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The term ‘trucking’ is probably something you’ve heard before if you’re in business or own a transport company. Trucking, or shipping goods by land, is essential to the logistics industry.
It’s a flexible and efficient way to ship goods, particularly if you’re moving large amounts over long distances.
But before using trucking, it’s a good idea to learn more about their benefits and various types that suit your needs.
Trucking is the process of shipping goods using land vehicles such as trucks, vans, or pickups. This service is very popular because of its ability to reach various locations, both within and between cities.
See also: Common Issues of Getting Your Goods Delivered
Even though it’s called ‘trucking,’ it doesn’t just involve trucks—vans are also used. Common vehicles used for trucking include vans or box trucks, open and closed pickups, colt diesel trucks (both open and closed), and CDD trucks.
There are at least two types of trucking services, based on how much cargo they can carry, namely Full Truckload (FTL) and Less Than Truckload (LTL).
Full Truckload (FTL): This service is suitable specifically for one customer shipping goods in bulk using a whole truck. This way, shippers benefit from dedicated space, enhancing safety and efficiency for their shipments.
Less Than Truckload (LTL): This service combines several shipments from various shippers in one fleet. This option is more affordable for shipments with smaller quantities of shipped goods.
Trucking offers several benefits to improve efficiency in a business’s logistics. Some of these include:
Flexibility: Trucking is very flexible when it comes to the routes, schedules, and types of goods that can be transported.
Cost Efficiency: FTL provides a more cost-effective option for bulk shipments. On the other hand, smaller quantity shipments can rely on LTL shipping.
Speed: If you plan well, trucking can be fast, particularly for shorter distances.
Security: With various vehicle options and tracking features, you can ship your goods safely and keep an eye on them.
Wide Reach: Trucking can reach various locations, both within and between cities, even in remote areas.
See also: Why Warehouse Matters in Logistics
Trucking rates usually depend on the type of service. For FTL, shipping service providers usually set prices based on distance. Meanwhile, LTL is calculated by weight and volume. The following are some factors that affect trucking rates.
Distance: The longer the distance, the higher the rates.
Cargo weight and volume: The heavier and bigger the load, the more expensive the shipping cost will be.
Type of vehicle: Larger vehicles with additional features will have higher rates.
Insurance: Shipping insurance will also affect the rates.
Additional services: Additional services such as loading and unloading, packaging, and insurance will add to the cost.
When choosing a trucking service, keep these important points in mind:
Decide the type of service: Choose between FTL and LTL based on your needs and the volume of goods. FTL is better for large and heavy shipments to make loading and unloading easier. On the other hand, LTL is a more efficient option if your shipment load weighs under 100 kg.
Compare prices: Compare rates from several providers to get the best price. Rates also depend on the type of vehicle: bigger trucks mean higher prices.
Check the company’s reputation: Choose a service provider with a good reputation and experience in trucking services.
Look for extra services: Some providers offer additional services such as insurance, shipping tracking, and 24-hour customer support.
Delivery speed: If delivery speed is your priority, FTL is the right choice because the goods will be shipped without waiting for full load capacity. Meanwhile, LTL takes longer but is cheaper because of the cost shared by multiple customers.
See also: 3PL: The Solution for Stock Management in Logistics
A professional logistics company that offers trucking services is SELOG, a subsidiary of PT Serasi Autoraya (SERA) and part of the Astra Group.
With over 20 years of experience, SELOG provides comprehensive and end-to-end logistics services. They range from Trucking, Shipping Services, Freight Forwarding, Warehousing, and Project Cargo.
Supported by the latest digital technologies, SELOG Services not only bring greater convenience to your business but are also practical and efficient.
With its Astra Fleet Management Solution (FMS), SELOG provides businesses in Indonesia with IT-based comprehensive solutions for managing fleet vehicles.