What is Road Freight?

Road freight transport systems consist of technology, networks, international and domestic rules and regulations, information and communication, logistics, service concept and applications. These systems are in constant interaction with transport operations, international and domestic clients, economic and social factors within legal bounds.

In road freight transport sector, factors such as support services for supply and demand, demand in transport, routes and alternative roads, terminals, customs, borders, checkpoints, vehicles, the number of businesses and rules and regulations play a significant role. As a result, transport systems are highly affected by several exterior factors especially technology, communication and economy.

Commodity logistics can be defined as a method of road transportation where the cargo is shipped from one point to another for a fee and a contract is signed between the transporter and the client. According to the given definition, there are four aspects to road freight:

Road transport involves trains or trucks and it is crucial even for air and sea freight. It is mandatory for the cargo to first arrive at the airport or the port and then to its destination. It is not always possible to build a production facility by the ports depending on the coastal features of the country. Road freight is typically more cost-effective compared to air freight. However, it might be more expensive in developing countries where highway infrastructure may not be quite efficient.

Road transport also includes door-to-door transportation where the goods are directly shipped from the loading point to the destination point. Trucks and trains deliver to ports and airports where the cargo is carried in bulk.

Guidelines for commodity logistics are regulated by Road Transport Code Law No. 4925 of July 10, 2003 and Turkish Commercial Code (TTK). Cargo is shipped for a fee and regulations by TTK cannot be applied to free shipments.

Advantages of Road Freight over Other Types of Freight

  • Not handling the cargo except for the loading and unloading process and during door-to-door transport reduces the risk of damaging the cargo to the minimum. With other types of freight; however, handling the cargo while loading and unloading before it arrives at the port or the railway station or while loading it to the main transportation vehicle and at the destination port or station increases the risk of damaging the cargo.
  • It offers the clients the option of transportation to wherever there are roads and highways.
  • Road transport vehicles have smaller cargo capacity compared to sea and railway vehicles; as a result, they offer more flexibility than other means of transport.
  • In countries such as Turkey, where vehicles for international transport outnumber the demand, cargo shipping becomes highly competitive. Therefore, prices change in favour of the client and become more reasonable.
  • Compared to other means of transport (sea, air, railway, pipeline etc.), road transport requires a lower amount of investment cost.
  • Road transport offers more regular and frequent services.
  • In comparison to other means of transport, road transportation reduces the shipping costs especially of small-scale shipments organized by the shipper themselves.
  • It saves time and resources during packaging and preparation for the shipment.

Benefits of Road Freight

  • Project-based solutions are offered in express services.
  • Well-developed highway network systems enable fast and secured services.
  • Thanks to the opportunities for collaborative work between logistics and transport companies, goods and commodities are treated with utmost care.
  • Variety in services is provided by enriching road transport systems with related logistics processes.
  • Easy calculation of estimated costs can help save money.
  • Logistics company is responsible for documentation and loading and unloading in checkpoints; as a result, the transporter can focus on shipping and the shipper on customer relations.