Transloading vs crossdocking are both two common industry terms for anyone dealing with logistics, freight and transport. Both of these terms involve the overloading of cargo from one transportation source to another – but each of these are suited to different types of products, and which you need to choose depends on your transport needs.
Transloading vs Crossdocking
Here’s the difference between transloading vs crossdocking explained.
Transloading
Transloading services involve large batches of cargo that are offloaded at one point and subsequently “transloaded” to another transportation method. Usually, trucks will take cargo through to the offloading point where cargo will be offloaded and have to stay at this location until they are loaded to another transportation source.
Some of the drawbacks of transloading includes the speed at which this process can take place: Sometimes the reloading of cargo only happens later on the same day or the very next morning, which delays the entire supply chain process – and is obviously not ideal for any fresh goods.
Transloading can also be more expensive and warrant larger cargo shipments, and there are increasing concerns that transloading can increase the risk for trucks and drivers.
Crossdocking
Crossdocking services refer to the direct loading of a shipment from one transport method (such as a delivery truck) directly to another (often another truck). This is commonly seen where companies either work in co-operation with others for a faster supply chain, or where companies own their own transportation branch to take over from there for the rest of the journey.
Sometimes crossdocking services go together with less-than-truckload shipments, which commonly lessens the cost for both companies. Crossdocking shipments are gaining more popularity because they cut out the waiting time that a transloading service might involve. Instead of waiting at a destination to be loaded to the next transportation service, crossdocking happens both directly and immediately.
For clients, businesses and the whole supply chain, crossdocking offers a faster way to get from one point to another. This is great for any business supply chains that need to operate with considerable speed (think of ones like Wal-Mart or Amazon Prime) or ones that are transporting any goods that have specific time constraints, especially fresh goods.
There’s no offloading time, there’s no waiting time – and the risk for drivers, trucks or any precious cargo being damaged while it just sits there at the offloading destination is considerably less when a logistics company chooses crossdocking instead.
The Junction LLC
As a leader in the transportation industry, we demand excellence from our entire team. Our team at The Junction LLC strives to deliver the best possible customer service and by a desire to solve our customer’s toughest transportation and supply chain needs.
Our team is dedicated to serving our customers and will take the necessary action to deliver our customers’ products safely, efficiently, and on-time. This is our promise to you!
Nationwide Services include:
Trucking & Freight Shipping Services:
- Overweight,
- Over-dimension
- Time sensitive shipments
- LTL (Less-Than-Truckload)
- FTL (Full Truckload)
- Flatbed
- Flatbed LTLRGN (removable goose neck lowboy)
- RGN (removable goose neck lowboy)
- Maxi’s / A-Train / B-Train
- Heavy Haul
- Over Dimensional
- Dry Van
- Dry Van LTL
- Refrigerated
- Refrigerated LTL
- Power Only
Additional Services:
- Our sister companies can also provide warehousing in our food grade facilities, cross-docking, and contract warehousing.
