How often have you ordered something online and been surprised by how quickly it arrived? Much of what we get shipped to us nowadays can come from almost anywhere and arrive in a similar timeframe. This is due to the many ways suppliers are able to transport goods. If you’ve ever wondered just how they pull it off, take a look at this list of the different ways shipping companies can transport goods.
Ground
Small or medium-sized items carried within one country rely on road transportation. Trucks deliver freight all around the country. Ground shipping is a speedy and convenient method for transporting goods. In the case of transporting bulk or odd-shaped or sized commodities, or lengthy transportation, road transportation may not be suited to your needs.
Rail
For those inconveniently shaped and sized packages, you should go with shipping by rail. Rail is significantly faster than ground transport due to being able to almost completely avoid traffic along its route. A major drawback of this, though, is that you’re only able to transport to areas that have hubs for freight.
Sea
Businesses that need to move products to international destinations often find that sea freight is the most cost-effective solution. Sea freight can carry every kind of load, including small and large, heavy and light. The only bad news is that you will have to wait longer to have your shipments delivered.
Air
Using airplanes will ensure fast delivery of your cargo. Special cargo jets can transfer your cargo to just about any major city across the globe. If your merchandise is of a time-sensitive nature, you’ll be able to expedite delivery simply by arranging for one of the local cargo flights. Your freight delivery will be delivered and picked up at the airport, which a reliable service provider can help you do.
Intermodal
If any one of these shipping options just won’t cut it for you, then perhaps what you need is intermodal transportation. Intermodal transportation is when you use any two or more of the above modes of transportation. For example, you could ship something by ground that is then transported by rail, which is then transferred back to ground for delivery. This is the easiest way shipping companies can transport goods to their destinations due to the flexibility of being able to combine methods.
