International road freight is the process in which cargo is loaded onto a truck in one country, passes through border crossings and is delivered to a consignee in another country. It starts with the quotation and vehicle allocation and is completed with loading, export customs, border crossing, transit, destination customs and delivery. The process runs on the CMR consignment note, road transit permits and transit documents such as the TIR carnet or T1.
Who is involved in the process?
- Consignor and consignee: The parties to the sales contract; the delivery term (Incoterms) determines who pays which costs.
- Carrier: The company that provides the vehicle and driver. In Türkiye, a company carrying goods internationally for commercial purposes must obtain a C2 authorisation certificate under the Road Transport Regulation (Karayolu Taşıma Yönetmeliği).
- Forwarder or freight forwarding organiser: Plans the transport without its own vehicles, contracts with the carrier and manages the process end to end. Under the 2022 Freight Forwarding Regulation (Taşıma İşleri Organizatörlüğü Yönetmeliği), a TİO authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanlığı) is required for this business.
- Customs broker: Prepares the export and import declarations and transit documents.
- Insurer: Covers the carrier's liability (CMR insurance) and the value of the cargo (cargo insurance).
How does a shipment progress step by step?
- Quotation: The loading and delivery addresses, type of cargo, weight, dimensions, GTİP (Turkish HS/tariff code) and delivery term are shared. Missing information delays the quotation; the checklist is under information required for a freight quotation.
- Vehicle allocation: A trailer suited to the cargo is selected, the plate number and driver are notified, and a transit permit is reserved for the destination country.
- Loading: The cargo is secured; the CMR, commercial invoice and packing list are handed over with the vehicle.
- Export customs: The declaration is registered and, if necessary, an inspection is carried out. If the cargo is to move under a transit procedure, a T1 is opened through NCTS or a TIR carnet is used.
- Border crossing: Documents, vehicle and driver are checked at the exit and entry gates. Waiting times vary by gate, season and day.
- Transit: When passing through third countries, the transit document acts as the customs guarantee; the driver complies with driving and rest times.
- Destination customs: The transit is closed, the consignee files the import declaration and the duties are paid.
- Delivery: The cargo is unloaded and the consignee signs and stamps the CMR; any damage reservation is written on the note.
Which documents and permits are needed?
| Document | Purpose | Provided by |
|---|---|---|
| CMR consignment note | Evidence of the contract of carriage | Consignor and carrier |
| Commercial invoice, packing list | Value and contents of the goods | Consignor |
| Export declaration | Exit customs procedure | Customs broker |
| T1 or TIR carnet | Transit and duty guarantee | Customs broker, carrier |
| Bilateral transit permit or CEMT permit | Right to carry goods in a foreign country | Carrier, from the Ministry of Transport quota |
| Vehicle and driver documents | Registration, insurance, tachograph records, driver's SRC certificate, visa | Carrier |
The full list of documents that must be in the vehicle is in the entry on documents required in the vehicle on a truck trip. Transit permits are issued country by country under bilateral agreements; CEMT (UBAK) permits, on the other hand, are distributed among member countries through a multilateral quota system.
Driver and vehicle requirements
A driver carrying international freight must hold a certificate of professional competence (SRC) and comply with driving and rest times monitored through tachograph records; the rules are explained in the entry on AETR driving and rest times. Vehicles carrying dangerous goods require ADR equipment, and vehicles carrying temperature-sensitive cargo require ATP compliance. Cold chain road transport at controlled temperatures requires additional steps such as pre-cooling, temperature recording and checking the records at delivery.
Common mistakes
- The number of packages on the invoice not matching the CMR and the declaration; correcting this at the border can take days.
- Committing to a delivery date without asking about the transit permit situation for the destination country.
- Not closing the transit declaration on time; the guarantee remains open.
How does Voltim Global help with this?
Voltim Global works with the Ministry of Transport's TİO authorisation certificate and has organised more than 5,000 shipments since 2014, more than 1,500 of them international trips in the last two years. In international road freight and door-to-door delivery operations, vehicle, document and customs steps are coordinated from a single point.