UPS Heavy Freight Truck
What is heavy freight?
Generally speaking, heavy freight refers to items that weigh more than 1 tonne (1000 kg). Heavy freight can include things such as large machinery, vehicles, or construction materials such as concrete, cement, timber, steel etc.
There are a few different options for sending heavy freight by road in Australia. One option is to use a bulk freight company. These companies specialise in shipping large and/or heavy items by road. Another option is to use a general freight company that offers services for shipping heavy items. Thankfully the One World Courier Freight Management Platform takes all the guesswork out of deciding which carrier can deliver the goods for the best price and delivery time frame.
Which option you choose will depend on a few factors, including the size and weight of your shipment, the time frame you need it delivered by, and your budget.
One World Courier can quickly quote on heavy freight shipments via our multi-carrier freight quoting and booking platform. Generating fast heavy freight quotes and comparing different carrier services means as a customer can move heavy freight around Australia at competitive prices. Whether you need to move full loads from Brisbane to Perth, or fast pallets from Melbourne to Cairns, we can help you do it by making it easy to finalise a heavy freight booking.
What is the air and road freight price difference?
The price difference between air and road freight for heavy freight such as pallets and machinery can vary depending on several factors such as the weight and size of the goods to be transported, the origin and destination locations, the urgency of the delivery, and the availability of the carrier to allocate space on their vehicles or planes.
In general, air freight is faster but as you would imagine, it’s more expensive compared to road freight. Air freight is typically used for high-value, time-sensitive or perishable goods, whereas road freight is more suitable for large, heavy items that are not time-sensitive, yet still need to be delivered. Considering the size of Australia for instance, sending 10 pallets from Brisbane to Perth means a trip of around 4340 km and can take a few days, whereas Melbourne to Brisbane takes about 18 hours over a distance of 1777 km.
For example, sending a pallet of machinery from Melbourne to Brisbane via road freight could cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars depending on the volume and weight of the shipment. On the other hand, sending the same pallet of machinery via air freight could cost several thousand dollars because as we all know, air freight is way more expensive, but it gets there quicker.
Therefore, the decision to use air or road freight for heavy shipments will depend on your specific business needs, including the urgency of the delivery, the cost of the shipment and the time frames for delivery as indicated by a carrier. Our own Freight Management Platform provides detailed pick up times and delivery ETA’s for all shipments. With constant communication between our Freight Operations Teams and carriers, we keep freight moving and are alerted well before any bottlenecks look like slowing down delivery times.
>>The main difference between sending heavy freight by road or air is the speed of delivery, which also means, the faster you want the freight to reach its destination, the more pricey it may be.
Air freight is more expensive yes!
Air freight is much faster than road freight, although if you’re sending time-sensitive freight, then you might need to pay a little bit more and engage in an air freight carrier such as UPS, TNT, DHL or FedEx. One World Courier partners with global air courier service carriers and through our platform can arrange fast air freight or international air courier of heavy items using our larger freight partners who have spare volume in their aircraft and can also deliver door-to-door.
However, if you are sending less time-sensitive freight, then road freight may be a better option.
Road transport is the most popular choice for heavy freight, as it is generally the most cost-effective option. There are a number of different types of trucks that can be used for heavy freight, including B-doubles, B-triples and quad trailers. Rail transport can be more expensive than road transport, but it can be a good option if you need to move heavy freight long distances.
What’s the best option to send heavy freight?
There are two methods of filling a truck with freight. The first one is a ‘less than truck load’, or as it’s commonly known in the industry – ‘LTL’. The second method is ‘full truck load’ or FTL.
LTL is where freight occupies only part of the available space in a truck. This allows carriers to consolidate multiple shipments into one trip, which reduces costs and transit time. LTL carriers offer more flexible pricing and may not require palletization, but rates can differ from pallet freight.
LTL freight is less than truckload freight and is a great option for shipping heavy freight within Australia. There are many benefits to using LTL freight, including the ability to ship smaller loads and the flexibility to ship to multiple destinations. Additionally, LTL freight is often less expensive than shipping by truckload. Basically, you choose LTL when you can’t fill an entire truck with your goods. Instead, you piggyback on a truck that’s carrying one or more other shipper’s goods.
Full Truck Load (FTL).
FTL stands for ‘full truck load’ and it refers to a shipment that requires the use of an entire truck. This type of shipment, as you may guess, can also be known as ‘bulk freight’. When you are ready to send your heavy freight by road in Australia, you have a few options available.
FTL means there is a dedicated truck, with no other pick-ups or deliveries from the time of pickup to the time it is delivered, meaning your freight will not be delayed or damaged in transit.
If you have a large amount of freight, then an FTL carrier will be your best option. One World Courier partner with a wide range of heavy, large and bulk freight carriers. Each have their own fleets of trucks and semi-trailers, warehouse depots and distribution centres operating 7 days a week, and often 24 hours a day.
There are several different types of trucks and semi-trailers that can be used to transport heavy freight. The most common type of truck is the articulated truck, which is made up of two parts – the tractor unit and the trailer. Articulated trucks are very maneuverable and can carry excessively large loads.
Another type of truck that can be used to transport heavy freight is the rigid truck. Rigid trucks are not as maneuverable as articulated trucks, but they can carry heavy loads.
Another type of truck that can be used to transport heavy freight is the rigid truck. Rigid trucks are not as maneuverable as articulated lorries, but they can carry heavier loads.
The most common type of semi-trailer is the flatbed trailer. Flatbed trailers can be used to transport a variety of goods, including heavy machinery, and building materials.
Benefits to using FTL.
- Your freight will have exclusive use of the truck, meaning that your shipment will not be delayed by other shipments being loaded or unloaded.
- You will have a dedicated driver who will be responsible for getting your freight to its destination on time.
- FTL carriers are usually equipped with the necessary resources to handle large and heavy shipments.
- Your freight will be protected from the elements and from damage while in transit.
FTL carriers will also be equipped with the correct resources to handle large and heavy shipments. Your freight will be well-protected from the elements and from damage while in transit. And, because FTL carriers specialise in shipping large shipments, they have a better understanding of how to get your freight where it needs to go quickly, efficiently and on-time.
Getting a heavy or bulk freight quote is easy with One World Courier. Sign up for a trial account here.
Benefits of a One World Courier freight account.
- No set up fees
- No minimum use (use when you like)
- No hidden charges
- Access hundreds of freight delivery options
- Full access to all functionality on the platform
- International and Australian freight partners
- Quick quotes and instant bookings
- Low freight rates and greater delivery choices
- Use only when you need to compare freight quotes
Sign up for a trial account here.