What Is Freight Transport?

Freight transport is the actual physical act of shipping goods and commodities by land and air. The word shipping originally refers to transportation by sea, but in modern American English, it’s been expanded to include transportation by air or even road. In its broadest sense, freight transport means shipping materials and products by an operator’s own power or under the authority of a government agency. In most cases, freight transport does not include air transportation, although freight is often transported via air between two or more points within a country. Transporting by freight is generally cheaper than transporting by road because operators bear all associated costs.

There are several types of freight transport, including coastal freight transport which occurs when goods are transported from ports along the coast to nearby inland places such as urban centers. Urban freight transport happens when goods are transported between urban centers within a country. International freight transport involves international transport of perishable goods, manufactured goods, and other hazardous or specialty items. Another important form of freight transport is the postal service which provides low-cost, reliable and efficient local delivery of goods.

The development of modern society has led to significant improvements in many aspects of life, including transportation methods. Although road freight transport remains a convenient and affordable means of delivery, recent developments have made road transport obsolete for many goods. Freight shipments can now be made either by rail, air, sea or road. Road freight transport can either be locally or nationally driven, while air freight and sea freight transport are largely self-propelled. Air transport is generally more economical and faster than road freight transport, but international traffic routes have become increasingly congested due to population growth and increased urbanization.