Freight routes are essential for companies to deliver goods safely from the production site to their customers. Through modern technology, such as GPS tracking and truck route planning, Amazon Freight offers the opportunity to highly optimize the efficiency of freight transport & freight traffic.
New innovations make it possible to use transport routes more effectively, to track goods movements at any time, and to plan arrival times precisely. Find out here which trends already exist for the best use of freight routes.
What are the transport routes for freight transport?
Transport routes in freight transport are the routes by which goods are transported. Which freight route is the optimal for a particular class of goods depends on the distance of the destination and the freight. For most goods, there are at least two freight options to choose from. Depending on goods, budget, and time limits, each freight route offers advantages and disadvantages.
What does on-transportation mean?
1. Road freight routes
One of the most used transport routes, accounting for 72% of all freight, is road freight. This includes the transport of palletized goods (general cargo that a truck shares with other goods), as well as full loads (one booking per truck of 90 cubic meters).
Road freight is particularly suitable for shorter domestic routes or as the fastest option between two countries.
However, the prices and CO₂ emissions are significantly higher for a truck route than for a route by train. A truck often only takes half the time to do this, meaning it is the fastest variant in freight transport and the only possible option on some routes.
2. Rail freight routes
Rail freight includes the transportation of goods by train. Similar to road freight, a partial load or an entire freight compartment (120 cubic meters) can be booked.
Although rail freight is particularly suitable for large loads and for long distances of 1000 kilometers or more due to its low costs, only 19% of it is currently used. In comparison, the pioneer Switzerland already transports 41% of consistent freight by freight train, and Austria 25%.
3. Air freight routes
There are two types of air freight: standard and courier. Standard freight is loaded in the belly of a long-haul passenger plane, such as from China to Europe. There are also special containers and pallets that ensure the goods arrive safely. The freight route for standard freight takes between 8 — 12 days.
Courier freight is sent by a courier company, such as DHL, UPS, or FedEx, exclusively with other courier goods, so that documents and goods arrive within a very short time. Courier services are particularly advantageous for time-bound deliveries of between 2 — 4 days.
Air freight is the faster option and cheaper than sea freight for small loads under 0.5 m3/< 100 kg. In return, CO₂ emissions are higher.
4. Sea freight routes
Sea freight is particularly suitable for transporting large cargo loads over long distances, such as from Europe to South America. Goods are shipped either in bulk or containers. Here, sea freight is the cheaper option than air freight, for example.
A bulk load is a large cargo from a customer that is specifically transported from A to B and drops off on request. Bulk is particularly suitable for transporting special cargo using your own lanes. This includes, for example, the transportation of raw materials, such as crude oil, coal or metals.
Smaller freight shipments from overseas, on the other hand, can be shipped in container ships. For this purpose, one or more containers can be booked for the goods, which are loaded onto the ship together with other containers. There is a regular timetable for these ships, meaning that they always depart at the same time and arrive at fixed times. The transport time is 38 — 43 days.
Sea freight is cheaper and more sustainable for larger loads of 0.5 m3/> 100 kg.
Since almost no company is located directly at a port or airport, shipping and air freight are often combined with truck routes to guarantee door-to-door delivery. Here, goods are transported onward from transport hubs, such as the airport in Frankfurt am Main or the port in Hamburg.
What are freight transport channels and their benefits?
Each freight route has its advantages, which have a different effect on a company’s needs, depending on economic and ecological trends
1. Short transport routes & fast delivery
Freight train routes: When time is not an issue, rail freight is the most cost-effective and CO₂-neutral option within Europe. However, as the rail network has not yet been fully optimized, delays often occur.
Truck routes: While truck routes are the fastest for short transport routes, high gas prices and toll costs can contribute to a higher overall price. If you want to ensure fast and secure delivery of goods, e.g. from Paris to Berlin, this is the best option.
2. Long transport routes & low costs
Shipping routes: Shipping routes are particularly suitable for long transport routes with a low CO₂ footprint and lower costs. They are mainly used for large loads, such as imported goods from China, or as a transport route for coffee, food or raw materials from the Middle East, Africa, or South America.
Air freight routes: Air freight is particularly suitable for medium-sized loads from overseas, which are time-bound and should arrive within 1-2 weeks.
How do freight routes work, what are the trends?
Digitalization has also arrived in logistics, as smart technology can optimize the movement of goods and the transport route. This includes, for example:
- Analysis of the use of freight routes
- Recording freight routes with high demand
- Recording freight routes that are the most cost-effective
- The influence of seasonality, market conditions, and future trends
Amazon Freight offers customers GPS tracking for all goods within Europe and the UK to prevent loss and damage. By clicking on the dashboard, you can see at any time which route your goods are on and when they will arrive.
A truck route planner also calculates the appropriate truck route to guarantee the shortest, most efficient, most cost-saving route.
A TMS (Technical Goods Management System) helps to calculate data, which filters out the best option for every customer through targeted analyses.
Strategies to improve the use of freight routes
Route planning is the most important tool for making optimal use of freight routes. This enables effective use of the supply chain and better cooperation with carriers and delivery partners. Here, too, digital tools help to find the optimal route.
A route planner always looks for the best route from a truck in order to take preventive measures. This includes taking into account weather disturbances, traffic jams, construction work and optimal break times for the driver.
Low CO₂ emissions, the fastest route and the best driving comfort for the driver can also be considered in this way.
Benefits of a truck route planner
- Lower overall costs
- More safety for goods & drivers
- More sustainability
- Higher customer satisfaction
Conclusion
Do you want to ship and digitally track your freight cost-effectively and securely? Find out how we can help your company become more efficient when it comes to freight. Create a new user account with one click and test out our dashboard, or send us an email to: freight-eu-interest@amazon.com
We would be happy to advise you!