Road Freight Definition
Road freight is the transport of goods from one location to another (a place of loading and a place of unloading) by means of motor vehicles via a road network. Commercial road freight transport is the transport of goods on a business basis by logistics companies or forwarders. In-company transports organized by the enterprises themselves, for example between different business locations within the context of internal production processes, are thus not classified as commercial freight transport.
In road freight, different trucks are used depending on the goods being transported. In EU member states, for example, road freight regulations only apply to vehicles with an empty weight of more than 3.5 t – which simply means that national specifications do not cover lighter vehicles. However, there are some special provisions: since February 2022, vehicles over 2.5 t are also subject to road freight transport regulations when crossing EU borders. Now these are legal quibbles, and in principle all conceivable motor vehicles are used in road freight transport, from vans to semitrailers. Whether refrigerated vehicles or hazardous goods transports, container semi-trailers or vacuum trucks for liquids – there is a great variety. In Europe, trucks are restricted to a maximum length of 18.25 m in accordance with the relevant EU directive. In some countries, special permits are granted for so-called Longer Heavier Vehicles (LHVs) with lengths of more than 25 m. Logistics experts and official bodies expect such LHVs to reduce CO2 emissions since they can transport more goods in one trip.
Full Truck Load, Less Than Truckload and Partial Truckload
In road freight, a distinction is made between full and partial truckloads. The established international abbreviations are FTL for Full Truck Load, LTL for Less Than Truckload, and PTL for Partial Truck Load.
LTL and PTL indicate that only a certain truck capacity is booked. The freight costs are thus shared with other companies that operate in the same way. PTL and LTL do not differ significantly. The main distinction is that with PTL, the cargo usually stays on the same truck from departure to the destination point, whereas with LTL, the carrier often heads to several loading and unloading locations. While LTL is the most economical option, it is typically also the slowest.
FTL is when an entire truck is booked. This truck then exclusively delivers the FTL customer’s goods from the starting point to the destination without intermediate loading. FTL is the best choice when either the volume of goods requires the entire cargo space, when you are in a hurry and want to exclude stopovers, or when you are transporting sensitive goods that should not be transported together with other cargo.
What Are the Advantages of Road Freight?
The main advantages of road freight arise from the fact that no other means of transport has access to a comparable infrastructure as trucks. Talking about inland transport, the road network is by far the largest transport infrastructure. This applies not only to Europe, but here in particular. Moreover, road freight is not dependent on logistical hubs such as ports, airports, or train stations, and there is hardly any destination for goods that is not accessible by road.
This also benefits the other modes of transport, be it water, air, or rail. In the vast majority of cases, they require additional road transport to get the goods from the (air) port or train station to the plant or warehouse or vice versa. The range and flexibility of road freight offers almost unlimited possibilities for getting goods from one place to another.
Road transport is by far the most ubiquitous methods of moving cargo globally. Road transport also happens to be something that individuals or shippers can easily managed directly without having to go through a broker or third party. Trucks and vehicles can frequently be sourced locally, even in the early days of an emergency response, though quality of vehicles and roads may vary. In many occasions, international road transport is the best option to send your goods to other countries.
The problem is that the availability of this type of transport for such long trips is scarce.
It can also happen that the loading and delivery date offered does not match your needs.
In Digiworld Imports, we help you to respond efficiently to the international demand of your products through an adequate service for the type of cargo you want to send outside the Spanish borders.
Our commercial agents are ready to attend your case and design an optimal strategy that guarantees the best conditions from the moment we load the merchandise until its delivery at the final destination.
In foreign trade, the international transport of goods is the act of moving a product from one country to another. In the case of international road transport, the most common vehicle for moving goods is the articulated lorry.
The main advantage of international road transport is the wide variety of routes to reach the delivery point, allowing greater flexibility when having to alter the route initially chosen due to external causes, such as an accident or a hold-up.
In addition, it is one of the safest options since it does not require a transshipment of the goods, being able to provide a direct route service from origin to destination.
Stages of international transport.
International transport, like any other freight forwarding service, is based on a series of steps to be followed in order to guarantee both loading and delivery times.
These steps can be ordered in the following way, regardless of whether or not it leaves the European Community:
Once the goods have been picked up at our client’s facilities, we proceed with the preparation of the cargo for its correct transportation during a long period on the road.
The idea is to minimize as much as possible the damage that the cargo may suffer during the journey, this is possible by choosing the ideal packaging according to the type of goods to be transported and placing it properly.
On the other hand, we recommend taking out additional insurance for trips to other continents in case there is an inconvenience along the way and the cargo is affected.
In Digiworld Imports all our insurances are made with coverage guarantees in ICC (A) conditions.
