Freight

Understand the Basics of Ground Freight Transportation Here

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The increased availability of technology has made it easier for businesses to plan and manage their international logistics. By leveraging modern tools and services, businesses can effectively coordinate the transportation and delivery of goods across different locations while minimizing costs and delays. This allows them to expand their operations and increase their profits while still providing high customer service. As a result, businesses can now operate globally and reach customers faster.

Ground freight transportation is a type of logistics service that involves the transportation of goods over land. It is the process of delivering goods from one place to another, usually over long distances. This type of shipping requires using trucks, vans, or trains to move the goods. 

The goods can be anything from food to furniture to large industrial equipment. Ground freight shipping costs depend largely on the size and weight of the goods being shipped and the distance they need to be moved.

Depending on the size of the shipment, different types of vehicles may be used, such as box trucks, flatbed trucks, or even rail cars. Ground freight shipping is a reliable and cost-effective way to move goods from one place to another.

Shipping Duration

Ground transportation for shipments generally takes three to ten days, depending on where it is picked up and dropped off. It is much more affordable than air or ocean shipping, but it does take longer. Depending on the situation, this can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.

Shipping Process

Ground shipping happens in three stages:

  • Collection: The first phase is picking up the goods from the sender’s location and loading them onto the vehicle. 
  • Transit: In the second phase, the goods are transported to the courier’s warehouse for sorting and delivery, with other items headed to the same location or area. 
  • Sorting and delivery: The third and final phase is the delivery of the goods to the receiver’s location.

Ground freight shipping can also be done intermodally, which utilizes multiple transportation methods to move goods. For instance, goods could be shipped by sea to a port, then moved to a warehouse via ground freight, and delivered by air freight.

Shipping Types

Ground freight transportation can be accomplished in four ways: less than truckload (LTL), full truckload (FTL), container trucking, or heavy-lift cargo trucking.

  • LTL shipments weigh between 150-15,000 lbs. and occupy less than 24 ft. of space, ideal for domestic and international freight up to five pallets.
  • FTL shipping is when a truck’s trailer is dedicated to one shipment.
  • Container trucking is the movement of shipping containers between a loading site and a port or yard. It is cost-effective for shipments that require packing in boxes or crates and can be used for international and domestic ground freight.
  • Heavy-lift cargo trucking uses special trailers to transport large, heavy cargo like machinery and construction equipment.

In Conclusion

Ground freight shipping is a cost-effective method of transporting large, unwieldy, and non-urgent items long distances. It is slower than air and sea freight, but the cost is much lower, making it ideal for large items that need to be shipped cheaply and slowly.

Contract FMi Logistics Today

FMi Logistics provides tailored services in Warehousing, Distribution, and Transportation Management for our customers. Our team of experts will blend our four main areas of service—Purchasing, Distribution, Freight, and Construction—to create unique solutions for our clients. Contact us today at 1 (866) 723-6660 for ground freight transportation!