What are the types of road freight services?
Road transport services come in many types and can be classified in various ways. Common classifications include:
1. Full Truckload (FTL), Less-than-Truckload (LTL), and Containerized Transport
In road transport, a shipment with a billable weight of 3 tons or more, or one that, despite being under 3 tons, requires a dedicated vehicle due to its nature, volume, or shape, is considered full truckload (FTL) freight. The opposite case is less-than-truckload (LTL) freight. The rapidly growing courier service in recent years can be seen as a special type of LTL service. Road transport services organized based on container units are referred to as containerized transport, which requires special container vehicles for delivery.
2. Scheduled Transport and Charter Transport
Scheduled transport refers to a method where transport companies provide road services according to a fixed timetable, specific routes, and stable service prices. In scheduled transport mode, the departure, stop, and arrival times are pre-determined, with the carrier shipping goods for numerous shippers at an agreed rate. Charter transport, also known as rented vehicle transport, is a method where vehicles are leased to the承租人 (charterer/renter) for use. It typically comes in two forms: distance-based charter and time-based charter, which are very similar to voyage charter and time charter in maritime shipping. In distance-based charter transport, the freight cost is calculated based on the distance (e.g., ton-km or vehicle-km). Both parties need to agree on the start and end points, the route, departure and stop times, the cargo to be transported, and the division of loading/unloading fees and toll/bridge fees. In time-based charter transport, the rent is settled based on the duration of the charter. Both parties must discuss and determine the division of fuel costs, the deduction of the driver's meal/rest time, the method of paying road and bridge tolls, and the assumption of driving risks.
3. Others
Other common road transport modes include: by operational range, which can be divided into inter-city transport and intra-city delivery; by transport distance, which can be divided into long-haul trucking and short-haul transportation; and by cargo type, which can be divided into general cargo transport, oversized cargo transport, refrigerated/frozen cargo transport, and dangerous goods transport. The latter three types often require specialized transport vehicles.
Zhuhai Bofeng Logistics National FTL Transport National Hotline: 13075678958 Manager Huang
Bofeng Logistics specializes in providing one-stop logistics services, including domestic container shipping, international shipping (FCL/LCL), Hong Kong and Macao logistics routes, as well as trailer, customs clearance, and warehousing services. Contact number: 130-7567-8958 (Manager Huang), call now for a customized quote!
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