Scheduling

The information provided on this web page will help truck drivers efficiently interact with Bellingham Cold Storage to pick up or drop off products as quickly as possible.

The address of each warehouse is located at the bottom of this page. To best facilitate the loading and unloading processes, all appointments must be scheduled by 3pm on the previous business day. 

Full details are included below.

Hours of operation:

Inbound and outbound appointments can be scheduled Monday through Friday. 

Appointment times vary depending on location. 

Roeder/Waterfront: 7am – 10pm 

Orchard: 7am – 10pm

Stanwood: 7am – 2pm 

Burlington: 7am – 2pm  

Weekends and holidays are available on request (overtime charges apply).

Observed holidays include New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Boxing Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

If a holiday lands on a weekend, or you have any inquiries about scheduling during holidays, reach out to the traffic team – traffic@bellcold.com

Inbound traffic — before you arrive:

Carriers must schedule a delivery appointment by no later than 3pm on the previous business day. Any request after 3pm for a next-day appointment must be approved by the Operations Leadership, and work-in fees may apply. BCS will provide a confirmation number once an appointment is scheduled. 

BCS will need the following information to schedule your unloading appointment:

  • Information from the Customer:
    • Customer order or PO number for easy reference and tracking
    • If the order is arriving via container, please provide a container number, and if the product is palletized or floor loaded. 
    • Account name for which the product is to be stored.
    • Name of delivering carrier and estimated date of arrival.
    • If it is arriving via container, please provide a container number.
    • Description and quantity of product, including case or tote counts and weights.
    • List items as they are to be lotted. For example, note whether multiple items are to go into single or individual new lots.
    • If lot(s) to be used are existing lot numbers, please provide numbers to be used.
    • Note any description, product code, etc. to be used.
    • Where the product is coming from.
    • Note any special instructions or additional information that may be relevant.

Inbound notices can be sent by:

Customers who have access to our WebOPTICS warehouse management software will be automatically notified when their product is received into the BCS system. WebOPTICS provides real-time data. It is updated as soon as the product is received. If you have questions about inbound traffic or access to WebOptics, please call 360-733-1640.

Outbound — before you arrive:

Carriers are required to schedule a pickup appointment by no later than 3pm on the previous business day. loading appointment. Any request made after 3pm for a next-day appointment will need to be approved by Operation Leadership, and work-in fees may apply. BCS will provide a confirmation number once an appointment is scheduled in the BCS system. 

BCS will need the following information to schedule your loading appointment:

  • Account name from which the product is to be shipped from.
  • Name of shipping carrier and desired ship date.
  • Description and quantity of product, including case or tote counts and weights.
    • If lot(s) to be used are existing lot numbers, please provide numbers to be used.
    • Note any description, product code, etc. to be used.
  • Where the product is shippnig to.
  • Note your order or PO number for easy reference and tracking.
  • Note any special instructions or additional information that may be relevant.

Carrier Outbound scheduling requests can be sent by:

Customer Outbound shipping requests can be sent by:

Customers who have access to our WebOPTICS warehouse management software will be automatically notified when their product ships from BCS. WebOPTICS provides real-time data. It is updated as soon as product is loaded. If you have questions about outbound traffic or access to WebOptics, please call 360-733-1640.

Truck check-in — as you arrive:

All trucks are required to check in before proceeding to a loading dock. 

Drivers with appointments made 24 hours in advance will be given priority service. Drivers without appointments will be addressed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Schedule a check-in appointment by phone or email:

Check-in locations:

  • Squalicum/waterfront: located across the street from BCS at 2700 Roeder Avenue, Bellingham.
    • The check-in office is open between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Trucks arriving after 3:30 p.m. can check in at the main gate.
  • Orchard/I-5: located at Dock 1, 600 W. Orchard Drive, Bellingham.
    • Office on dock 1 is open 7 a.m to 3:30 p.m.
  • Stanwood: Check in at loading dock.
    • Facility operates from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To expedite service, drivers must provide BCS with the following information:

  • Appointment time.
  • Trucking company or broker name.
  • Order number(s) or PO number(s).
  • Owner of the product they are picking up or dropping off.
  • Destination of the load.
  • What the product is, and if it is fresh or frozen.
  • How much weight or how many pieces.

Additional info:

  • Drivers who are not able to provide this information will need to contact their dispatcher to obtain it before a check-in time is scheduled.
  • Trucks should be cleaned and pre-cooled before proceeding to the loading dock.
  • Truck axils need to be slid all the way back, and air released from the trailer.
  • Truck drivers CANNOT break seals on inbound loads. A BCS employee is required to break a truck seal.
    • If a truck driver breaks the seal, BCS must contact the customer before unloading the trailer. 
    • This may result in a delay in unloading the truck.
  • BCS’s check-in clerk will issue a gate pass and will direct the driver to the appropriate dock.
  • Drivers must show the gate pass to the gate guard as they enter the Roeder warehouse center, and the pass must be shown at the loading dock.
  • Truck drivers are responsible for their load and should be prepared to tell the dock how they want their truck loaded. BCS does not know what every truck weighs or how the weight should be distributed, as every truck is different.
  • BCS will only load the amount of weight the truck driver has agreed to carry, and, therefore, BCS is not responsible for overweight tickets.
  • Truck drivers should be prepared to count their loads in order to sign a bill of lading at the end of the loading process. Modifications of the bill of lading by the truck driver are not allowed unless agreed to by the loading dock foreman before loading.
  • Drivers will leave the gate pass with the gate guard as they exit the Squalicum warehouse center.
  • Drivers may leave the gate pass at the dock at the Orchard facility, since this facility is not gated.
Inspections:

Inspections take place at Dock 4 at the Roeder/Waterfront warehouse and Dock 5 at the Orchard warehouse center.

If you have any questions regarding inspections, please reach out to traffic@bellcold.com. 

An inspection appointment and notice are required before the inspection of any product. This allows us to locate and stage products for viewing. Through WebOPTICS (login link here or at the top of every page), you can submit an inspection request form or send the following information via email:

  • Customer account name.
  • Company name, agency or person that will inspect the product.
  • Requested date and time of inspection (to be confirmed by BCS scheduling team).
  • Lot number and description of the product to be inspected.
  • Order number or PO number, if available.
  • Any additional instructions, such as:
    • Samples to be taken.
    • Number of pallets to be pulled.
    • Specific day codes to be pulled.
  • Contact number in case questions arise.

Inspection notices can be sent by:

CIC questions can be directed to: