A general freight carrier moves the everyday goods that keep businesses running, from pallets of stock to building supplies. FullTruckload.com books dedicated trucks for general freight across the US, Canada and Mexico. Share the load to get the right truck.
Everyday goods, standard trucks
General freight needs no special equipment or handling.
General freight is the everyday freight that needs no special equipment or handling. It includes palletized and boxed products, packaged food and drinks, building supplies, paper and packaging, furniture, appliances and consumer goods. It can be loaded at a standard dock or with a forklift, carried in a standard trailer and unloaded the same way.
A general freight carrier is a trucking company that hauls this kind of freight, usually in 53 ft dry vans, on flatbeds and in smaller trucks. Because so much of what businesses ship is general freight, these carriers move a large share of the goods on US roads.
FullTruckload.com books dedicated trucks from general freight carriers for shippers, sized to each load and running direct from the dock to the receiver.
Special freight needs special carriers
Hazardous, oversized and refrigerated freight are handled separately.
Some freight is not general freight because it needs special equipment, handling or training. Hazardous materials, such as chemicals, fuels and many batteries, must be carried under strict rules by carriers qualified to haul them. Oversized and overweight loads, such as large machinery, need special trailers, routing and sometimes escorts.
Temperature-controlled freight, such as fresh and frozen food, needs refrigerated trailers. Bulk liquids travel in tankers, and livestock and vehicles have their own specialized trucks. Each of these is handled by specialized carriers.
Knowing which side of the line a shipment falls on saves time when booking. If freight is general, a standard truck will do. If it is not, the carrier and equipment need to be chosen for it. FullTruckload.com books dedicated trucks for general freight and flags shipments that need a specialist.
Dry vans carry most of it
Enclosed trailers move most general freight.
Most general freight travels in a 53 ft dry van, an enclosed trailer that carries up to 42,000 lbs of palletized and boxed goods and protects them from weather. Flatbeds carry up to 48,000 lbs of general freight that loads from the side or top, such as lumber, steel and building materials.
Smaller loads move in smaller trucks. A straight truck carries up to 9,000 lbs and a box truck up to 5,000 lbs, often with a liftgate for sites without a dock, and a Sprinter van carries up to 3,000 lbs for urgent small loads. A full truckload fills most of a trailer for one shipper, while a partial load fills only part of it and can still ride on its own truck.
FullTruckload.com books each of these trucks for general freight, matching the truck to the load.
Trucks and trailers
Hot shot truck5 / 6
Construction, oilfield and farm equipment, machinery
About hot shot trucks
A hot shot pairs a heavy-duty pickup with a gooseneck flatbed trailer. It is the fast choice for equipment and machinery that need an open deck but not a full semi. Ramps at the back let rolling equipment drive straight on.
Price a hot shot truck
Send the pickup, delivery and weight, and we'll match the truck to your load.
Most freight is general freight
Retail, food, manufacturing and building supplies all ship it.
Most industries ship general freight every day. Retailers and distributors move stock from distribution centers to stores. Food and beverage companies ship packaged products to grocers and warehouses. Manufacturers ship finished goods to customers and receive materials and components.
Building supply companies send lumber, drywall, roofing and fixtures to yards and job sites. Paper and packaging companies move heavy loads of paper, cardboard and packaging between mills, plants and customers. E-commerce warehouses move pallets of orders and returns.
Many of these shippers have steady lanes with regular carriers and also need trucks quickly for urgent or one-off loads. FullTruckload.com helps with both, booking a dedicated truck for general freight whenever a load needs one.
Fit and details book it right
The right truck on the right lane, booked with complete details.
Choosing a general freight carrier starts with the load. Match the truck to the freight, such as a dry van for enclosed pallets or a flatbed for lumber, and look for a carrier that runs that equipment on the lane. Communication matters as much as equipment: quick answers, confirmed times and honest updates.
For urgent or one-off loads, a truckload broker can search many carriers at once and book a truck near the pickup, which saves time. To book, have ready what the freight is, the number of pieces, the weight and dimensions of each, whether it can be stacked, how it will be loaded and unloaded, both addresses, dock hours, contacts and the dates.
Complete details get the right truck booked the first time. FullTruckload.com books dedicated trucks for general freight with one point of contact for each load.
talk to an expeditor now
Call (800) 373-2480 
