Freight is raw materials or manufactured goods transported from one place to another. In the United States, trucks carry the most freight, and trains carry the second largest amount.
Transportation by ship ranks as the most economical way to send freight. Much of the world’s cargo has traveled aboard a ship at some point in its distribution. Most freight moving over long distances, by land or by sea, is carried in standardized metal containers. These containers can easily be loaded onto and unloaded from ships, trains, or trucks. The use of air freight has increased. However, air freight is expensive. Pipelines are used to economically move such substances as natural gas and crude oil.
