A production standstill, a missing spare-part delivery or trade fair goods that have to be at the stand tomorrow morning: sometimes every hour counts. For exactly these cases there is express direct transport by truck – one vehicle drives exclusively for your shipment, without groupage, without transhipment, directly from ramp to ramp. Speed Logistics delivers urgent freight this way within 24 to 48 hours to virtually any location in Europe; collection is possible within two hours of placing the order.
But express costs more than groupage. The decisive question for dispatchers and buyers is therefore not “What does the transport cost?” but “What does waiting cost me?”. This guide shows when the calculation for the direct run works out – and when standard freight is the wiser choice.
What distinguishes express direct transport from standard shipping
In the groupage and general-cargo network, your pallet is transhipped several times: collection, transhipment depot, main leg, another transhipment, delivery. This is economical but costs time – two to four working days are usual – and every transhipment is a risk for sensitive goods. With express direct transport, all of this is eliminated: the vehicle is dispatched exclusively for your shipment, drives without detour from sender to consignee, and the transit time results solely from the distance. Overnight deliveries, for example as express freight to Lyon or Milan by the next morning, are thus plannable and feasible – even at weekends and on public holidays.
When the express surcharge pays off
The rule of thumb: express is always worthwhile when the cost of the delay is higher than the surcharge for the direct run. Three typical scenarios from practice:
- Automotive and just-in-time: if an assembly line stands still, costs in the four- to five-figure range per hour quickly arise. Against this sum, every direct run is cheap.
- Mechanical engineering and spare parts: a failed plant produces nothing. The urgently needed component by dedicated overnight run often saves several days of standstill.
- Trade fair and event: a trade fair stand that is loaded in the evening after the fair closes and needed at the next venue the following morning simply has no alternative to the overnight run.
Conversely: if the goods are robust and the deadline has two or three days’ leeway, they travel more cheaply by groupage. An honest dispatch team will tell you that too.
Process and services at Speed Logistics
Urgent freight thrives on response time. At Speed Logistics you reach the dispatch team personally around the clock – including at night and at weekends. After your enquiry with collection point, destination, dimensions, weight and time window, you receive a fixed-price offer at short notice; collection is possible within two hours. The vehicle used is the one that fits – from the Sprinter (3.5 t) for one or two pallets to the 40-t articulated truck for the full truckload – so you pay for no unused loading space. Real-time GPS tracking keeps you up to date on the shipment status; for high-value or sensitive goods, premium handling with special securing is available. On request, the shipment is additionally covered by transport insurance.
What urgent freight costs – the influencing factors
There are no fixed rates for direct runs, because the price depends on distance, vehicle size, time window (night, weekend or public-holiday delivery), load-securing effort and current vehicle availability. As a guideline: the smaller the required vehicle and the more lead time, the cheaper the run. The fixed-price offer before placing the order provides certainty – without hidden surcharges. The dispatch team takes enquiries on +49 (0)30 346 467 850; you receive an offer within a few hours, and considerably faster in urgent cases.
Checklist: this information speeds up your express enquiry
In an emergency, every minute counts – including in preparing the offer. So keep the following points ready: exact collection and destination address with contact person and telephone number, goods description with dimensions, weight and type of packaging, the latest delivery window at the consignee, loading aids at both ramps (forklift, tail lift, crane) as well as special features such as dangerous goods, temperature control or particularly high-value goods. With complete information, the dispatch team can reserve the right vehicle immediately instead of asking questions – and in the best case your urgent freight is already on its way while others are still on the phone. If the shipment goes to a non-EU country, for example to Türkiye, customs clearance is added; express direct runs with customs clearance are also part of everyday business at Speed Logistics.