Editing Cargo (section)

===Road===
{{main|Truck}}
Many firms, like [[Parcelforce]], [[FedEx]] and [[R+L Carriers]] transport all types of cargo by road. Delivering everything from letters to [[structure relocation|houses]] to [[containerization|cargo containers]], these firms offer fast, sometimes same-day [[Delivery (commerce)|delivery]].

A good example of road cargo is food, as [[supermarket]]s require deliveries daily to replenish their shelves with goods. Retailers and manufacturers of all kinds rely upon [[delivery truck]]s, be they full size [[Semi-trailer truck|semi trucks]] or smaller [[delivery van]]s. These smaller road haulage companies constantly strive for the best routes and prices to ship out their products. Indeed, the level of commercial freight transported by smaller businesses is often a good barometer of healthy [[economic development]] as these types of vehicles move and transport anything literally, including couriers transporting parcels and mail.<ref name="The World Bank">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/14/transport-results-profile|title=Transportation is a crucial driver of economic growth and poverty reduction.|publisher=The World Bank|access-date=14 April 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630020149/http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/14/transport-results-profile|archive-date=30 June 2013}}</ref>
You can see the different types and weights of vehicles that are used to move cargo around .<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.returnloads.net/pdfs/haulage-courier-vehicle-types-and-weights/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-01-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210061002/http://www.returnloads.net/pdfs/haulage-courier-vehicle-types-and-weights/ |archive-date=2015-02-10 }}</ref>

====Less-than-truckload freight====
{{Main|Less than truckload shipping}}
'''Less than truckload (LTL) cargo''' is the first category of freight shipment, representing the majority of freight shipments and the majority of business-to-business (B2B) shipments. LTL shipments are also often referred to as ''motor freight'' and the carriers involved are referred to as ''motor carriers''.

LTL shipments range from {{cvt|50|to|7000|kg|lb}}, being less than {{cvt|2.5|to|8.5|m|ftin|1}} the majority of times. The average single piece of LTL freight is {{cvt|600|kg|lb|0}} and the size of a standard pallet. Long freight and/or large freight are subject to extreme length and cubic capacity surcharges.

Trailers used in LTL can range from {{cvt|28|to|53|ft|m|2}}. The standard for city deliveries is usually {{cvt|48|ft|m|2}}. In tight and residential environments the {{cvt|28|ft|m|2}} trailer is used the most.

The shipments are usually palletized, stretch [shrink]-wrapped and packaged for a mixed-freight environment. Unlike express or parcel, LTL shippers must provide their own packaging, as carriers do not provide any packaging supplies or assistance. However, circumstances may require crating or another substantial packaging.

====Truckload freight====
{{Main|Truckload shipping}}
In the United States, shipments larger than about {{cvt|7000|kg|lb|0}} are typically classified as '''truckload (TL) freight'''. This is because it is more efficient and economical for a large shipment to have exclusive use of one larger trailer rather than share space on a smaller LTL trailer.

By the [[Federal Bridge Gross Weight Formula]] the total weight of a loaded truck (tractor and trailer, 5-axle rig) cannot exceed {{cvt|80000|lbs|kg|0}} in the United States. In ordinary circumstances, long-haul equipment will [[Tare weight|weigh]] about {{cvt|15000|kg|lb|0}}, leaving about {{cvt|20000|kg|lb|0}} of freight capacity. Similarly a load is limited to the space available in the trailer, normally {{cvt|48|ft|m|2}} or {{cvt|53|ft|m|2}} long, {{cvt|2.6|m|in|frac=8}} wide, {{cvt|9|ft|0|in|m|2}} high and {{cvt|13|ft|6|in|m|2|disp=or}} high overall.

While express, parcel and LTL shipments are always intermingled with other shipments on a single piece of equipment and are typically reloaded across multiple pieces of equipment during their transport, TL shipments usually travel as the only shipment on a trailer. In fact, TL shipments usually deliver on exactly the same trailer as they are picked up on.

==== Shipment categories ====
{{citation needed span|text=Freight is usually organized into various shipment categories before it is transported. An item's category is determined by:|date=November 2016}}
* the type of item being carried. For example, a kettle could fit into the category 'household goods'.
* how large the shipment is, in terms of both item size and quantity.
* how long the item for delivery will be in transit.

{{citation needed span|text=Shipments are typically categorized as household goods, express, parcel, and freight shipments:|date=November 2016}}
* ''[[Household goods]] (HHG)'' include furniture, art and similar items.
* ''Express:'' Very small business or personal items like envelopes are considered ''overnight express'' or ''express letter shipments''. These shipments are rarely over a few kilograms or pounds and almost always travel in the carrier's own [[packaging]]. Express shipments almost always travel some distance by air. An envelope may go coast to coast in the United States overnight or it may take several days, depending on the service options and prices chosen by the shipper.
* ''Parcel:'' Larger items like small boxes are considered ''parcels'' or ''ground shipments''. These shipments are rarely over {{cvt|50|kg|lb|0}}, with no single piece of the shipment weighing more than about {{cvt|70|kg|lb|0}}. Parcel shipments are always boxed, sometimes in the shipper's packaging and sometimes in carrier-provided packaging. Service levels are again variable but most ground shipments will move about {{cvt|800|to|1100|km|mi|0}} per day. Depending on the package's origin, it can travel from coast to coast in the United States in about four days. Parcel shipments rarely travel by air and typically move via road and rail. Parcels represent the majority of business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments.
* ''Freight:'' Beyond HHG, express, and parcel shipments, movements are termed ''freight shipments''.