2A. Export Customs Clearance
In case the merchandise is sent to a third country, the merchandise must be positioned for customs clearance before leaving the country. There, a confirmation protocol will be carried out in which the cargo and the required paperwork will be examined in order to authorize the exit.
There is also the possibility of positioning the merchandise in a L.A.M.E. for clearance, reducing the number of stops of the carrier and reducing delivery times.
In Digiworld Imports you will find an Authorized Location for Export Goods where you will be able to position your merchandise before its international journey.
2B. CMR for intra-community transports
If, on the other hand, the country of destination of your products is also within the EC (European Community), it is only necessary to have a transport document or waybills (CMR) where all the information of the operation in case of inspection is detailed.
After having prepared the goods, and after having carried out the export clearance in case the destination country is outside the European Community, comes the part of the transfer itself.
The fact that this shipment is made by road facilitates the option of choosing the best route based on the conditions of the roads at that moment, their condition, and the weather conditions.
In order to avoid inspections of the goods at the borders of the intermediate countries between origin and destination, it will be necessary to have the TIR Carnet, minimizing the paperwork and improving delivery times.
If you have left the European Community, after crossing the last border, that of the destination country, the goods must be positioned at the customs office for import clearance to verify the documentation and, if necessary, physically check the products.
It is also essential to consider the regulations of each country or economic zone so as not to fail to comply with the provisions of its legislation.
If, for any reason, all the documentation required for the type of goods transported is not available for clearance, the goods will be held at customs at a high cost due to the immobilization.
When entering another country, if it is not an EU country, an import clearance must be carried out. Once it has been completed, it will be allowed to continue the journey to the destination.
Once the cargo arrives at the agreed place, it will only be necessary to deliver the requested goods to the importer or to the company, which will be in charge of unloading them.
Exceptional Road Transport
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Service for the transport of oversized freight or goods weighing more than 40 tons that require special licenses for road transport and/or escort vehicles.
Do you need to hire an exceptional road transport service?
The transport of exceptional loads by road is a service that requires excellent logistical coordination and exceptional care in the transfer.
Special loads are considered to be all those which, being indivisible, exceed 4 meters in height, 16.5 meters in length or 255 cm in width. This group also includes goods weighing more than 40 tons.
The movement of this type of cargo requires a specialized company that has the resources and can guarantee the service. In addition, you will need to have the specific permits to carry out the transport.
At Digiworld Imports you will find professionals with a long experience in this type of service, thus guaranteeing the success of the operation.
When you contract with us for the transport of your goods with special requirements, you are putting at your disposal a team of qualified personnel and experts in the field, not only to advise you and carry out the task correctly, but also to respond efficiently to the most complicated needs and situations.
The logistics of oversized loads, mostly belonging to the industrial sector, construction or dedicated to the infrastructure used for the renewable energy industry, requires a complete analysis and study where all factors are taken into account: type of goods, places of loading, unloading and state of the route and possible alternatives.
Although this service is normally carried out nationally by road, if the geographical conditions allow it, there is the possibility of carrying it out between two neighboring countries.
When is it considered exceptional transport?
A transport is considered to be an exceptional cargo when it exceeds the maximum dimensions authorized by the General Vehicle Regulations, published in the Official State Gazette number 22 of 26 January 1999, both in terms of volume and mass.
The dimensional limits are:
Maximum authorized mass limits:
This number of axles refers to the sum of axles between the trailer and the motor vehicle.
Conventional Lorries on the road must not exceed certain dimensions and weight limits.
Once these dimensions are exceeded, we are dealing with an exceptional load transport and permits will be required to circulate.
Sectors with exceptional needs
Before defining the operational needs or choosing the appropriate vehicle, it is first necessary to analyse the type of load, its dimensions, whether it can be separated and the total weight.
It is very common for many of these loads to be destined for the construction of large infrastructures in the renewables industry, which often carry windmill blades, tower segments or the electricity generators themselves.
There are also construction and infrastructure companies that need to move, for example, long concrete beams for bridge structures, or prefabricated segments for the dry construction of large offices.
In order to be able to carry out special transport in accordance with legislation, it is essential to have a permit issued by the corresponding body.
These permits are divided into 3 categories:
The generic authorization is issued when the cargo does not exceed the following specifications:
Specific load is considered to be any transport in which the merchandise exceeds in some of its dimensions those of the generic authorization, but does not exceed the following specifications:
This authorization is granted when the load transported exceeds any of the dimensions of the specific authorization.
Once the permit for exceptional road transport has been acquired, depending on the casuistry of the operation, it will be necessary for the main vehicle to be accompanied by another vehicle known as a pilot vehicle.
