Cartage

Cartage refers to the act of transporting goods, typically over a short distance, usually within a city or town. This often involves the use of trucks, vans, or other vehicles to move merchandise from one location to another, such as from a warehouse to a retail store, or from a manufacturer to a distribution center. The term emphasizes the movement of goods, as opposed to longer-distance shipping, focusing on local or regional delivery. It encompasses the entire process of arranging, executing, and managing this type of transportation, including loading, unloading, and delivery. This service is essential for the efficient distribution of goods within urban and suburban areas.

Cartage meaning with examples

• The company hired a cartage service to transport the newly manufactured furniture from the factory to their three retail locations across the city. The contract stipulated timely delivery, requiring them to schedule precise routing to beat traffic during rush hour. Failure to deliver the furniture would incur major penalties under the agreement, so they took their time and planned well.
• Following a successful product launch, the marketing team had to coordinate cartage for a large shipment of promotional materials. They enlisted a reputable cartage company to deliver the brochures and giveaways to various event venues and partner businesses throughout the metropolitan area. Proper coordination, which also involved storage facilities, was essential for a seamless roll-out of the campaign.
• The local bakery relied on daily cartage to deliver fresh bread and pastries to restaurants and cafes throughout the city. The baking schedule, cartage arrangements, and the café's hours had to be meticulously timed to ensure that the deliveries were completed before the peak morning rush. Therefore, they could meet the high demand for their popular baked goods.
• After the department store's inventory was depleted, they organized a large order from their central warehouse. This meant contracting a cartage company to pick up the shipment and transport it directly to the store's loading dock. The store's staff was ready with pallet jacks, forklifts and enough staff to ensure the efficient and rapid unloading and shelving.
• Due to a strike impacting the shipping network, the company relied on a short-term solution for local cartage. They used their own fleet of delivery trucks. This allowed them to get their product through the city, and deliver their customers' orders, albeit at a slight delay and slightly higher cost. The situation highlighted the importance of flexible solutions.