Transportation routes are an important part of the logistics industry. There are two main transportation routes: road and rail. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for different purposes. This article highlights the differences between the two transport routes and their respective special features.
THE ROAD AS A TRANSPORT ROUTE
Road is the most frequently used transport route in the logistics sector. This is because it is flexible and fast. Trucks can drive almost anywhere and are not dependent on rail or specific routes. This means they can also reach smaller locations where rail transport is not possible.
Trucks are also faster than freight trains, as they are not tied to specific requirements such as timetables. Instead, they can set off at any time. This saves time and costs. As a rule, only traffic jams and compliance with rest periods cause delays. In rail transport, more factors come together.
Another advantage of road transport is that the transportation costs are lower than for rail. Trucks can also transport smaller quantities, which is not possible with rail transport. This also makes them suitable for smaller companies and orders.
However, the lower capacities are also a disadvantage: trains can transport much larger volumes in one journey. Another disadvantage of using the road for transportation is the high level of pollutant emissions. Trucks produce moreCO2 than trains and therefore contribute to environmental pollution.
Trucks are also more prone to accidents than trains. This is because they travel on roads where there are also other road users. This increases the risk of accidents and damage to the goods.
Special features for logistics companies
In order to reduceCO2 emissions, some logistics companies are turning to alternative drive systems such as electric or hydrogen trucks. The use of telematics systems to optimize route planning and driving behavior can also help to reduce emissions.
Another issue for logistics companies is the toll charge on long-distance roads. The toll is charged on freeways and main roads for trucks weighing 7.5 tons or more and is based on the number of axles and the vehicle’s emission class. For logistics companies, this means higher costs, which must be included in the calculation of transport prices.
RAIL AS A TRANSPORT ROUTE
Rail is an important transport route for freight traffic. Trains can transport large quantities of goods. They are therefore more economical than road transportation over long distances.
They are much more environmentally friendly than trucks: they produce 80 percent lessCO2 per tonne-kilometre and are therefore a good option for logistics companies that pay attention to sustainability. Another advantage of rail: trains are safer than trucks, as they travel on their own tracks and therefore have less risk of accidents.
However, there are also disadvantages to using rail as a means of transportation. One major point is the limited flexibility and speed. Trains are tied to specific routes and timetables and cannot travel everywhere. This means that companies generally have to use additional transport routes to get the goods to their destination. In addition, passenger transport has priority over freight transport, which means that onward journeys are often delayed.
This also complicates the journey: On international routes, the locomotive has to be swapped for one from the transport company of the respective country at each border crossing. Another problem is that not even half of the border crossings in rail transport are electrified. Accordingly, additional diesel locomotives have to be used between these country-specific changes in order to pull the train across the border. What’s more, trains have to be re-registered in each country.
In addition, rail usage charges, known as track access charges, are incurred for every meter of track. Such charges are only due for trucks on long-distance roads, which only make up a small part of the road network.
FREIGHT TRAFFIC IN THE ROOF SPACE: TRUCKS DOMINATE
Freight transport in the DACH region is dominated by trucks. According to a calculation by Allianz pro Schiene from 2021, only around one fifth (around 19%) of goods in Germany are transported by rail, while over two thirds (around 72%) are transported by truck . In Switzerland and Austria, the rail share is higher than in Germany (41 and 25 percent), but the majority of freight is still transported by truck (59 and 65 percent).
The German government is planning to have a quarter of freight traffic on the railways by 2030. However, this development is only progressing slowly: since 1999, rail’s share of freight transport has only increased by 3 percentage points. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure’s (BMVI) Rail Freight Master Plan aims to significantly increase the market share in future.
Why rail transport in the DACH region lags behind trucking
Transporting goods by rail has many advantages over road transportation. Rail is more environmentally friendly, safer and can transport large quantities of goods than trucks. Nevertheless, rail still accounts for only a small proportion of freight transport in the DACH region and development is slow. Why is that?
Restrictions on the rail
As already mentioned, one of the reasons why rail freight transport is making such poor progress is that it is tied to timetables and specific routes, as well as the limited accessibility of destinations. This means that companies always have to rely on trucks. Transport purely by rail is not possible. Added to this are the aforementioned difficulties at border crossings.
