To find a haulier in the UK, decide what service your goods need (full load, part load, container, reefer or van), get quotes from several hauliers with the same job details, then check each one's operator licence, insurance and track record before booking. A load board does the first two steps in one go.
This guide is for businesses shipping goods by road, whether it’s your first pallet or your hundredth container. It covers choosing a service, load types, quotes, vetting, insurance, paperwork and posting on a load board. If you’d rather skip ahead, post your load and let hauliers come to you, or read Freight1 for shippers.
Choosing the right service
The cheapest quote is only cheap if the vehicle and service fit the job. Work through these steps before you ask anyone for a price:
- Measure the load. Pallet count and footprint, weight per pallet, total weight, and whether pallets can be stacked. Tip: a standard UK pallet is 1200 × 1000 mm; a Euro pallet is 1200 × 800 mm.
- Decide full or part load. If you fill most of a 13.6m trailer (26 UK pallets) or need it to go straight there, book a full load. Smaller loads can share. Tip: below about 10–12 pallets, part load is usually cheaper.
- Check site access. Is there a loading dock or forklift at both ends? If not, you need a tail-lift, moffett or side-loader. Tip: tell the haulier about height or width restrictions on site.
- Check the goods. Chilled or frozen food needs a reefer; long or heavy items need a flatbed; dangerous goods need an ADR-trained driver. Tip: say if anything is fragile or high-value.
- Set the timing. Is it a fixed delivery slot or flexible over a day or two? Tip: flexible jobs can travel as someone’s backload, which is often cheaper.
- Decide on international legs. Moves to or from the EU need customs paperwork and usually CMR insurance. Tip: involve a customs agent early.
Your job sheet
- Collection and delivery postcodes
- Pallet count, sizes and weights
- Equipment needed at each end
- Dates, times and booking references
- Goods type: chilled, fragile, ADR, high value
Load types
The load type is simply the kind of vehicle and service your goods need. Getting it right means hauliers can quote accurately and the right truck turns up.
| Load type | Vehicle | Use it when | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full load (FTL) | 13.6m curtainsider or box artic, up to 44t | You fill most of a trailer or need a direct run | 26 pallets of tinned food, Wisbech to a Doncaster DC |
| Part load (LTL) | Shared rigid or artic | A few pallets on a common lane | 5 pallets of tiles, Stoke to Bristol |
| Container | Skeletal or side-loader | Import or export boxes to or from a port | 40ft from Southampton to Swindon |
| Refrigerated | Reefer with temperature logging | Chilled or frozen goods | Frozen fish, Grimsby to London |
| Flatbed | Flat or step-frame trailer | Long, heavy or crane-loaded items | Steel joists to a site in Leeds |
| Van | 3.5t van or Luton | Small, urgent loads | Same-day machine part, Coventry to Swindon |
| Car transporter | Single to multi-car | Vehicles | Six cars from auction to a dealer |
Groupage, mixed consignments of different customers’ goods, was the largest category of freight lifted by UK lorries in 2024, at about 24% of tonnage (DfT). Part-load services are well established on most UK lanes. Container moves have their own process; see our container haulage guide.
Getting quotes
A quote is only as good as the information behind it. Send every haulier the same job sheet so you’re comparing like with like.
- Write one job description. Use the job sheet above. Tip: include a photo of the goods if they’re unusual.
- Ask at least three hauliers, or post once on a load board. Tip: on Freight1 hauliers on your lane see the load immediately and contact you.
- Ask what’s included. Fuel surcharge, waiting time, tail-lift, out-of-hours delivery, tolls and crossings. Tip: get the free waiting time in writing.
- Ask about liability. Which conditions of carriage apply, and what’s the limit per tonne? Tip: compare it with the value of your goods.
- Check the timeline. Collection window, transit time and how you’ll be updated. Tip: tracking avoids “where’s my delivery” calls.
- Get it in writing. A short email or message confirming price, inclusions and dates. Tip: on Freight1 this sits in the message thread.
Quote comparison
- Same job details sent to every haulier
- Fuel and waiting time included or itemised
- Liability limit stated
- Collection and delivery windows confirmed
For more on comparing quotes, including load boards vs brokers, read how to get haulage quotes fast and how much haulage costs.
How much does road haulage cost?
There’s no national price list, but the same factors decide every quote: distance, vehicle type, how much of the vehicle you use, time pressure, waiting and handling time, and fuel. With UK diesel averaging around 199p a litre in late September 2026 (RAC), fuel is a bigger share of every price than it was a few years ago.
