One of the privileges of 21st-century living is the convenience of moving all types of goods to most places in the world, thanks to freight shipping. The supply and logistics industry has evolved to organize different kinds of shipping to reduce cost, improve convenience, and shorten delivery time. Discover the most common types of freight shipping in this article.
Type #1: LTL Freight Shipping
LTL stands for less than truckload, which means a shipment is smaller than the capacity of a truck. The logic behind LTL freight shipping is optimizing transport and cost efficiency for small shipment senders. Each person shares the cost load depending on the space their shipment occupies. Without LTL shipping, businesses would have to book a whole truck, which would have to travel to only one destination. The convenience and cost-saving aspects of LTL shipping are likely one of the reasons behind the recent growth in the industry. According to IBIS World, the LTL industry has grown 2.6% annually from 2018 to 2023.
Type #2: Expedited Freight
Sometimes, the sender has a time-sensitive cargo that needs fast shipping. The expedited freight shipping core goal is reduced transit time to ensure timely delivery of shipments. Such shipments get priority handling and 24/7 monitoring. As expected, expedited shipping comes with increased costs to cover the convenience. Often, the freight is enabled by air shipping, especially when covering long distances. Apart from time-sensitive shipments, medical and pharmaceutical products benefit from expedited shipping, especially in emergencies.
Type #3: Rail Shipping
Most short-distance freight shipping is done using trucks. However, rail shipping is indispensable when it comes to long-distance shipping. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, rail is the dominant transport mode for shipments between 750 and 2000 miles. Rail shipping utilizes closed containers, preventing direct cargo handling during transportation. Lack of direct handling is ideal when transporting hazardous and sensitive heavy cargo.
Type #4: Full Truckload Shipping
The second most common truckload shipping is the full truckload, which means a shipment takes up all or at least most of the truck’s capacity. FTL is the most suitable mode of freight shipping if a business has a large quantity of goods. The company might even get volume discounts because of booking a full truckload at once. FTL might also be preferable if the shipments are time-sensitive because many stops done with LTL could delay delivery. High-value and delicate shipments are often done in FTLs for easy handling and to assure safety.
Type #5: Ocean Freight Shipping
Apart from rail, ocean freight shipping, also known as sea freight, is preferred and suitable for long-distance shipment. Sea freight is one of the oldest modes of freight shipping, especially internationally. It has led to global transportation networks that allow moving goods from one end of the world to another. Similar to rail shipping, ocean freight uses containerization that enables efficient transfer to other modes of transport. The containers come in standard sizes that simplify logistics. Some goods that benefit from sea freight include cars, heavy machinery, agricultural products, and livestock.
Take Away
The transportation industry has evolved to offer different types of freight shipping depending on needs. Here’s the most suitable application for each type of freight shipping:
- LTL Freight Shipping: Moving small individual shipments over various destination stops
- Full Truckload Shipping: Moving large separate shipments to one destination
- Expedited Freight Shipping: Moving time-sensitive goods fast without multiple stops
- Ocean Freight: Moving all types of goods over long distances, mostly internationally
- Rail Shipping: Moving heavy loads over long distances
The use of each type of freight shipping also depends on the cost and nature of the goods. For instance, some shipments may require full truckload shipping to ensure security, even though rail shipping could work in normal situations. If you need shipping services, let the experts help you. Contact Tall Grass Freight today!