Lack of investment
Another reason for rail’s low share of freight transport is the lack of investment. The rail infrastructure is outdated in many areas and needs to be modernized. New routes are needed to make rail transport more attractive and to relieve the traffic network. Digitalization also plays an important role. Telematics systems that facilitate the planning and control of transportation need to be further developed.
Regulatory hurdles
Regulatory hurdles can also be problematic for rail transportation. In many countries, rail is more heavily regulated than road transport. This can make rail freight transport more expensive and more complicated. The different regulations in the various countries can also be an obstacle.
Competition with the truck
Another factor that hinders rail transport is competition with trucks. Trucks are more flexible and faster than rail and can also transport smaller quantities. This makes it more attractive than rail for many companies.
The lower costs of trucks are a major advantage, as rail often charges higher fees for transportation. This leads to many companies opting for trucks as a means of transportation and neglecting rail.
To compensate for this competitive disadvantage, rail companies must improve their services and adapt them to the needs of customers. This includes better planning and organization of transports as well as faster processing of orders.
Prices should also be made more competitive in order to attract more companies to rail transportation, especially with regard to rail usage fees. Another important factor is the infrastructure. The railroads must be in good condition and regularly maintained to ensure a high level of transport reliability.
The expansion of the rail network can also help to encourage more companies to switch to rail. In addition to these measures, political decisions can help to promote freight transport by rail. These include, for example, subsidies or tax breaks for companies that rely on rail as a means of transportation. All in all, there are various ways of boosting rail freight transport and thus helping to protect the environment.
FREIGHT TRANSPORT: ROAD REMAINS THE MOST IMPORTANT TRANSPORT ROUTE
The question of whether a company should use trucks or primarily rail transport for freight transportation is a complex matter that depends on many factors. These include, for example, infrastructure and costs: the expansion of rail infrastructure can be very expensive, while the use of trucks on roads already utilizes an established infrastructure.
These are the most important factors that need to be taken into account when deciding which means of transportation is best suited for certain goods or routes:
- Infrastructure: Road transportation uses roads and highways, while rail transportation relies on rails and rail infrastructure such as tracks and stations.
- Flexibility: Road transport is generally more flexible than rail transport, as trucks and other vehicles are able to travel directly from one place to another, whereas rail transport is limited to certain routes and routes. Road transportation is therefore essential for the delivery of goods to the end customer.
- Capacity: Rail transport can generally accommodate larger quantities of goods than road transport, as trains are able to transport more wagons than trucks. These are ideal for smaller shipments and express deliveries.
- Speed: Trucks are generally faster than rail freight traffic. Traffic jams in road traffic can lead to delays. Special regulations prevent freight traffic on rails from passing through easily.
- Environment: Rail transport is significantly more environmentally friendly than road transport, as trains produce fewer emissions than trucks and other vehicles.
- Availability: Road infrastructure is widespread and trucks can drive almost anywhere. The rail infrastructure is not sufficiently developed in many places or is outdated and overloaded.
- Safety: Trains are generally safer than trucks because the probability of accidents is higher in road traffic.
- Costs: The costs of operating rail transport are generally higher than the costs of operating road transport, as rail infrastructure is more expensive than road infrastructure. This is partly due to track prices.
Political and economic considerations also play a role. Overall, it is important that the decision on which transport routes to use is based on a comprehensive analysis of the various factors.
This ensures that the best transport solution is found for the logistics company. In some cases, a combination of road and rail may be the best solution.
Conclusion
It is important that logistics companies also consider the special features of road and rail when deciding which transport route to use. Road transport is better suited to delivering goods to end customers or for express deliveries, while rail transport is better suited to transporting large quantities of goods over long distances.
In addition, logistics companies should consider the impact on the environment and consider sustainable transportation solutions. In many cases, rail transport can be more environmentally friendly than road transport, as trains produce fewer emissions.
Overall, it is important that logistics companies carefully consider which transport route is best suited to transporting their goods as efficiently as possible. A comprehensive analysis of the various factors is essential for this.
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