What is Freight Shipping?

Freight shipping is one of the bases for the development of commodity-money relations. The infrastructure of no state or business can function without a well-established logistics system. Cargo transportation is vital for almost any company and many individuals. Whether it is a company that is engaged in a commodity business or computer production, it is always necessary to deliver goods or components from point A to point B.

For example, you need to deliver a product from a manufacturer to a warehouse, then from a warehouse to a store, and so on. Logistics helps in all these processes. Transportation of goods is a rather complex process, which combines a large number of structures, specialists, and vehicles.

There are several types of cargo transportation, depending on the destination.

• Inside the state. They are characterized by the fact that the point of dispatch of the goods and the point of delivery are located in the same state. This is the most common type of cargo transportation among commercial organizations.
• International. These are shipments in which the origin and destination are in different countries. In order to send cargo to another country, you need to cross several borders, as well as obtain a lot of necessary permits. This, in turn, affects the price and delivery time of the cargo.

You can also divide the types of cargo transportation, depending on the classification of the vehicle.

•   Automobile cargo transportation. This type of cargo transportation has long been the most popular among all those involved in logistics. And there is a rationale for this. This is because road transport is the cheapest and most affordable way to transport goods. This type of transport is very variable. With it, you can deliver both very large cargoes and small cargoes. Also, cars can be adjusted for oversized cargo transportation. Some of them equip the heavy machinery and other various devices.
• Rail transportation. This type of delivery is also quite convenient and is suitable for the transportation of very bulky goods. It is often combined with road freight for greater convenience since this delivery option is used only where there is a railroad track.
• Transportation by sea. This type of cargo delivery has been used for a very long time. Such cargo transportation is quite economical and convenient, as it is possible to deliver goods to different continents and islands. The vessels also have a huge carrying capacity, which makes it possible to transport bulky cargo. But there are also disadvantages. For example, slow delivery speed or the possibility of course deviation due to a storm. For this reason, such options are rarely used by private companies and individuals. Also, these transportations almost always have to be combined with others. For example, automobiles.
• Air transportation. It is the fastest way to deliver cargo, which at the same time is quite safe and reliable. However, this type of transportation is very expensive. There are also restrictions on the weight of goods loaded on board. Air transportation is most often used when the decisive factor is speed or a place where it is impossible to reach without an airplane.

Now let’s look at the commercial freight shipping services, depending on the size of the cargo:

1. Full Truckload (FTL). This type of transportation is used when the volume and size of the cargo are large enough to use the entire container or semi-trailer. Most often, this type of transportation is carried out by road or rail. Typically, loads carried by the full load option weigh in excess of 15,000 pounds. FTL service is carried out by direct delivery without changing transport.
2. Partial Truckload (PTL). It is a fairly economical transportation option due to the fact that when sending you to share the cost of the truck with other senders. Used when the weight of the load exceeds 5,000 pounds but does not reach 15,000 pounds.
3. Less than Truckload (LTL). This type of transportation is needed for small cargoes. Usually, from 150 to 15,000 pounds. Most often, the cargo that is delivered in this way is moved in different trucks on the way to the destination.
4. Expedited shipping. Such transportation will be carried out by road or air transport, as they are usually urgent. However, this makes this delivery method quite expensive.
5. Intermodal transportation. The meaning of such transportation is that the sender can choose several modes of transport at the same time for the delivery of goods. Most often, this is road and rail transport, but sometimes sea transport is also used. For example, the cargo must first be delivered to the port by truck. After that, it is loaded onto the ship. Then it is unloaded onto the train, which carries the cargo to its destination. Intermodal transport allows you to save on fuel and reduce some transport costs.

What affects the shipping cost?

• The size and weight of the cargo. This is one of the most important factors affecting the price of transportation. The larger the cargo that you deliver, the more expensive the delivery will cost. During the calculation, the length and width of the package must be rounded up to the next inch.
• Kind of transport. Different modes of transport have different shipping costs. For example, one of the cheapest options is road transport, while the most expensive is air travel.
• Route length. The greater the distance between the place where you need to pick up the goods and the place where they will be delivered, the higher the cost of transportation.
• Certain additional services. For example, if you need to transfer non-standard cargo that requires additional roof supports or non-standard containers, then an additional fee will be charged. Perishable or fragile materials will also make you pay a little more.

Any cargo that you send is classified. Cargo classification is the method needed to provide consumers with a uniform shipping pricing scheme. Freight shipping class codes range from 50 to 500. Each specific number is determined by density, size, storage capability, and responsibility for the cargo. The higher your class, the higher the price you will pay for transportation.

Freight shipping services are the main tool of logistics and the basis of commodity-money relations. Therefore, any company turns to people who are engaged in the delivery of goods. And if you also decide to do this, the main thing is to carefully study each of those companies that you will consider and choose the most reliable and suitable for you.

In this case, you will be able to adjust or improve your integrated logistics, and thanks to this you will deliver your goods safe and sound, as well as on time and without worrying about them.