The accompanying pilot vehicle becomes necessary in one of three situations:
The police may also serve as escort for special loads with an exceptional authorization, when the length is greater than 65 meters, when they leave less than 1.5 meters free when travelling on two-way roads or when they do not exceed a speed of 40 km/h on flat terrain.
Which are the vehicles that we use for the transport of exceptional load? This type of transport is used when it is necessary to transport goods that exceed the maximum dimensions established by traffic regulations, either in terms of volume or weight.
For this reason, it is not possible to opt for any conventional transport method, but rather it is necessary to use specific vehicles that are better suited to this task.
The following is an overview of the most commonly used ones:
The gondola truck or trailer is the most commonly used special vehicle for special loads. It can transport up to 40,000 kg or 40 tones. In addition, it is also possible to expand its capacity by adding an auxiliary truck variant.
Unlike other trucks, this one has a flat, smooth surface of different dimensions, without sides, on which the transported goods are placed.
In the case of a low-bed trailer, this surface is very close to the ground, providing more headroom for loading oversized items.
These trucks are ideal for transporting heavy machinery, different types of structural elements for civil infrastructure and large parts.
A crane truck is a vehicle that has the peculiarity of having a crane built into its chassis, allowing it to load and unload the goods from the truck itself, without the need to hire auxiliary machinery for loading and unloading, such as forklifts or cranes.
This translates into greater independence when loading and unloading, thus reducing the cost of transport and delivery time.
This type of trailer is a good alternative for transporting goods in large batches, or pieces exceeding 13.60 meters in length. The length of a flatbed can be extended up to 29m and the gross weight limit (GWL) is around 50 tones.
They are mainly used in the construction industry for the transfer of materials.
Lift cranes, on the other hand, do not have the same load-carrying capacity as a truck, but are necessary for loading and unloading goods, especially when the goods are of a high tonnage or have to be lifted several storeys.
They are indispensable when the goods are heavier than the average weight of a truck crane, which can be in the region of 10 tones.
ADR: Transport of dangerous goods by road
Transport of dangerous goods by road
The carriage of dangerous goods by road requires compliance with specific regulations, which is essential to ensure the safety of the goods, people and the environment.
It has never been safer to transport ADR dangerous goods
Freight transport by road, regardless of its type, is now safer.
ADR is a European Agreement that has regulated the international carriage of Dangerous Goods by road since 1957. Its task is to regulate the movement of all solid, liquid and gaseous products that pose a risk to human health, the environment or other materials.
That is why, for this type of road transport, it is essential to take the safety measures and protocols required by law. Only in this way will you be able to make a journey with all the guarantees in your favor.
At Digiworld Imports you will find the ADR land transport service for dangerous goods with which you will be safe.
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Goods are considered hazardous when they are made up, in part or in whole, of a material or component that is harmful to both the environment and human beings.
For this reason, this type of transport requires special permits and authorizations, specific paperwork to ensure compliance with regulations, suitable packaging to prevent the load from being exposed and a previously trained team.
In addition, since dangerous goods are catalogued for easy identification, depending on their class, standardized identification must be used on the outside of the vehicle.
Safety requirements
In order to be able to transport dangerous goods, it is essential to comply with the safety requirements set out in the current regulations.
In this way, the current requirements are kept in mind at all times in order to guarantee a perfect shipment, as the safety requirements are very different from those of ordinary transport.
These requirements are:
Dangerous goods classes
As mentioned above, the UN uses Model Regulations to classify dangerous goods into 9 different classes, according to their level of danger based on their nature.
Below, we will go through each of them with the intention of helping you to quickly detect where your products could be classified, should you wish to transport them:
CLASS 1: Explosives
Dangerous goods classified as explosive have a molecular composition that is formulated in such a way that they change rapidly from a solid to a gaseous state, at very high temperature, generating a sudden and violent impact.
Despite having this quality, the way in which these products are manufactured ensures their stability as long as they are not subjected to strong collisions or stimulating factors such as a flame.
CLASS 2: Gases
Gases also represent a clear danger to health and the environment if proper precautions are not taken when transporting them.
These goods are transported at high pressure, in a liquid state, to reduce their volume and make the most of the space, being able to move more at once.
CLASS 3: Flammable liquids
Flammable liquids may come from petroleum products, from an industrial or natural process.
The importance of flammable liquids lies in several areas essential to mankind, such as the fuel needed for land, sea and air vehicles.
In addition to other materials and components for development or personal comfort such as paints, inks, adhesives, among others.
CLASS 4: Flammable solids
These are all materials that burn easily, even faster than other fuels of organic origin.
