally available the business day before expected delivery. Book by 2:00 PM and confirm the delivery day for your locations.
Express Service
Same-day pickup and delivery for freight collected and delivered within eligible Pricing Zone 1 (Brisbane Metro) and Pricing Zone 2 suburbs. Book by 9:00 AM, or book in advance for a specific day — a pre-booked job is still Express whenever pickup and delivery must both happen on the same day.
Hot Shot
Dedicated point-to-point transport for urgent palletised freight. Available anytime, subject to vehicle and driver availability.
Palletised Freight compared with our other services
Palletised freight is a freight type; General, Express and Hot Shot are the service levels it travels on. Bulk Freight, Taxi Truck Hire and Permanent Daily Hire are different products again.
Palletised Freight
Standard pallet delivery, from a single pallet upwards, moved on our General, Express or Hot Shot service levels alongside other consignments.
Bulk Freight
For volume large enough to justify its own dedicated vehicle running direct point-to-point, rather than a consignment on a shared run.
General Service
The service level for non-urgent pallets. Book by 2:00 PM. Overnight for most zones; some regional zones take around 2 business days. Pickup is generally available the business day before expected delivery.
Express Service
Same-day pickup and delivery, available when both pickup and delivery are in eligible Pricing Zone 1 or Zone 2 suburbs. Book by 9:00 AM, or in advance for a specific day — booking ahead does not change the service level: same-day pickup and delivery is Express.
Taxi Truck Hire
A day-hire facility rather than an ordinary hourly delivery service, with a minimum 8-hour hire in most cases and a 4-hour minimum only when exceptionally pre-arranged. Suited to multi-drop pallet runs where you need the vehicle and driver for the day.
Permanent Daily Hire
An ongoing dedicated vehicle and driver allocated to your business on a regular schedule, for businesses with predictable daily pallet volume.
Common pallet delivery problems we solve
The problem
Oversized or overweight pallets that standard networks won't touch.
50+ company and owner-driver vehicles, from vans up to semi-trailers and B-doubles; heavy and non-conforming pallets are matched to the right vehicle.
The problem
Damage claims from consolidated networks handling pallets 4–5 times.
Direct dispatch or single depot cross-dock — fewer touches, fewer claims.
Pricing considerations
Palletised freight is quoted based on the vehicle required, distance, service level and handling needs. We quote per consignment or per vehicle depending on what fills the truck most efficiently.
Get a tailored quote- Pallet count, size and weight
Standard, oversize and heavy pallets are matched to a vehicle with the right deck space and tailgate rating.
- Access at pickup and delivery
Narrow sites, no forklift, steep driveways or dock height affect which truck we allocate.
- Service level
General Service is the most cost-effective for non-urgent freight; Express same-day and Hot Shot carry an urgency premium.
- Tailgate/hand-unload
Ground-level unload with tailgate and electric pallet jack is standard on suitable vehicles.
Case study
SE QLD building products distributor
Challenge
Regional builders were rejecting pallets because the incumbent carrier had no tailgate trucks.
Solution
Rolled every regional lane onto tailgate + pallet-jack trucks and cross-docked at Archerfield.
Result
Redelivery fees dropped to near zero and the distributor added three new regional accounts on the back of reliability.
Industries we serve
Warehousing
View Warehousing solutions
Manufacturing
View Manufacturing solutions
Retail
View Retail solutions
Industrial suppliers
View Industrial suppliers solutions
Construction
View Construction solutions
Healthcare
View Healthcare solutions
Food and beverage
View Food and beverage solutions
Tyre wholesalers
View Tyre wholesalers solutions
Why choose Ontime Haulers
The same standards apply to every job — urgent courier work, palletised freight, dedicated fleet hire or large-scale distribution.
50+ vehicles on the road
50+ vehicles on the road, backed by 50 more partner vehicles for peak demand.
Documented quality systems
Consistent processes behind every booking, pickup and POD.
Safety-first operations
Health and safety practices applied on every site we enter.
GPS tracking
Live vehicle tracking and real-time consignment status.
Tailgate rigid trucks
Hydraulic tailgates on all rigid trucks, so no forklift is needed at either end.
Electric pallet jacks
Fast, safe ground-level handling on every rigid truck.
Experienced drivers
Uniformed, inducted drivers who know commercial freight sites.
Commercial freight specialists
Tyres, pallets, machinery and oversized consignments daily.
Queensland-wide network
Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay, Western Downs and Northern NSW.
Our service process
- 1
Request a quote
Send pickup, delivery, weight and pallet count — our team aims to quote within minutes during business hours.
- 2
Confirm booking
Approve the rate and we lock in the vehicle, driver and time window.
- 3
Pickup
The right vehicle arrives — tailgate rigid trucks, vans for hand-unload freight, or semi-trailers for dock or forklift sites.
- 4
Live tracking
Follow your consignment in real time through our tracking portal.
- 5
Proof of delivery
Signed, time-stamped POD returned electronically after delivery.
- 6
Invoice
Pay per job, or run it on a monthly account with consolidated invoicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our standard pallet guidance is a maximum of 1.2m x 1.2m x 2.0m (length x width x height) and up to 1,000 kg per standard pallet, measured on the loaded and wrapped pallet. Freight outside that guidance can often still be moved, but it is quoted and vehicle-matched separately.
Enter the pickup and delivery addresses, pallet count, loaded dimensions, weight and access details in Quote & Book. We match the vehicle to your freight and deliver with electronic proof of delivery. Express requires both pickup and delivery in eligible Zone 1 or Zone 2 suburbs, booked by 9:00 AM or in advance. General Service books by 2:00 PM.
Yes. Suitable trucks are fitted with a hydraulic tailgate and carry an electric pallet jack, so pallets can be lowered to ground level and moved safely at sites with no forklift or loading dock. Tell us at booking if either end needs a tailgate unload.
Yes. Our trucks carry hydraulic tailgates and electric pallet jacks, so we can ground-unload palletised freight at residential addresses, home-based businesses and sites without a forklift or dock.
Pickup and delivery addresses, pallet count, pallet dimensions and total weight, whether a tailgate or forklift is available at each end, any site access limitations, and the service level or delivery timing you need. With that we can confirm the right vehicle and provide a tailored quote.
Yes. Our five-zone network includes Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Dalby, Gympie, Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Roma and Stanthorpe, plus Tweed Heads Murwillumbah, Ballina Lismore and Casino Kyogle. General Service is overnight for most zones; some regional zones take around 2 business days. Check Service Areas and confirm the delivery day when booking.
When your volume is large enough to fill a vehicle, Bulk Freight is usually the better fit because a dedicated vehicle runs direct point-to-point instead of your pallets travelling as consignments on a shared run. For multi-drop work across a whole day, Taxi Truck Hire day hire may suit better, and for predictable daily volume, Permanent Daily Hire.
Yes. We move CHEP, LOSCAM and plain pallets. Note the pallet account or exchange details on your consignment and the transfer is recorded on the proof of delivery.
Need reliable freight transport?
Contact Ontime Haulers today for a competitive quote or book your transport online. Our team can tailor a solution for urgent courier work, palletised freight, dedicated fleet hire or large-scale distribution.