Shipments Inbound to the University

Determine the delivery point. UPS and FedEx will deliver inside your building to your desk, but it’s generally limited to pieces up to 100 pounds.

Shipments over 100 pounds will probably be shipped via truck by companies such as Pitt Ohio, YRC, UPS Freight and FedEx Freight and you, the consignee, are responsible for unloading the goods from the back of the truck. If your building doesn’t have a loading dock, it’s often best to have those loads rerouted.

The Physical Distribution Center is an alternate receiving location for all deliveries. We have truck-height loading docks and the material handling equipment necessary to safely unload most deliveries, and our delivery trucks are lift-gate equipped. If your shipment requires special handling or consists of equipment that’s being professionally installed, we’re in a convenient location for the installation crews to pick the goods up. Our address is:

University of Maryland

Physical Distribution Center

5245 Greenbelt Road, Dock #6

College Park, MD 20740

Non-document shipments originating from outside the United States may require clearance by US Customs. The University of Maryland has a customs broker that assists us with these matters; they have our Power of Attorney and copies of our US Customs Bond on file. The ordering department, end user or principal investigator should be available to answer any technical questions about the goods as requested by US Customs. Please contact the Transportation Manager at 301.405.5852 for assistance with goods requiring US Customs clearance.

When receiving a shipment, it is your responsibility to determine if it is in good condition and matches the shipping documents. Goods delivered by a trucking company will include a bill of lading stating the number of pieces included in the shipment; FedEx and UPS use handheld PDAs with similar information. If there are any discrepancies or obvious damage, they must be marked on the bill of lading or noted on the PDA when you sign off, and the supplier should be notified immediately that the goods were received short or damaged.