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On Shiply we categorise road freight into two major types of general freight based on how much space the goods will take up on a transport.

Part Load

Exactly what it sounds like, for loads that take up less than a whole lorry/truck. Commonly known in the haulage industry as LTL (less than truckload) shipments help transporters consolidate their journeys so that they can haul as much cargo as possible in one trip, and this allows the driver to make their trips as efficient as possible.

The main advantage of using a part load service is that it’s a great deal less expensive than chartering a lorry for a single load. The main disadvantage is that the driver may take longer to deliver the load because they pick up additional consignments along the way and may not take as direct a route as a dedicated delivery.

Full Load

For loads that will take up the space of an entire lorry, full load or truckload shipping is used to transport large amounts of goods. Full load deliveries tend to be largely standardised and packed tightly on pallets or in crates, this helps maximise the capacity of the lorry.

Full load carriers are more direct than part loads and often specialise in certain types of haulage, this dedicated service means your delivery will usually get completed quickly and efficiently. Hiring an entire lorry can be expensive; however, it is likely to be cheaper than numerous smaller deliveries to transport the same amount of cargo.

When you’re comparing different haulage companies you’ll want to check a couple of key things:

Insurance – Anything that takes up an entire lorry is likely to be valuable, therefore it’s important to check the level of load protection given by the haulage companies. In the case that their cover doesn’t equal the value of your load, you can ask them to increase it for a small cost.

Associations – Although there’s no obligation for a haulier to be a member of a haulage association it does provide you with a certain peace of mind that they are a registered member of a recognised body.

Once you’ve decided what type of haulage you are going to require, you need to find a suitable transport provider. Finding and comparing hauliers for your delivery is easy using Shiply.

Comparing a range of hauliers can be time consuming, and getting quotes even more so. To save yourself the trouble of calling around all the different freight transporters Shiply can help you get quotes by allowing delivery companies to come to you.

List the details of your cargo on Shiply including: what items you need moving, where they are going and when you’re thinking of moving them.

Available drivers will offer quotes for delivering your items; if multiple transporters compete for your consignment then the quotes will get lower.

You can view each haulage driver’s profile on Shiply so you will be able to compare not only on price, but on feedback from other users as well.

Completing your Haulage

Depending on the level of service you have arranged with your chosen transport provider you may or may not receive help unloading at the point of delivery, or it may be dropped off for you at a specified location.

Make sure your delivery is checked over for damage, and signed off properly at the other end, and if you’re not receiving the goods yourself make sure you get a copy of the completion documents.

Once your cargo has successfully been transported we would encourage you to leave feedback for the haulier on Shiply, any positive or negative comments are welcome as it helps us build a more comprehensive service for our users.