The word haulage comes from the late 16th-century verb hall– ‘pull or draw forcibly’, and the Middle English word halen– ‘to drag, pull.’ In simple terms, it is the movement of items from one place to another for commercial purposes. However, in today’s industry, the term is generally used to refer to transporting goods and items within the same country.
Haulage takes place over flat land, such as via roads, motorways, and by rail. Trucks and vans are most commonly associated with haulage, however there is also motorbike and bicycle haulage, for smaller items.
For deliveries and shipments that take place across borders and overseas, then we use the term freight. This term also has its root in Middle English, and derives from the verb fraught, which literally means ‘a load, cargo, lading of a ship.’ The main difference between the two terms is that freight is most commonly used for moving very heavy or bulky cargo overseas. Anything else, especially within the same country, is likely to be haulage.
Different types of haulage service
Haulage and freight services have to be as diverse as the products they transport, so there are a number of different types:
Heavy Duty Haulage
Heavy duty haulage is for bulky goods or parts that need strong vehicles such as articulated or rigid lorries.
Container Haulage
This type of haulage is for moving larger containers or bins, often used for freight transport to other countries.
Cold Haulage
Cold and frozen goods require a special sort of transportation, such as some food and pharmaceutical products.
Livestock Haulage
Livestock haulage for the farming and meat industries have requirements that include specialist boxes or wagons, which ensure that animals are transported safely.
Hazardous Haulage
Some transportation companies have expertise in handling hazardous or toxic goods that need to be disposed of at a safe point.
There are several other specialist types of haulage, for example, for sensitive goods and breakable items.
Haulage comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, so you can’t expect one type of haulage to carry absolutely everything. That is why it is important to rely on professional firms with experience in the type of haulage you need. The more experienced the haulage company is, the fewer problems you will have.
Paack offers a range of business courier solutions for large retailers and ecommerce companies, including temperature-controlled and food transportation.
