Road Freight

To calculate the cost, we will need the following information:

1. the place of loading (address or postal code);
2. the place of delivery (address or postal code);
3. the volume of the cargo;
4. a description of the cargo;
5. cargo readiness date and preferred delivery date.

The price of road freight varies. It depends on demand, seasonality and other external factors, but in essence freight prices are based on the following items:

1. Volume and weight of cargo.
The load capacity of each vehicle and the cargo area volume is limited. The more the vehicle’s cargo area is occupied by your cargo, the more the total cost of the journey you will be required to cover. If the load is heavy, but not bulky, the calculation will be based on weight. Many carriers perform the calculation assuming that 1750 kg corresponds to one loading metre (1 LDM). This means that even if your cargo takes up only 1 LDM in terms of volume but weighs 5,250 kg, the price will be calculated for 3 LDM according to the above formula. The total load capacity of a standard curtain-sided semitrailer is approximately 24 tonnes, while its volume capacity is 13.6 load metres (LDM). The calculation of the freight forwarding price is based on both the weight and volume criteria.

2. Type of cargo.
If your cargo is classified as hazardous (ADR) or, for example, requires a controlled temperature mode, it should be noted that the cost of the carriage will be higher than for normal cargo. For cargo that requires special equipment or compliance with special conditions or instructions, the cost of carriage will always be higher than the cost of transporting standard cargo.

3. Distance.
An equally important factor determining the price of freight is the distance to be carried. The further the vehicle needs to go, the more fuel it will consume. Nowadays one of the key cost contributors of carriers in addition to fuel are road charges which, depending on the country, are collected per kilometre travelled or per day of driving in the respective country. For example, in Germany the charge per kilometre for a heavy-goods vehicle equipped with the latest generation diesel engine (EURO 6) is EUR 0.187. For older diesel engines, this charge is even higher.

4. Ancillary services.
When calculating the price of road freight, we always take into account all preferences of the customer, such as cargo insurance, customs formalities or delivery with a vehicle equipped with an elevator platform, etc.. These are ancillary services that will impact the total cost of carriage.

A pallet is rectangular, flat, with special openings for the convenient handling of cargo with a forklift or pallet jack. The most common type of pallet used in Europe is the Euro-pallet (epll, epal). For details on the size of the pallet, please see here:  PALLET SIZES.

The prices of road freight depend on variable factors such as fuel prices, seasonality, demand, etc., and therefore today’s carriage costs can differ from the cost of carrying identical cargo a few months before. For this reason, we recommend to ask for an exact quote before each planned shipment. This especially applies if a long period of time has passed between shipments.

Our specialists continuously monitor the movement and the current location of all goods being transported, allowing us to advise customers on both the current location of the cargo and the exact scheduled date and time of delivery at the final destination. Most of our heavy-goods vehicles are equipped with a GPS system that enables one to keep track of the vehicle location online.

The CMR bill of lading is the main accompanying document for international road freight. This document contains all data related to the respective road freight shipment. The CMR bill of lading shows who has carried what and in what quantity, what accompanying documents the cargo had, who the consignor and the consignee was, when the cargo was loaded and when it was delivered, what the status of the cargo was at the time of delivery, as well as other relevant information. A CMR set consists of three copies: for the consignor, the carrier and the consignee. The CMR bill of lading can essentially be considered a tripartite agreement between the consignor, the carrier and the consignee, concluded on the basis of the provisions of the CMR Convention. In addition, the CMR bill of lading serves as proof of performance or non-performance of the contract. The consignee must assess the state of the cargo upon delivery. In the event of any damage to the cargo, appropriate notes should be made in the CMR bill of lading, serving as proof of the condition of the cargo at the time of delivery.

Depending on the mode of transport, the liability of the carrier in the event of loss, damage or destruction of the cargo changes. In the case of road freight, the carrier’s liability is 8.33 SDR per gross kg of damaged/lost cargo, for air freight ‒ 19 SDR and for sea freight ‒ 2 SDR per gross kg of damaged/lost cargo. The value of 1 SDR is approximately EUR 10 (the value varies depending on the current SDR rate). If the value of your cargo exceeds this compensation amount, it is recommended to additionally insure the cargo. To do this, you can contact our specialists who will gladly help you prepare a full-value insurance policy for your cargo within a few minutes.

Ursus Forwarding provides all ancillary services related to road freight, including door-to-door deliveries, customs formalities, warehousing, deliveries with vehicles equipped with a lift, etc.