Truck Transportation Services

Freight transportation is the movement of commercial goods from one place to another by truck, rail, ship or aircraft. It covers everything from a few pallets moving across town to full trailers crossing the country and international shipments. In the United States, most freight by value moves by truck, because trucks can reach almost any address directly. Freight transportation involves shippers who send goods, carriers who move them and often brokers or logistics providers who arrange the moves. The right method depends on the freight's size and weight, how far it is going, how quickly it must arrive and the budget.

A dry van is an enclosed trailer without temperature control, used to haul freight that needs protection from weather but not refrigeration. The standard dry van in the United States is 53 ft long and carries up to about 42,000 lbs of palletized or boxed goods. Dry vans load and unload at docks using forklifts or pallet jacks, and the doors can be sealed for the trip. They are the most common trailer type for full truckloads, carrying retail goods, packaged food that does not need cooling, paper, electronics and manufactured products, which makes them the easiest truckload equipment to find.

Flatbed trucking uses open trailers with no sides or roof to haul freight that is too large, heavy or awkward for an enclosed trailer. Because the deck is open, freight can be loaded by crane or forklift from the sides or top. A standard full flatbed carries up to about 48,000 lbs. Flatbeds move machinery, steel, lumber, building materials, pipe and other industrial freight. The driver secures the load with straps, chains and edge protectors and may cover it with tarps. Oversize loads that exceed legal dimensions also need permits and sometimes escort vehicles, depending on the route.

Expedited trucking is time-critical truck transportation in which a truck is dedicated to one shipment and runs directly from pickup to delivery. It is used when standard transit would miss a deadline, such as a part that stops a production line or freight needed at a job site. Expedited moves can use Sprinter vans, straight trucks, hot shots or full trailers, chosen by the size of the freight and the distance. Because the truck carries no other freight and makes no extra stops, expedited trucking costs more than standard shipping but delivers sooner.

Cross-border trucking is the movement of freight by truck between countries, most often between the United States and Canada or Mexico. Besides the usual bill of lading, cross-border loads need customs documentation such as a commercial invoice and import entries, usually filed by a licensed customs broker. Freight to Canada often stays on the same truck across the border. Freight to and from Mexico commonly transfers between carriers near the border. Planning matters, because missing paperwork or unprepared customs entries can hold a truck at the border and delay delivery for the receiver.

A customs broker is a licensed professional or company that prepares and files the documents needed to clear goods through customs. For truck freight crossing into or out of the United States, the customs broker submits entry information, classifies the goods, calculates duties and taxes, and communicates with border authorities on the importer's behalf. Customs brokers are licensed by the government in each country. Shippers usually arrange the customs broker before the truck reaches the border, so the entry can be filed in advance and the truck can cross without waiting for paperwork.

Transloading is moving freight from one vehicle or mode to another during a trip, such as from a Mexican carrier's trailer to a U.S. carrier's trailer near the border, or from a container to a truck. In cross-border trucking with Mexico, freight often transfers at or near the border because of differences in carrier authority and operating rules between the countries. Transloading adds handling and a step to plan, so freight should be packed and labeled to survive an extra transfer. Good coordination at the transfer point keeps the shipment moving and reduces the risk of damage or delay.

An asset-based carrier is a trucking company that owns or leases its trucks and trailers and employs or contracts its drivers. It hauls freight with its own equipment, so it controls the trucks and the service directly. Asset-based carriers often offer consistent capacity on the lanes they run regularly. The contrast is a non-asset truckload broker, which owns no trucks and books licensed carriers to haul loads. Many shippers use both: asset carriers for steady freight on their main lanes, and brokers for urgent loads, irregular lanes and freight that needs equipment their regular carriers do not have.

A truckload broker is a licensed company that arranges truck transportation for shippers without owning the trucks. When a shipper has a load, the broker finds a licensed carrier with suitable equipment, agrees the rate and schedule, and manages the shipment until delivery. Brokers must hold federal broker authority and financial security. Shippers use truckload brokers to cover loads quickly, reach many carriers and equipment types through one contact, and handle urgent or irregular freight. A good broker is open about which carrier is hauling the load and keeps the shipper updated from pickup to delivery.

A partial load is a shipment that takes up only part of a trailer but is too large or heavy for small-package delivery. Partial loads are common when freight fills several pallets but not a full 53 ft trailer. They can move on a smaller dedicated truck, such as a straight truck or hot shot, or share a trailer with other freight. A dedicated smaller truck keeps the freight on one vehicle with no extra stops, which suits urgent or fragile loads. Sharing space can cost less but adds handling and time. The right choice depends on the deadline and how sensitive the freight is.