When it comes to freight delivery service, what’s the difference between freight and shipping?
If you work for a business that has to either send or receive deliveries, you have likely come across this question. Understanding the difference is important to make sure you’re picking the right companies to work with, and paying the right prices.
At Expedite, we offer custom same-day delivery solutions to clients across a number of industries. Given experience, we’re happy to be able to share the important distinctions between freight and shipping, as well as common terminology.
The Difference Between Freight And Shipping
When most people hear the word “freight,” they picture trucks driving massive metal containers.
To start with, that is an accurate image. In most definitions, freight is the movement of commodities in large quantities by truck, train, ship, or airplane.
This does not refer to the packages you may see being delivered by USPS, UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
Expedite Delivery System is in the unique position of being able to handle both shipping and freight delivery, including same day freight delivery and less than truckload (LTL) services customized to your needs.
We can do this with 26-foot straight trucks that have lift gates available for deliveries that are up to 10,000 lbs – or 10/12 pallets.
Specific Freight Terminology
As we started to mention above, there are some important terms that are commonly used to describe a freight delivery service.
Full Truckload, or FTL
Full Truckload, or FTL, is one of the most common kinds of freight.
This refers to chartering a full truck to carry your belongings. This is for moving goods or commodities that weigh more than 15,000 to 20,000 pounds.
A shipper can specify the kind of truck to be used in the delivery of their goods based on the demands of the business, including dry vans, flatbed trucks, refrigerated trucks, and other specialized machinery.
Less-Than-Truckload, or LTL
Less-than-truckload (LTL) comes after FTL.
This is intended for freight that weighs less than 20,000 pounds. Because it is less than the full truck, it is also possible to split a LTL freight shipment with other businesses. This can help you save money on the cost of the cargo.
Shipments are then piled alongside other shipments to cover the maximum weight that a truck can carry. The total cost will be split among the shippers based on the weight of their items.
Intermodal Freight Delivery
Intermodal freight delivery service is the third kind of freight delivery service.
This refers to a shipper selecting from a range of transportation types, or modes, to convey their goods to their final destination.. This includes truck, ship, or rail, to convey their goods from one
An example would be transferring a truckload of goods from the storage facility to the port area, then moving the goods to the ship to go to another state or country, and then off-loading the goods to the train to be transferred to the goods’ destination. These modes will all be listed and charged on one bill.
Multimodal Freight Delivery
The next type is multimodal freight delivery, which, like intermodal, uses a variety of modes of transportation.
However, unlike intermodal, where the cost of each mode is included in the total price of the transaction, multimodal will present you with separate bills that break down the cost of each mode separately.
Quick Freight Delivery Services
The final kind of freight delivery service is based on speed.
This is comparable to your same-day parcel delivery services. Here, the freight service provider enlists the assistance of a third party shipper who is best equipped to move shipments as quickly as possible.
The cost will vary based on the weight, nature, and supplier of the freight service, as well as just how fast it needs to be delivered.
A Freight Delivery Service You Can Depend On
At Expedite Delivery System, our trucking and less than truckload (LTL) services include Dock to Dock, Liftgate, Two Man, Distribution, and Retail Logistics.
For more information on our services, including to get a quote for your own deliveries, reach out to our team today.