Some real reference points: container loads posted on Freight1 recently were budgeted at £900 for London Gateway to Manchester (165 miles), £920 for Felixstowe to Newport (186 miles) and £390 for Liverpool to Manchester (28 miles). That’s around £5–£5.50 per loaded mile on longer runs, and much more per mile on short ones, because loading, waiting and the empty return cost the same either way.
| To lower the price | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Be flexible on dates | A haulier can carry your load as a backload |
| Share the vehicle (part load) | You pay for the space you use |
| Make collection quick | Ready-to-load goods and a forklift cut waiting time |
| Give complete details | Hauliers don't have to price in unknowns |
| Book regular work | Hauliers offer better rates for predictable volume |
For more, see how much haulage costs and UK haulage rates.
Preparing your goods for collection
A surprising number of failed or damaged deliveries start at the loading bay. Before the truck arrives:
- Palletise properly. Use sound pallets, keep goods within the pallet footprint, and stretch-wrap securely. Overhanging goods get damaged and may be refused.
- Check heights and weights. Many services cap pallet height (often around 2.2 m for a full pallet) and weight. Weigh pallets rather than guessing.
- Label everything. Delivery address, consignment reference and pallet count (“1 of 4”) on two sides of every pallet.
- Have paperwork ready. Delivery notes, customs documents or ADR documents printed or sent before the driver arrives.
- Be ready to load. Goods staged, forklift and driver available, booking time honoured. Drivers have legal driving and working-time limits, so delays at your site can cost the delivery slot at the other end.
Vetting hauliers
The rule: in Great Britain, anyone using a goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes gross to carry goods for hire or reward needs a standard operator licence (national, or international for cross-border work), issued by the Traffic Commissioners. A restricted licence only allows a business to carry its own goods, not other people’s. Since May 2022, operators of vans and light goods vehicles carrying goods for hire or reward into the EU also need a standard international licence.
Running without the right licence is an offence and can lead to prosecution and the vehicle being impounded. For you as the shipper, using an unlicensed operator puts your goods, your insurance claim and your reputation at risk. Checking takes a minute: search the operator’s name or licence number on GOV.UK’s vehicle operator licensing service, and check the company on Companies House.
On Freight1 hauliers can record their licence number, type and expiry and upload the document. Once our team has checked it, it carries a Checked by Freight1 mark. Ratings come only from completed jobs. See how we check members.
Last checked: 3 November 2026
Licensing rules are set by the Traffic Commissioners and DVSA. Check GOV.UK for the current position before relying on this summary.
Haulier vetting checklist
- Standard (not restricted) operator licence, in date
- Licence name matches the company you're dealing with
- Company active on Companies House
- Contact details match the official record
- Ratings or references from recent jobs
Insurance
The rule: motor insurance is compulsory for every lorry, and hauliers with employees must have employers’ liability insurance. Goods in Transit (GIT) insurance, which covers your goods while they’re being carried, is not a legal requirement, but any professional haulier should have it, and many shippers make it a condition.
Even with GIT, the haulier’s liability is usually limited by their conditions of carriage. Many UK hauliers use the Road Haulage Association’s Conditions of Carriage (the latest edition is 2024), which cap liability per tonne of goods and set strict time limits for claims. International road journeys fall under the CMR Convention, which limits liability to 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram of gross weight. On high-value, lightweight goods, that limit can be a small fraction of their value. If your goods are worth more than the carrier’s limit, buy your own cargo insurance or agree a higher declared value in writing. More in goods in transit and CMR insurance explained.
Last checked: 3 November 2026
Insurance terms vary by policy and carrier. Ask for the certificate and the conditions of carriage before booking.
Insurance checklist
- GIT certificate seen and in date
- Cover per load is higher than your goods' value
- Conditions of carriage and liability limit known
- Own cargo insurance for high-value goods
- CMR cover for international moves
Documents
The rule: what paperwork you need depends on the journey. A domestic pallet move needs little more than a delivery note signed as proof of delivery (POD). International road moves need a CMR consignment note. Imports and exports need customs declarations through HMRC’s Customs Declaration Service and a GB EORI number. Dangerous goods need an ADR transport document and a driver trained to carry them. Containers being exported need a verified gross mass (VGM) declared to the shipping line.
Missing paperwork is the commonest cause of failed collections and border delays. HMRC can hold goods and charge penalties for incorrect declarations. Agree with the haulier, before the truck arrives, who produces each document.
Last checked: 3 November 2026
Customs and dangerous goods rules change. Confirm current requirements on GOV.UK or with a licensed customs agent.
