Road Transport in Rwanda and East Africa

Haraka Freight International provides road transport in Rwanda and across East Africa. Land freight involves the transportation of cargo by truck, trailers or rail between specified locations. Within the "intermodal", or interconnected, aspects of land, sea and air transportation, land freight is a vital link.

For a landlocked country, road freight is how almost every container reaches its destination. Goods shipped to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, goods made in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania, and goods heading on to Burundi or the DRC all travel on trucks for at least part of the journey. We plan that road leg properly, so your cargo arrives safely and on time.

Road transport in Rwanda: our services

• FTL: Full Trailer Load (dry, reefer, special trucks) freight services.
• LTL: Less-than Trailer Load services.
• Door pick-ups and stuffing services.
• Packaging, repackaging and fumigation services.
• Dangerous and perishable cargo handling.
• Special project cargo and heavy lifts services.
• Commercial documentation services and legal consultancy.

Cross-border transport in Rwanda and East Africa

Most of our trucking is cross-border transport. A typical load from the coast to Kigali crosses at least one international border, and cargo for Burundi or eastern DRC may cross two or three. Each crossing means customs documents, transit bonds, checks and sometimes waiting time.

We manage East Africa cross-border transport by:

• Preparing transit and export documents before the truck leaves.
• Choosing border posts that suit the cargo and the current situation.
• Following trucks along the route. On the Northern Corridor, transit cargo is monitored with electronic cargo-tracking seals under the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (opens in a new tab).
• Coordinating clearance at destination with our customs clearance team.

Border status in the region can change at short notice. We always confirm the current routing before dispatch. See cross-border logistics for more.

Main road freight lanes

Truck types we arrange

• Container trucks for 20ft and 40ft containers
• Flatbed and lowbed trailers for machinery, steel and project cargo
• Box and curtain-side trucks for palletised and loose goods
• Reefer trucks for temperature-controlled cargo
• Tankers and special trucks for specific cargo types, on request

How we organise a road shipment

1. Load details. You tell us the pick-up point, destination, cargo, weight, dimensions and timing.
2. Truck and route. We match the right truck to the cargo and plan the route and border crossings.
3. Pick-up and stuffing. We collect from the port, the supplier or your warehouse, and secure the load.
4. Documents. Export, transit and import documents are prepared before the truck reaches each border.
5. Transit and tracking. We follow the truck and update you on progress and any delays.
6. Delivery. The cargo is cleared and delivered, and the delivery documents are returned to you.

Road freight in Rwanda for project cargo

Construction, energy and mining projects often need heavy or oversized equipment. Special project cargo and heavy lift services involve route surveys, permits for abnormal loads, escort vehicles where required and careful coordination with the site. Talk to us early in your project plan.

Why choose Haraka for road transport

• Door to door. From pick-up or port to final delivery.
• Documents handled. Commercial documentation services and legal consultancy are part of our land freight service.
• Regional coverage. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Goma and Bukavu.
• The whole chain. Combine trucking with freight forwarding, clearance and warehousing.

Planning regular shipments from Kenya or Tanzania? Read our guides to road freight from Kenya and road freight from Tanzania.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between FTL and LTL?

FTL (full trailer load) means a whole truck or trailer is dedicated to your cargo. LTL (less-than trailer load) means your goods share a truck with other consignments, which can be more economical for smaller loads.

Do you provide cross-border road transport?

Yes. We move cargo by road across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, and transit cargo to Goma and Bukavu in the DRC, handling the border documents along the way.

Can you carry dangerous or perishable cargo?

Yes, we handle dangerous and perishable cargo when it is correctly declared, packed and labelled, and when the right vehicle (for example a reefer truck for temperature-sensitive goods) is used.

Do you collect from the supplier's premises?

Yes. We offer door pick-ups and container stuffing, so your goods can be loaded at the supplier's warehouse and travel sealed to the destination.

How is road freight priced?

It depends on the route, distance, truck type, cargo weight and volume, border procedures and whether the truck returns empty. We quote each load individually.