
Partial Truckload
See how partial truckload saves money and offers a Low-Cost alternative for LTL shipping. Use our Instant Freight Rate calculator to get instant quotes
Why Choose FreightCenter For Your Partial Truckloads?
- Compare PTL rates from 50+ carriers
- Instant rates anytime
- PTL solutions to anywhere in the US & Canada
- Unbeatable discounts on your PTL, LTL, FTL, rail, air, and more
- Automated tracking, paperwork & invoices
- Manage all freight quotes & shipments in one place
- 30+ years of transportation experience working for you!
Experienced Partial Load Shipping
Our experienced staff will manage all the variables needed to ensure a smooth shipping and safe arrival of your less-than-truckload cargo, including coordinating pickup and delivery, customs management, and permits. Planning is the key to successful cargo transport. We have earned a reputation for meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations. 800.716.7608
Want To Learn More About LTL Shipping?
LTL FreightFreightCenter is Trusted By For PTL
Awards and Endorsements
- 2021, 2017 & 2016 Food Logistics’ Top Green Providers
- 2021 & 2018 Supply & Demand Chain Executives’ Pros to Know: Matthew Brosious
- 2020 & 2019 Top Food Logistics’ 3PL & Cold Storage Provider Award
- 2020 & 2019 Business Observer’s Top 500 Companies on the Gulf Coast
- 2020 & 2017 SmartWay® Transport Partner
- 2020 & 2017 Food Logistics’ Champions: Rock Stars of the Supply Chain
- 2020 Best of Palm Harbor Awards for Local Businesses
- 2017 Green Supply Chain Award from Supply & Demand Chain Executive
- 2017 Tampa Bay Business Journal Heroes at Work
- 2016, 2015, & 2012 Food Logistics Top 100 Software and Technology Providers
- 2013 Tampa Bay Business 100 by Tampa Bay Business Journal
- 2013 Top 100 Great Supply Chain Partners by SupplyChainBrain
- 2012 TIA Samaritan Award Honorable Mention
- 2013, 2011, & 2010 Diversity Business Top Businesses

What Our Customers Say about our PTL Service
FreightCenter offers reliable, on-time, cost-effective partial truckload shipping services. Shipping Partial Load volumes can be expensive if you pay for a full container or trailer to ship your smaller freight. FreightCenter’s logistics services coordinate LTL freight scheduling to combine shipments from different companies to create a full truckload. This lowers shipping costs for all companies utilizing the LTL service.
As an experienced shipping broker, we have a broad network of carriers that provides us with flexibility and the resources to be able to coordinate partial TL shipments throughout North America so that we can arrange shipment to your destination, saving you freight costs and allowing you greater visibility of your transportation spend.
Our network of over 11,000 carriers can provide you with access to the type of LTL trucking setup you need to transport your freight, including vans, flatbeds, step decks & double drops. The carriers in our network are qualified professionals and maintain the highest DOT safety ratings, substantial liability and cargo insurance, industry certifications, and international documentation.
What Is A Partial Load?
Partial freight shipping is a different type of freight shipping. A partial truckload is a hybrid between a full truckload and a less-than-load. Partials becomes an option for shipments larger than LTL and smaller than FTL.
Partial truckload carriers are usually for shipments that weigh between 5,000 lbs to 40,000 lbs or between 5-14 pallets. PTL shipping may be your best option if your shipment falls within these parameters. Unlike shipping LTL, PTL is usually a straight shot.
This means the same truck that picks up a shipment is the same one that will deliver it. With PTL shipping, you have less chance of damage because your shipment doesn’t transfer from trailer to dock and back onto the trailer. As a result of this, a PTL transit time is reduced.
Reduced Shipping Times
In logistics, the two common types of shipping are LTL and FTL. Rarely do logistics providers offer the PTL option to the shipper. Shipping PTL can significantly reduce your freight shipping costs if it fits a specific shipper’s requirements.
Suppose you are expanding your shipping horizons or executing the initial groundwork for deciding which shipping best suits your company. In that case, You need to decide which mode is best. Let’s dive deeper into the differences between LTL and PTL shipping.
