How to choose a third-party road haulage company

Carrier or broker: the first distinction

In freight transport there are two different figures. The carrier (third-party haulier) owns the trucks, employs the drivers and transports goods directly. The broker (freight forwarder or intermediary) does not own vehicles: they collect orders and assign them to third-party carriers.

The difference matters. With a direct carrier, there is a single point of contact responsible for the goods from collection to delivery. With a broker, goods may pass through multiple hands and responsibility is fragmented. Italfrance S.r.l. is a carrier: company-owned fleet, employed drivers, direct management.

What to check before choosing

Before entrusting your goods to a carrier, there are concrete checks to make. The lowest price is not enough: an unreliable carrier can cost much more than what you save on the rate.

• Registration with the National Road Haulage Register: mandatory for legal operation in Italy
• Community licence: required for international road transport within the EU
• Goods insurance (CMR): coverage for damage during transport
• Company-owned fleet vs rented or subcontracted vehicles: indicates the level of control over the service
• Track record and references: a company with years of activity and verifiable clients offers more guarantees
• Geographic coverage: verify they actually operate on the routes you need

Questions to ask the carrier

When requesting a quote, ask specific questions. The answers will tell you a lot about the company's reliability.

• Are the trucks company-owned or subcontracted?
• Are the drivers direct employees?
• How frequently do you operate on the route I need?
• How do you handle transport documentation?
• What is your goods insurance?
• Do you have a consolidation warehouse?
• Do you also manage return trips?

Why price is not everything

A low quote can hide problems. Chain subcontracting, underpaid drivers, old vehicles, minimal insurance. When something goes wrong, the initial saving turns into much higher costs: damaged goods, delays, disputes.

A serious carrier operates with sustainable margins and invests in the fleet, drivers and management. The right price is one that guarantees the service without surprises.

Italfrance: third-party haulage since 2011

Italfrance S.r.l. has operated as a third-party road carrier since 2011, based in Bisceglie (BT). Company-owned fleet. Qualified, directly employed drivers. 5,000 sqm warehouse. Over 500 active clients. Weekly departures to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Luxembourg.

We are a carrier, not a broker. Goods travel on our trucks with our drivers. For a quote: +39 348 331 4224 or italfrance.srl@libero.it.