What Is a Truck Transport? Definition, Meaning and Concept

Trucking is a method of transportation in which goods are moved by truck. People may also use the term "truck transport" to specifically refer to moving motor vehicles such as cars, boats, and trucked motorcycles. Trucking is a global industry, with companies large and small offering and using transportation services. This method of transportation is highly flexible and very efficient.


With the development of the automobile in the 19th century, trucks were not far behind. People quickly became aware of the potential applications of trucking, combining trucks with trains and ships to complete shipping needs. Unlike horses, trucks did not need careful care and feeding to keep them going, and they could carry heavy loads, be handled by small staff, and be used in all kinds of weather and in all kinds of conditions. By the mid-20th century, trucking had become the method of choice for moving everything from produce to zoo supplies.


In trucking, a specially designed large truck is used to transport goods. Some trucks are modified to carry specific types of goods, such as refrigerated trucks for cargo that must be kept cold, flatbed trucks for car shipping, and livestock trucks that can carry live animals. The truck can have a single driver or a couple of drivers who take turns keeping the cargo moving 24 hours a day until it reaches its destination. Truckers tend to follow established routes to get to their locations, relying on roads that are reliable and have supporting services such as weigh stations and fuel facilities.


In some cases, goods can be transported by truck from their point of origin to their destination. In other cases, trucks can be combined with other methods of transportation. For example, train transportation is cheaper, but is limited by the available track; goods can be loaded onto a train, unloaded onto a truck at a rail yard, and taken to their final destination. Full truckloads of goods can also be loaded onto trains and ships for long-distance transportation, which will be cheaper and faster than going by road, and containerized cargo can also be loaded and unloaded between ships, trains, and ships.


In the case of trucking, the truck is used to transport motor vehicles. Especially valuable cars can be transported in an enclosed truck that protects the cars from damage and the elements. Less valuable cars or those being transported for destruction can be transported in open racks that can accommodate numerous vehicles. People who need cars moved from one place to another can sometimes bundle their vehicles into an existing transport, rather than having to use private car shipping services, which can be very expensive.