A carrier is a company or transport provider that physically moves goods from one location to another by truck, rail, ocean, air, courier network, or intermodal service. In logistics, carriers operate the equipment, vehicles, vessels, aircraft, or networks used to transport cargo under a bill of lading, waybill, service agreement, or tariff. Choosing the right carrier affects freight cost, transit time, reliability, cargo handling, tracking visibility, insurance exposure, and delivery performance. A freight hauler is one kind of carrier: the trucking company, driver, or transport provider that physically moves the goods.
Types of Carriers
- Ocean carrier: container ships or bulk vessels on international routes
- Air carrier: cargo aircraft or belly freight on passenger aircraft
- Motor carrier: road freight trucking
- Rail carrier: freight rail networks
- Intermodal carrier: multiple modes under one contract
Common vs. Contract Carriers
- Common carrier: serves the public at published tariff rates
- Contract carrier: serves specific customers under negotiated contracts
- Private carrier: company operating its own fleet for its own goods
Related terms: NVOCC, Air Waybill (AWB).