Differences Between PTL and LTL
LTL or PTL, which one to choose? This depends on what kind of products and how many units you are shipping. LTL might be a better solution if you are a small seller and your products are not susceptible to damage. On the other hand, PTL is typically a faster option. In terms of pricing, the two methods are similar.
The differences between PTL and LTL are minor. The big difference between PTL and LTL is that on a PTL, the shipment almost always stays on the same truck from pickup to delivery. As a consequence, there is less handling with a PTL. An LTL shipment will be moved from trailer to trailer. This can happen several times depending on the route the LTL shipment goes.
As a result of PTL being priced on weight, size, and distance, you do not need to know the freight class. Since so many factors are involved, it’s best to work with an expert such as FreightCenter. We help you determine the best shipping solutions for PTL, LTL, or FTL.
Does your load weigh 5,000 to 25,000 pounds? What is the number of pallets you are going to be shipping?
Is your shipment Fragile or Durable? Is it consolidated into one multi-pallet unit or multiple pallets?
Does it need to be expedited? Do you need your shipment to show up in a specific timeframe? Shippers that want to use PTL have to be flexible. There isn't always a trailer that has enough space for your shipment.
Do you have specific loading or unloading requirements? Do you need any special equipment to load or unload your shipment?


Compare Partial Truckload Prices Instantly
Trust the experts at FreightCenter to give you the best prices and options for your shipping. The cheapest shipping cost from all the top carriers is just a few steps away. Fill in a few short details about your shipment and receive instant Specialized Freight Services from leading freight carriers in one easy place. Businesses that ship products quickly become aware of the many options available.
You’ll often have items you need to send, but you can only fill part of the truck. Partial truckload (PTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) services give shippers the option of sending items to a location on an ongoing basis, whether shipping a few pallets or a complete load. Third-party logistics providers specialize in pairing shippers with the transportation services they need. Experts in logistics know how to find the right truck to fulfill the shippers’ needs.
If the shipper only needs 20 feet of space in a truck. In that case, logistics professionals have the knowledge and resources to match that carrier needing a 20-foot load with the shipper that needs 20 feet of truck space. But PTL and LTL can be confusing since they seem, on the surface, to refer to the same thing. However, there are differences between the two.
Conclusion
With the many parts of the shipping industry, LTL and FTL are the most dominant types of shipping. One is aimed at established businesses with massive shipping budgets, while the other is at smaller-medium-sized businesses. The rarer PTL isn’t in the same running as LTL and FTL, but it can be a hidden gem for a company that can utilize it. If that’s you, reach out to a freighter or broker and see what PTL can do for you!
Partial Truckload FAQs
What is a partial truckload?
PTL is a hybrid between FTL and LTL shipping and involves shipments that are too large for less-than-truckload but not large enough for a full truckload. Partials are typically between 6-20 pallets and weigh between 8,000-20,000 pounds.
What is the difference between PTL and LTL?
What’s the difference between LTL and PTL? PTL shipments generally make multiple stops along their routes. Still, unlike LTL freight, once the trailer leaves the consolidation location, it will get unloaded once it reaches its final destination.
What is a partial load?
Partial load refers to a load that only partially uses the available freight space of the means of transport. The English term LTL “Less-than-Truck-Load,” has become established for a truck part load, and LCL, “Less-than-Container-Load,” for a container part load.
What is a full truckload vs. a partial truckload?
A full truckload is a kind of freight that implies that a single truck is filled with goods belonging to one company or individual. In part- truck load, goods belonging to different parties are present.
How do partial loads work?
Partial loads usually consist of cargo that takes up lots of space with little weight and is delivered to the vehicle from which it was loaded. Partials are door-to-door. This differs from the traditional LTL model, where freight can be frequently on and offloaded.
How many pallets are considered LTL?
Less-than-load is a mode of over-the-road transportation. This is used for shipments ranging from 1 to 6 pallets (or less than 12 linear feet). Like full truckload, LTL uses semi trucks but hauls multiple shippers’ freight together on the same trailer.
What is a partial trailer?
The partial trailer is a freight trailer used for shipments that are too large for LTL shipping but do not require a full truckload trailer.
What is a partial flatbed?
Shipping partials load, as they call it, in the freight industry. A partial flatbed is, as the name sounds, only using part of the flatbed. One of the most used service modes is flatbed trailers used for partial loads.