What is LTL Shipping

Lower Shipping Costs: You only have to pay for the space you use when booking an LTL shipment online. Other shippers pay for the rest of the trailer area for their shipments.

Very Safe: LTL shipments must be crated or on pallets before the carrier can pick them up. The chance of damage gets significantly reduced. In short, a properly secured pallet has a better chance of remaining safe and secure.

Multiple Extra Services Available: LTL gives you a slew of added services such as liftgates, inside pickup and delivery, and notification before delivery.

Online Tracking and Text Tracking: Most of our LTL carriers provide automatic online tracking that will send you updates as your shipment makes its way to the destination. To track your shipment on FreightCenter, use the bill of lading, PRO, and PO numbers.

Why is LTL Freight Slow?

Who Is the Best LTL Freight Carrier?

What Does LTL Freight Mean?

Length of Haul: It is pretty straightforward. The further the haul, the higher the shipping rate.

Size of your load: The size and weight of the shipment help determine the freight class. The higher the class, the more you will pay per lb.

Service Mode: LTL shipments can be expedited for an additional fee. 95% of our shipments travel at the standard 3-5 business transit days.Less-Than Truckload (LTL Freight Shipping)

Shipping LTL is usually the best option for individuals or businesses with freight under 20,000 pounds.

LTL is best when you are not in a hurry and want to save money.

Accurate Dims: Always round up to the next inch when measuring a shipment’s length, width, and height. If you do not measure your load correctly, it will likely delay the transit times, and you will receive an additional invoice for having a weight discrepancy.

Proper Documentation: The BOL should be filled out thoroughly and as accurately as possible to inform the LTL carriers what your shipment is and where you want it shipped. This document acts as a receipt for the goods shipped once it has been picked up and delivered.

Packaging and labeling: Every item needs to be correctly packaged and labeled so that it doesn’t get misplaced. Failure to do so can result in your shipment being delayed several days.

Expedited: Request an expedited freight quote when you need goods to arrive at their destination more quickly than the standard transit time.

Liftgate: Used when freight exceeds 100 pounds and the receiving location does not have a dock for the shipment to be moved directly off the truck.

Limited access: This service is required for deliveries heading to locations with limited access for carriers, such as construction sites, camps, rural areas, strip malls, etc.

Inside pickup and delivery: If the carrier needs to enter the building to obtain the freight to load or complete the delivery by bringing it indoors, you will need to ask for this service.

How does LTL work? LTL shipping operated on a hub and spoke model. This is where local terminals are the spokes, and larger central terminals are the hubs or distribution centers.

What’s the difference between LTL and FTL? Freight that does not require the entire space of a truck is known as less than load shipping. On the other hand, full truckload shipments take up the room or weight limit of a whole 48ft or 53ft trailer.

Should I ship a parcel or LTL? If you are sending over 150 pounds, consider LTL. Shipping LTL with a freight service provider means competitive rates and expert advice.

What is the difference between LTL and standard shipping? LTL shipments, or less-than-truckload shipments, are larger and heavier than standard parcel shipments. Typically weighing between 150lbs to 15,000lbs, LTL shipments are ideal for packages with unique dimensions that don’t meet parcel requirements. This means LTL shipping offers a cost-effective solution for transporting larger items.

Who pays for LTL shipping? The shipper typically pays for LTL shipping. This shipping method reduces costs by allowing you to only pay for the portion of the trailer used while the other occupants of the trailer’s space cover the rest of the cost. This cost-sharing approach makes LTL shipping an economical choice for many businesses.

How Does LTL Shipping Work?