How to choose the right vehicle for road freight transport

Road freight transport: how to choose the right vehicle

There are many ways in which companies can access road freight transport.

These include road transport, which offers a wide variety of shipping options, depending on the goods carried, the time frame required and the budget available.

In this article, discover the type of road transport that best suits your business and your needs.

General cargo trucks (machinery, FMCG goods, non-food, etc.);

• trucks for goods that require a controlled temperature (trucks with refrigerated box bodies or
  insulated box bodies).
• for the transport of cars.
• trucks for the transport of logs.
• for the transport of containers (also called container carriers).
• trucks for the transport of live animals.
• for the transport of concrete (also called truck mixers).
• trucks for the transport of bulk cement (also called cement trucks).
• for the transport of powdery materials (similar in construction to cement trucks), fitted with a compressor system for autonomous unloading.
• trucks for the transport of liquids;
• for oversized transport.

The type of semi-trailer indicates the type of goods carried (in the case of tractor unit +
semi-trailer combinations) and the type of truck.
The most widely used types of truck are those for general cargo (with trailers or semi-trailers, curtain-sided or insulated box bodies) and those for goods that require a controlled temperature (refrigerated box bodies).
In the case of trucks over 3.5 tonnes, the most commonly used are those with a maximum permissible mass of 7.5 tonnes
and of 12 tonnes, as they are the most useful in distribution work, especially in urban areas.

A few vehicle models:

Vans

• with side curtain
• refrigerated van - 5 Euro pallets
• Van-type truck – 3 Euro pallets

The most widely used trucks with semi-trailers:

• truck with curtain-sided semi-trailer – 33 Euro pallets

road freight transport

• truck with refrigerated semi-trailer – 33 Euro pallets

• with Mega (or Jumbo) semi-trailer – curtain-sided – 33 Euro pallets up to 3.10 m in height

Trucks in a row with containers in the parking lot. Logistic and Transport concept

• Transport of a 40 ft sea container.

• With car transporter platform trailer

• Tanker truck

• Another type of “20 tonne” truck is the one with a drawbar trailer :

For this type of truck, the design variants are far more numerous:

• tractor unit/truck with 2 axles and trailer with 3 axles.
• with tractor unit/truck with 3 axles and trailer with 2 axles in the middle of the trailer.
• tractor unit/truck with 3 axles and trailer with 2 axles in the middle.
• with curtain-sided tractor unit/truck and refrigerated trailer.

Typical dimensions of semi-trailers:

• curtain-sider of 80 m³: L x W x H = 13.60 x 2.45 x 2.75 [m];
• box body of 80 m³: L x W x H = 13.60 x 2.45 x 2.75 [m];
• curtain-sider of 100 m³: L x W x H = 13.60 x 2.45 x 3.00 [m].

The truck with drawbar trailer can reach a capacity of up to 120 m³ and can usually be loaded with 35
Euro pallets (compared with the 33 that the other types above can load).

Transport according to destination

Depending on the delivery destination, the type of road transport may differ from one company to another.

The delivery vehicle may also differ depending on the goods and the delivery location. For example, if there are height restrictions on the route, the delivery will probably be made with a van.

If the goods have to pass through areas that are not accessible to road vehicles during transport, multimodal transport will be necessary. This means that the goods carried will transit from one type of road vehicle to a sea or air vehicle, or both combined.

TYPES OF ROAD TRANSPORT BASED ON THE GOODS

Besides the vehicle, the most important factor to consider when choosing the most suitable transport for your activity is the type of goods to be carried. The type, size, weight and shape of the load will determine the type of road transport that best suits your needs.

TRANSPORT ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF THE LOAD

First of all, the load may be regarded as oversized goods, requiring transport on certain routes or at least in a suitable vehicle that is marked as carrying oversized goods.

This is especially true of goods with dimensions or weight exceeding the traditional capacity of a container, for example.

TRANSPORT ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF GOODS

The type of road transport also depends on the type of goods. Different vehicles will be used depending on whether the goods are liquid, dry, gaseous, packaged (already packed) or in bulk (unpackaged and unidentifiable).

The mode of transport may also be different for dangerous goods , which influence the type of road transport chosen, as well as the local and international regulations to which the goods may be subject.

To find out more precisely what kind of transport you need for your goods and the best prices for transporting them, you can contact us here.

Choose Honexpres for road freight transport

Honexpres is an experienced freight forwarder. We offer complete freight forwarding services and make sure your goods arrive safely and quickly, anywhere. We have the connections needed to organise any kind of domestic or international transport. We also offer the complete package of related services you need, plus professional advice. Your business is in good hands with Honexpres!