Werkverkehr
Also: Werk-Verkehr, Eigentransport, Eigenverkehr, Eigenfuhrpark, betriebseigener Transport, Werksverkehr
AI-generated
Own-account transport refers to the movement of goods using company-owned vehicles exclusively for internal business purposes. It is not a commercial transport service and is subject to its own legal framework.
Key facts
- Own-account transport is the movement of goods using company-owned vehicles exclusively for internal business purposes, with no fee charged to third parties.
- It is legally distinct from commercial road haulage, but is still subject to regulations on driving and rest times as well as vehicle safety.
- The economic advantage over outsourcing depends largely on the continuous utilization rate of the fleet.
- Hybrid models, in which own-account transport covers the base volume and external service providers handle peak loads, are widely used in practice.
What is own-account transport?
Own-account transport is the conveyance of goods using vehicles owned by a company or leased by it on a long-term basis, for the purpose of its own business operations. The key criterion is that no transport fee is collected from third parties and that the journeys serve the company's own goods requirements – such as supplying production sites, delivering self-manufactured products, or returning empty packaging. In the EU and in Germany, own-account transport is clearly distinguished from commercial road haulage by law; however, certain regulations regarding driving licenses, driving and rest times, as well as cabotage rules, still apply.
How does own-account transport work in practice?
Companies operating own-account transport maintain their own fleet, including drivers, dispatching, and vehicle maintenance. Dispatching plans routes, manages utilization, and coordinates pickups and deliveries at company or customer loading docks. Telematics solutions help track vehicles, monitor driving times, and analyze fuel consumption. Key performance indicators include utilization rate, empty run ratio, and total cost of ownership (TCO) per vehicle.
A key advantage of own-account transport is direct controllability: departure times, priorities, and quality standards can be set without coordination with an external service provider. This is offset by fixed costs for vehicles, personnel, and infrastructure, which are incurred regardless of actual transport demand. Whether an in-house fleet is more economical than outsourcing to a freight forwarder or carrier depends heavily on utilization consistency, transport volumes, and specific requirements regarding delivery reliability or load safety.
What factors matter when making the decision?
The make-or-buy decision between own-account transport and outsourcing is rarely straightforward. The following aspects should be included in your evaluation:
- Utilization: Consistently high utilization favors an in-house fleet; fluctuating volumes favor flexible external service providers.
- Compliance: Driving and rest time regulations, vehicle inspections, and driver training must be organized and documented internally.
- TCO calculation: In addition to vehicle costs, driver wages, insurance, workshop costs, and administrative expenses must be taken into account.
- Special requirements: Temperature-controlled transport, hazardous goods, or sensitive cargo may favor a dedicated, specialized in-house fleet.
- Strategic control: Companies seeking tight control over supply chains or handling sensitive customer data value the direct authority over their own personnel.
In practice, many companies rely on hybrid models: own-account transport handles the base volume, while external service providers cover peak demand. The boundary between the two should be reviewed regularly based on current cost data.
Related terms
- 3PL
3PL (Third Party Logistics) refers to the outsourcing of operational logistics processes – such as warehousing, order picking, or transportation – to an external service provider. The company retains strategic responsibility, while the 3PL vendor handles operational execution.
- 4PL - Fourth Party Logistics
4PL (Fourth Party Logistics) refers to a logistics model in which an external partner coordinates the entire supply chain and manages multiple 3PL providers and carriers without performing any physical transport or warehousing services itself.
- Absatzlogistik
Distribution logistics encompasses all logistical processes that ensure the flow of goods from the company to the end customer. It includes warehousing, transportation, order fulfillment, and service level management in the outbound area.
- Avisierung
Pre-advice refers to the advance notification of a delivery by the supplier to the recipient before the goods arrive. It enables the warehouse to plan staffing, dock capacity, and put-away processes in a timely manner.
- Beschaffungslogistik
Procurement logistics encompasses all logistical processes that manage the flow of materials from suppliers through to handover at the warehouse or production facility. It connects purchasing, transportation, and goods receipt into a seamless inbound process.
- CO₂-Bilanz Logistik
The CO₂ balance in logistics captures and quantifies all greenhouse gas emissions arising along the logistics process chain – from transport and warehousing to upstream and downstream activities.
- Carrier
A carrier is a transport service provider that physically moves goods from a point of origin to a destination. It assumes operational responsibility for the actual transport – as opposed to freight forwarders or logistics service providers, who often only coordinate.
- Cross-Docking
Cross-docking refers to a goods handling process in which items are transferred directly from inbound receiving to outbound shipping without interim storage. The goal is to reduce throughput times and avoid warehousing costs.
- Cross-Docking
Cross-docking is a logistics method in which goods are transferred directly from inbound to outbound transport at a transshipment point, without going through conventional put-away and storage.
- Direktbelieferung
Direct delivery refers to the shipment of goods directly from the vendor to the end customer or production facility, bypassing any intermediate warehouse.
- Disponent
A dispatcher plans, controls, and monitors transport or warehouse processes, ensuring that capacities, deadlines, and costs are aligned. The role combines operational planning with communication and disruption management.
- Disposition
Disposition refers to the operational planning and control of resources, quantities, and orders in logistics – for example in transport or materials disposition. It encompasses capacity assignment, scheduling, prioritization, and response to disruptions.
- Distributionslogistik
Distribution logistics encompasses all processes that move goods from the manufacturer or warehouse to the end customer – from network planning through storage and transportation to order fulfillment.