Have you ever stopped to consider the journey taken by the items that fill our daily lives? Is the way coffee beans get to your local chain coffee shop any different from how computer chips are sent to a smartphone manufacturer? Are scheduled regional truckload deliveries any different from small overnight shipments?
Every day you see endless parades of 18-wheelers moving like busy ants through our country’s maze of highways, but you may not know what’s going on behind the scenes. Every business can benefit from understanding the answer to the question, “What is freight shipping?” and what kinds of options are available for moving their goods from one place to another as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
Freight shipping is the heart of our complex supply chain network, and logistics companies are the ones that facilitate the movement of all kinds of goods all over the planet. In this blog post, we offer valuable insights into how the right logistics strategy can transform how successful businesses operate.
Freight Shipping: The Beating Heart of Global Commerce
In the simplest terms, freight shipping is the process of transporting bulk goods across land, air, and sea. It’s a well-tuned engine that keeps our economy running and ensures that products arrive at their destinations efficiently, safely, and reliably.
Yet there’s so much more to freight shipping than boxes on trucks. It’s all about providing customized solutions that adapt to the specific needs of each shipment and client, from pallets of auto parts to bins of apples moving smoothly and punctually from suppliers to recipients.
Freight shipping employs a variety of modes of transportation and distribution, each with unique strengths and abilities that cater to the diverse needs of unique businesses. From the convenient speed of air freight for urgent deliveries to the cost-effectiveness of ocean freight for massive volumes of goods, freight shipping must be versatile, flexible, and multifaceted.
Different Modes for Different Loads
Freight shipping is far more comprehensive than putting boxes on trucks and driving them from point A to point B. Here are a few of the most common modes of freight shipping available:
Full Truckload (FTL)
Full truckload (FTL) shipping is a type of freight service where you hire an entire truck to transport your goods from one location to another. Your shipment is the only one on the truck, and it won’t be consolidated with other shipments from different companies. It provides faster transit times, reduced risk of damage, greater security, and more flexibility.
Less Than Truckload (LTL)
With less than truckload (LTL) shipping, your shipment shares space on a truck with other companies’ freight. It allows you to pay only for the space your goods occupy, making it a more cost-effective option for smaller shipments compared to FTL shipping. It’s a more environmentally responsible option, as well, since it requires fewer trucks on the road.
Growing a Healthy Business With Freight Shipping
Freight shipping opens the door for businesses to expand and grow, reach new markets, and bring greater optimizations to their supply chains. To take advantage of these opportunities, you need to partner with the right logistics company. They can help companies overcome the challenges of freight shipping, from managing customs to streamlining routes, and develop unique strategies that can help your business reduce costs and stay profitable.
The best freight shipping logistics companies can also help you prevent losses and protect your valuable cargo at every point in its journey.
What Is Freight Shipping? Ask Beitler Logistics Services
Freight shipping is the unsung hero behind global trade, and with Beitler Logistics Services, it’s a smoother, more secure, and more efficient process than ever. Whether you’re a relative newcomer to the challenges of cross-country deliveries or simply looking to refine your business’s logistics operations, we’re fully equipped to help. We’ve got a robust library of resources to help you learn how to make your shipments work harder for the success of your business, such as our detailed guide on direct freight services.
At Beitler, we’re more than just a logistics company; we’re your partner dedicated to helping your business succeed. Contact us today for more information and to receive a quote for your freight shipping needs.