Smart business owners know that it’s important to make informed decisions, especially when it comes to crucial daily operations. The transportation of business goods falls into this category. Business owners can learn more about effective ways to transfer goods below.
Transporting by Truck
Most of today’s goods make at least some of the journey to their final destinations via semi-truck. Freight companies offer two methods to accomplish this goal: full-truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) services. Business owners who only need to move a small amount of inventory generally choose LTL transport, while those that can fill one or more trucks to capacity request ftl quotes.
The Benefits of Truck Transport
Truck transport is the most common way to move goods in North America for good reasons. Both LTL and FTL services are more cost-effective than shipping freight by air, it’s easy to predict delivery times, and transport companies typically offer flexible services to meet a variety of needs. Trucks can be used to transport business goods between nearby cities, into rural areas, or even across North American borders and can be traced every step of the way.
The Drawbacks of Truck Transport
The primary drawback of transporting goods by trucks is the limitations placed by size and weight restrictions. Inclement weather, poor road conditions, and traffic jams can also be a problem for truckers, although most companies now utilize high-quality tracking systems that help drivers avoid trouble on the road.
Transporting by Railway
Transporting items via rail freight may be the best option for exceptionally large and/or heavy loads. The transit time will be longer, especially in the winter, but loading and unloading times will be faster when transporting goods by railway.
The Benefits of Rail Freight
Unlike trucks, which can get stuck in traffic, trains follow reliable schedules unless severe inclement weather hampers them. Freight trains are also remarkably efficient, with one train able to haul the equivalent of more than 400 trucks. Transporting goods by railway can also help to alleviate road congestion and reduce emissions.
The Drawback of Rail Freight
Goods transported exclusively by railway can only be picked up from and delivered to places that have rail yards. As a general rule, that means most rail freight moves between cities. The cost of shipping goods by rail is also greater than that of truck transport when items must be moved only a short distance.
Transporting Goods by Air
Transporting goods by air is usually the fastest way to ship them. Air freight is only a good option when time is of the essence because it is quite expensive. Air freight also places more extreme space and weight restrictions than truck or train transport.
Multimodal Solutions
There’s no one freight transport solution that’s right for every business or circumstance. In many cases, business owners are better off utilizing multimodal methods of freight transport. This transport technique usually involves shipping goods most of the way to their destinations by train or by air, then moving them to trucks for the final stretch.
Working With Logistics Services
Business owners who don’t want to learn everything there is to know about the different methods for transporting goods have a final option. They can work with logistics services. Working with logistics services is the best way to ensure that business goods get from point A to point B quickly and cost-efficiently.
