Road Freight

What is road freight?

Road freight, also known as road transport Also known as road transport, it refers to the transport of goods by truck. Within the EU, EU goods move freely, without customs formalities. This changes when goods are transported to or from countries outside the EU, such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or Norway. In those cases, an export declaration, import declaration, or transit document is required. You can read more background information about this mode of transport in our knowledge base article on road transport.

Types of Road Transport

The best type of ground transportation depends on the volume of your shipment:

For smaller volumes, groupage transport usually the most cost-effective option: you only pay for the space you use. Keep in mind that consolidating and sorting take extra time.

Customs Documents for Road Transport

International road transport always involves a CMR waybill, the transport document based on the CMR Convention. It lists the shipper, consignee, carrier, and the cargo. For shipments outside the EU, customs documents are also required. When exporting to the United Kingdom, for example, an export declaration is required—since Brexit, this also applies to shipments that previously traveled duty-free. For non-EU goods transiting through the EU—for example, from Rotterdam to Switzerland—a T1 document Required: The goods are then transported to their destination under customs supervision.

In practice, we often see problems arise at the border because the customs declaration does not match the invoice, or because the driver departs without a valid MRN. The truck is then stranded, while costs continue to accrue.

What We Do in Road Freight

We handle all customs-related aspects of your road transport. This includes preparing the export declaration or import declarations, transit declarations in NCTS, verification of commodity codes, and advice on the correct documents for each destination. Because we have offices in Oud Gastel and Kallo, we are familiar with the procedures of both Dutch and Belgian customs. This is especially helpful if your shipments pass through Antwerp or Rotterdam, or if you operate in both countries.

Who is this service for?

This service is ideal for carriers without their own customs department, shippers exporting to countries outside the EU, and freight forwarders who want to outsource their customs declarations. We also regularly assist online retailers that receive goods by road from the United Kingdom. We operate independently of carriers: you choose your carrier, and we make sure the paperwork is in order.