They emit a lot of heat and burn suddenly, generating toxic gases and vapors.
Also included in this class are any liquids or solids which, when in contact with oxygen, burn immediately, or when in contact with water produce a flammable gas which could ignite.
CLASS 5: Oxidizing substances
Dangerous goods classified as oxidizing substances are further divided into two groups: oxidizing substances and organic peroxides.
Oxidizing substances have a high oxygen content and react with combustible and flammable elements. They do not depend on conventional oxygen to burn, as their composition supplies their own oxygen to keep them burning.
Organic peroxides are all those materials that contain organic carbon and peroxide in their properties. These, when combined with oxygen, can burn independently.
They are characterized by the fact that they are extremely harmful to human health.
CLASS 6: Toxic and infectious substances
Toxic substances are chemical poisons that are harmful to the human organism. They must be prevented from entering our organism, either topically (through the skin), respiratory or digestive (by ingesting them through the mouth or nose).
CLASS 6 hazardous substances contain micro-organisms that cause infectious diseases, a direct risk to humans and animals because of their pathogens.
CLASS 7: Radioactive material
Any material that emits radiation that affects and damages the human body in any way falls under CLASS 7.
Being a high-level dangerous goods, packaging and transport care must be handled according to very high safety standards.
CLASS 8: Corrosives
Corrosive materials are highly reactive when in contact with objects and skin, destroying tissue and causing irreversible changes. They are made up of acids and require special handling depending on their ability to damage materials.
CLASS 9: Hazardous materials in general
This CLASS 9 includes all materials that represent a risk to human health, the environment and transport itself, but are not classified in any of the other classes.
Additional services to ADR transport
In Digiworld Imports we offer you a long experience and knowledge about the treatment and handling of dangerous goods, as, in addition to transport, we have facilities for the storage and handling of dangerous goods.
For the shipment of dangerous goods by lorry, whether taut liner, tanker or container, we have the relevant authorizations and our drivers are more than qualified and trained to respond efficiently to any situation.
If you need to move products catalogued as dangerous goods, either within Ghana or internationally, you can contact us without obligation to analyses your case and determine the procedure to follow.
Common Terms in Road Transport
Trans-loading:- A powered vehicle with a heavy-duty engine specifically designed to pull large loads on trailers. Tractors usually run on diesel fuel, have multi-ratio gears, and come in the form of a large cab.
Trailer:- An unpowered, multi axle platform that is pulled by a tractor. Trailers can have many configurations, including being flat surfaces, enclosed, refrigerated, two part (close-coupled) or some variation of therein.
Semi-truck / Tractor Trailer Truck:- The combination of a tractor coupled with a trailer, joined with an articulated joint (drawbar) that enables enhanced maneuverability.
Single Unit Truck / Straight Truck:- A truck where the cab and the truck bed section are permanently connected, and joints are not articulating. The wheels under the bed section can be powered from the main engine giving all-wheel drive and additional grip and handling on the road.
Axle:- A rotating shaft that connects wheels on either side of the base of a vehicle. Trucks are often described by the number of axles they have. A higher number of axles may be required for heavier loads or unimproved/off road conditions.
Shunting:- Sometimes referred to as “shifting”. The act of transporting cargo over short-haul distances between near-by and often predefined locations, such as between a sea port and a warehouse, or within a defined property. Shunting vehicles may require less special equipment and may incur less wear and tear, and often operate in urban environments. Some shunting operations use specially designed tractors to move trailers on to facilitate quick parking, unloading, loading, and staging for departure.
Long Haul:- The act of moving cargo over long distances, comprising days or weeks and possibly crossing international boundaries. Long haul trucking may require cooking and sleeping amenities for drivers, repair equipment on board at all times, long range communication equipment, and may require off road capabilities.
Lift Gate:- A self-powered platform connected to the rear of a truck that will lift pallets/heavy cargo without the need for manual loading. Sometimes also called a “lifting platform.”
Intermodal:- The act of switching between two modes of transport. In trucking, intermodal frequently refers to the use of shipping containers that can be loaded between different vessels and vehicles as a single unit without having to offload cargo.
Porter:- Human, hand loading and offloading. Porters are heavily used in humanitarian contexts.
Bonded Trucking:- A truck that is hauling cargo that is yet uncleared through customs into a country. Bonded trucking is highly regulated and comes with additional security precautions that must be complied with. Bonded trucking is typically for short-haul activities, such as moving cargo from an airport to an off side bonded storage facility, but also commonly used while in transit across multiple countries.
If your company is in one of these sectors and has special requirements when it comes to transporting both materials and construction elements of large dimensions, do not hesitate to contact us.