Paperwork checklist
- Delivery note / POD process agreed
- CMR note for international moves
- EORI and customs declaration for imports and exports
- ADR documents for dangerous goods
- Booking references and PINs shared with the driver
If something goes wrong
Even good hauliers have bad days. What you do in the first hours after a problem decides how it’s resolved:
- Note it on the delivery paperwork. If goods arrive damaged or short, write it on the POD before signing. A clean signature makes claims much harder.
- Take photos. Damage, packaging, the trailer and the seal or straps, with time stamps.
- Notify the haulier in writing quickly. Conditions of carriage set strict time limits for reporting damage, loss and delay, often a matter of days. Don’t wait for the month-end invoice.
- Keep the goods and packaging until the haulier or their insurer has had a chance to inspect them.
- Claim against the right policy. The haulier’s Goods in Transit cover up to their liability limit, then your own cargo insurance for the rest.
On Freight1, the job’s message thread, tracking history and delivery confirmation give both sides a clear record of what was agreed and what happened.
Building a panel of trusted hauliers
If you ship every week, don’t start from scratch every time. Keep a short list of three to five hauliers who have done good work on your main lanes, with their trailer types and rates. Offer them your regular work first, and use the load board for overflow, unusual loads and new lanes. Over time the board becomes your recruitment tool: every new haulier who performs well joins the panel. On Freight1 every haulier’s profile shows their ratings and completed jobs, so it’s easy to see who has earned a place on the panel.
Posting on a load board
A load board turns “ring round five hauliers” into “post once and compare offers”. Here’s how to get the best response on Freight1:
- Start your free trial and add your company name. Tip: named businesses get faster replies. Start here.
- Post the job with full postcodes, dates, load type, weight and a realistic budget. Tip: a budget filters out time-wasters.
- Write notes that answer questions before they’re asked: site equipment, booking-in times, references. Tip: “forklift both ends, dock at delivery” saves ten calls.
- Compare offers on price, ratings, licence and insurance. Tip: look for the Checked by Freight1 mark.
- Agree the job in the message thread and mark it agreed. Tip: put the price and inclusions in one message.
- Track and rate. Watch collection and delivery updates, then rate the haulier. Tip: good hauliers want repeat work; tell them if you have more.
Before you publish
- Postcodes and dates double-checked
- Load type and trailer chosen
- Budget entered
- Notes cover equipment and references
Shipping freight to and from Europe
Cross-border road freight adds three things to a domestic move: customs, international liability rules and border timing. Exports and imports need declarations through HMRC’s Customs Declaration Service and a GB EORI number. Roll-on roll-off crossings through ports such as Dover, Folkestone and Holyhead use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), where the haulier needs a goods movement reference (GMR) before boarding. Liability is usually governed by the CMR Convention, and the haulier needs a standard international operator licence.
Allow extra time for crossings and border checks, especially around holidays and peak weekends, and make sure documents are ready before the truck arrives. A customs agent is worth involving from the first shipment. See UK to Europe haulage for more.
Last checked: 3 November 2026
Border procedures change. Confirm requirements on GOV.UK or with a customs agent before each new type of shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a reliable haulier in the UK?
Get quotes with the same job details from several hauliers or post on a load board, then check each one's operator licence on GOV.UK, their Goods in Transit insurance and ratings from recent jobs.
What's the cheapest way to send goods by lorry?
Share a truck as a part load, keep dates flexible so a haulier can carry it as a backload, and compare several quotes. Posting on a load board reaches many hauliers at once.
How do I ship freight across the UK?
Decide the load type, prepare a job sheet with postcodes, weights and dates, get quotes, vet the haulier's licence and insurance, agree terms in writing and track the delivery.
Does a haulier need an operator licence?
Yes, if they use goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to carry other people's goods for payment. They need a standard licence; a restricted licence only covers their own goods.
Is Goods in Transit insurance a legal requirement?
No, but professional hauliers carry it and most shippers require it. Check the cover per load and the carrier's liability limit against your goods' value.
How much does it cost to post a load on Freight1?
Posting is free during the 7-day trial. After that, shipper membership is a flat £51 per week or £151 per month, with no fee per load.
Ship your next load with confidence
Prepare a clear job sheet, compare like-for-like quotes, check the licence and insurance, and agree everything in writing. A load board puts all of that in one place.
Sources
- Department for Transport: Domestic road freight statistics, United Kingdom 2024
- GOV.UK: Goods vehicle operator licences
- GOV.UK: Check vehicle operator licence decisions and applications
- GOV.UK: Search the Companies House register
- GOV.UK: Employers' liability insurance
- HFW: RHA Conditions of Carriage 2024 – key changes
Facts last checked: 3 November 2026. Freight1 board examples are shippers' posted budgets, not quotes.