What Is Road Freight? Why Do We Need It?

Road freight is the movement of cargo by motor vehicles via a network of roads from one site to another (a place of loading and a place of unloading).

The pandemic has temporarily slowed the trend of increasing international freight volumes which go hand in hand with the global integration of production and consumer markets. Interaction between all means of transportation, including air, sea, and land freight, must be coordinated to maintain supply chains. What benefits and difficulties does road freight present in this context?

So, what is Road Freight? What advantages and disadvantages does it hold? Continue reading to find out!

Comparison of Different Freight Transportation Types

The basic definitions of each type of transport are already included in their names: sea freight is transported by ship over seas and other sources of water, air freight is transferred by plane, and land freight is carried on solid ground. Both rail freight and road freight are subsets of the latter.

Each of these methods for freight transportation has both positive and negative aspects of its own. The heaviest items can be transported on ships, however, this kind of transportation takes time. For longer distances, air freight is the quickest choice, but it is also the most expensive and has a constrained carrying capacity. Rail is the freight type that, when it comes to road transportation, combines the largest transport volume with the great recycling performance. Road freight, in contrast, excels in being as adjustable and cost-effective as possible.

What Is Road Freight?

Road freight is the movement of cargo by motor vehicles via a network of roads from one site to another (a place of loading and a place of unloading). Transit of goods by logistics firms or forwarders on a commercial basis is known as commercial road freight transport. Thus, internal production-related transportation within an organization that is organized by the business itself, such as that between locations for internal business operations, is not categorized as commercial freight transit.

Depending on the products being transported, different trucks are utilized for road freight. For instance, in EU member states, road freight laws only apply to trucks with an empty weight of more than 3.5 t, which essentially means that lighter vehicles are not covered by national criteria.

There are, however, some unique provisions: starting in February 2022, vehicles above 2.5 t must also abide by the rules for road freight transit when they cross EU borders. These are minor legal quibbles, and in theory, vans and semitrailers of every kind are utilized in the transportation of goods by road. There is a wide variety, including vacuum trucks for liquids, container semi-trailers, hazardous goods transporters, and refrigerated vehicles.

According to the applicable EU rule, trucks are limited to a maximum length of 18.25 m in Europe. For so-called Longer Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) with lengths of more than 25 m, specific permits are issued in many countries. Since these LHVs can transport more cargo in a single journey, logistics professionals and government agencies anticipate that they will reduce CO2 emissions.

Different Types of Road Freight (Full Truckload, Less Than Truckload, and Partial Truckload)

There is a difference between full and partial truckloads in road freight. Full truck load (FTL), less than truckload (LTL), and partial truck load (PTL) are recognized international designations.

Only a specific truck capacity is reserved, as indicated by the terms LTL and PTL. As a result, similar-minded businesses split the freight costs with one another. PTL and LTL are not considerably different. With PTL, the cargo typically remains on the same truck from the point of departure to the point of destination, whereas with LTL, the carrier frequently travels to many locations for loading and unloading. LTL is the least expensive option, however, it is also frequently the slowest.

FTL refers to the booking of an entire truck. Then, without any intermediary loading, this truck just transports the items belonging to the FTL customer from the origin to the destination. FTL is the ideal option when you need to travel a large amount of cargo and need the entire cargo space, when you need to move quickly and want to skip any stopovers, or when you need to move sensitive cargo that shouldn’t be transported with normal cargo.

Road Freight Vs Road Freight: Who’s the Best?

For understandable reasons, road freight can only play a small part in the management of international cargo. Trade between Europe and Asia is a significant exception because it may also be conducted via land and is managed by both train and road. However, air and sea freight are essentially unmatched in terms of transatlantic and transpacific trade. As a result, rail freight, another mode of land transportation, is road freight’s main rival.

In direct comparison, the truck frequently travels more quickly than trains because loading takes time and trains typically stop more frequently to redistribute supplies. But when traveling over 1,000 km, railways seem to be a more cost-effective option than using the road for shipping. Due to this, road freight dominates not only the regional market with distances up to 150 km, but also takes the lead in all forms of land transportation. But sustainability shouldn’t be disregarded. Rail freight presents the best possibility to reduce the environmental impact in this regard.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Road Freight

Advantages:

Trucks have access to a level of infrastructure that no other mode of transportation can match, which is one of road freight’s key advantages. The road network is by far the biggest transportation infrastructure when it comes to inland transportation. This holds true not just for Europe but specifically for Dubai as well. Road freight also doesn’t rely on logistical nodes like ports, airports, or train stations, and almost no location for products is inaccessible by road.

This is advantageous for all forms of transportation, including rail, air, and water. The vast majority of the time, they need additional road transportation to get the items from the plant or warehouse to the (air) port, train station, or vice versa. Road freight’s variety and adaptability provide practically limitless options for moving goods from one location to another. Here are the advantages offered by road freight services:

• Cost Effectiveness: Road freight is a cost-effective method of carrying goods because it makes use of already-existing infrastructure and very affordable transport equipment. Road freight is frequently the best alternative, and LTL in particular is an appealing choice in this regard, especially for businesses with modest transport volumes because the price advantage is most obvious for little amounts of freight.
• Flexible Route Planning: The efficient road infrastructure allows for flexible route planning or intermediate stays. With road freight, a route can be quickly adjusted and expanded. Because using the road infrastructure is feasible at any time without prior registration or reservations, even impromptu requests for transportation are frequently accommodated. 
• Intermodal Services: Intermodal transportation may employ trucks. They can be carried by rail on specialized wagons and by the sea while loaded. This avoids the need for time-consuming reloading between modes of transportation.
• Door to Door Delivery of Goods: Although a company may be situated close to a (air) port or train station, road transportation is nearly always necessary for the first or last leg of the route, which is why it has already been addressed. Road freight is typically the only option for door-to-door delivery. Without using another means of transportation or reloading, cargo is picked up directly from the production site or loading point and transported right away to its destination.

Disadvantages:

Road freight has some drawbacks, but they are more general in nature and don’t immediately affect the business that wants to have its cargo delivered. The main drawbacks of road freight are related to the environment and transportation policy. The road network can only be built so far, and in major cities, the roadways are already overcrowded. The upkeep and expansion of the road network come at a high expense. Road freight is charged a share of the operational costs through toll systems in most nations, even though these are covered by the individual state.

Additionally, truck emissions of both noise and pollutants are high. Alternative drives, e-mobility, and LHVs, however, can all significantly alleviate this problem.

Last but not least, trucks have a limited carrying capacity, and variables like traffic congestion or accidents can make it less efficient to deliver goods by road. Additionally, legal requirements in some nations completely prohibit truck transfers on weekends and public holidays, which has an impact on scheduling flexibility.

Final Words

Road Freight is a term that describes the transportation of goods by truck. It is an important part of the supply chain, as it allows businesses to move products long distances. Road freight has several advantages, including its flexibility and its ability to reach remote areas. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as its negative impact on the environment.

Road freight is the most appealing method of getting their goods carried for many businesses, mostly because of its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The development of ecological drive technology and the optimal balancing of transport volumes and required driving power must be prioritized if road freight is to have a long-term, sustainable future.