GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026
road freight carrier
A road freight carrier is the company that actually moves goods by road, operating its own trucks or other road vehicles under a contract of carriage.
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Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009R1071
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Definition & Explanation
A road freight carrier is the company that actually moves goods by road, operating its own trucks or other road vehicles under a contract of carriage. The carrier assumes direct liability for the goods throughout transit and holds the operating licence required by law. This distinguishes the road freight carrier fundamentally from a freight forwarder: the forwarder arranges and coordinates shipments – often through subcontracted carriers – but does not physically transport the goods itself. In European road transport, cross-border operations require a Community licence for the commercial carriage of goods by road.
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