Road transport is an essential part of the transport system and the most common form of transport of the goods. Approximately 90 % of the goods are delivered by truck. The commonness is affected by the role of road transport in comparison to other transport form in pick-up and delivery transport and in Finland geographically decentralized industry and settlement. In relation to other transport forms road transport is easily fulfilled and fast. Additionally, it enables transport from door-to-door.
Introduction: Introductory presentation of this section (Google Slides).
Road transport is suitable for many kinds of goods transport from packets to container transfers and special transport. In spoken language road transport is often referred to rubber-wheeled transport, to differentiate it from transport by rail.
Road transport can be divided in several ways: pick-up and delivery transport, line haul and transfer transport, collection and delivery/distribution transport. In Finland most of the road transport is carried out as a direct transport from starting point to destination point without changing transport mode or intermediate handling of goods. In the international transport, road transport is a part of the transport chain that consists of different phases in which goods are handled and transported by different transport modes.
By road are transported in bulk, industrial raw materials such as liquids, soil and wood as well as their value-added products such as groceries/food in cold transport, concrete in tank trucks or furniture straight to consumers as home delivery service.
The main transport document is a bill of lading, in which are defined, among other things, goods to be transported, sender and recipient, departure and pick-up location, freight payer as well as instructions related to transport are provided. Recipient is responsible for checking the accuracy of information in the bill of lading by comparing information to received goods.
Page updated / checked 5.1.2025.