The trucking (road and logistics) sector of the transportation industry includes inbound and outbound transportation management, fleet management, warehousing, materials handling, order fulfillment, logistics network design, inventory management, supply and demand planning, third-party logistics management, and other support services. Logistics services are involved at all levels in the planning and execution of the movement of goods. Trucking companies can operate either independently or through freight carriers or shipping agents. The vast majority of trucks are single owner/operators that may lease to a carrier or operate under their own authority.
The trucking segment generally includes three categories, truck load (TL), less than truck load (LTL), and intermodal (IM). TL carriers typically drive more than 800 miles per load over five to six days whereas bulk and tank carriers make TL deliveries on a daily basis; LTL drivers typically average less than 250 miles per day. IM, which represents the fastest growing segment of the trucking industry, involves the shipment of goods through a combination of multiple transportation methods such as rail, ocean, and truck. Throughout this IM process, the freight is not handled when changing transportation modes. Freight brokers are responsible for arranging the transport of freight by contracting with independent owner/operators or large trucking companies. Brokers do not have over-the-road operating authority and do not own any equipment. Some large trucking companies may have a separate brokerage operation and may broker loads to their trucking operations in addition to unrelated trucking companies or independent owner-operators. Additionally, freight brokers can work across different modes of transport, including air, rail, ship, and can often include warehouse services. Freight brokers —part of a growing field —arrange for the movement of goods from producers and sellers and allow industries to reduce costs by eliminating dedicated fleets.