Truck transportation is the process or business of
transporting goods using motored, wheeled, nonrail vehicles known as
trucks. The two major categories of truck operators are for-hire
carriers, including business organizations that provide truck
transportation
for a fee, and private carriers, who provide their own
transportation by owning or leasing trucks. Private trucking operations
are found in virtually all industries, and they range in size from
a single truck to hundreds of tractors and trailers.
Truck transportation offers certain advantages:
Truck transportation offers certain advantages:
1. It provides a complete "door-to-door" service.
2. It can be cheaper than other modes of transportation for short hauls (less than 400 mi, or 640 km).
3. It can be cheaper for small shipments regardless of distance.
4. It can be faster on short hauls.
5. It can provide frequent service.
6. It is highly flexible, able to go wherever there are roads and streets.
7. It offers a wide variety of equipment.
8. The freight can be loaded and unloaded quickly.
Some disadvantages of truck service are these:
1. It is more expensive for long hauls than some competing modes of transit.
2. It is too expensive for many low-grade and bulk commodities in intercity service.
3. It is limited somewhat as to what it can carry by the size of the vehicles used and by size and weight restrictions imposed by states.
4. It is affected by weather and road conditions and traffic.
1. It is more expensive for long hauls than some competing modes of transit.
2. It is too expensive for many low-grade and bulk commodities in intercity service.
3. It is limited somewhat as to what it can carry by the size of the vehicles used and by size and weight restrictions imposed by states.
4. It is affected by weather and road conditions and traffic.
