Bordsteinkante

What is curbside delivery?

The term curbside describes a defined handover point in the delivery of goods. The delivery ends at the boundary between the public right of way and the recipient's property – typically at the pavement, at the entrance to the premises, or directly in front of the building. Unloading the goods from the vehicle is part of the carrier's service; transporting them into the building, up to specific floors, or to the point of use is not. Whether the carrier uses a tail lift depends on the vehicle and the agreed service, not automatically on the delivery type itself.

How does curbside delivery work in practice?

In freight forwarding practice, curbside is the most cost-effective and least complex service level. The driver places the goods at the agreed location and obtains a proof of delivery. For the recipient, this means they must provide staff or equipment to move the goods from the handover point to the actual point of use. For heavy or bulky items – such as machinery, furniture, or pallets – this is a significant planning factor.

Typical additional services that go beyond curbside and must be arranged separately include:

• Carrying goods to the point of use or to a specific floor
• Placement and installation
• Pre-delivery notification with a time window so that staff are available to receive the goods
• Use of a tail lift or other handling equipment
• Disposal of packaging materials

These services are generally not included automatically and must be explicitly agreed upon in the freight contract or when booking the order. Missing arrangements frequently lead to additional costs, delays, or on-site delivery obstacles.

What matters when agreeing on the service level?

When purchasing transport services, you should clearly define and document the service level. Vaguely worded contracts are a common source of disputes between senders, carriers, and recipients. Particularly in B2C shipments or direct deliveries to end customers – such as in furniture or household appliance retail – recipients' expectations often differ from the contractually agreed service.

Also relevant for logistics planning is the question of whether the receiving location is actually able to accept goods at the curbside: Is there sufficient staff? Is handling equipment available? Can the site be accessed by an articulated vehicle? These points should be clarified before the first delivery to avoid failed delivery attempts and consequential costs.