Breaking Down the Basics: What Is LTL Freight Shipping and Who Needs It?

Freight shipping is an essential service these days. Both businesses and consumers constantly depend on it. Without reliable shipping services, manufacturers wouldn’t have the raw materials they need to produce their goods. Stores shelves would be empty. On top of that, the ecommerce sector we’ve all come to rely so heavily on wouldn’t exist. Semi-trucks transport an estimated three-quarters of the nation’s goods at this point, but not every business needs to ship an entire truckload of products at once. 

What do you do when you need to get your shipments out but can’t fill an entire semi-truck? That’s were LTL freight shipping comes into play. It’s an alternative to either having to wait until you do have enough items to ship to fill an entire trailer or having to pay for an entire load even though your freight only takes up a fraction of the space in a trailer. It’s a solution that an ever-growing number of small and medium businesses are turning to. 

What Is LTL Freight Shipping?

LTL stands for less-than-truckload. It’s a method you can use when the size or weight of a shipment doesn’t constitute a full truckload. It usually involves freight that weighs between 150 and 15,000 pounds, so it can cover a wide range of shipping needs. At the same time, companies only pay for the space their shipments actually need in the truck.

LTL shipping is a far more cost-effective solution than having to pay the rates for an entire load. It’s also far more practical than saving up your merchandise until you can fill a trailer with it. That would leave you with quite a few dissatisfied customers and could certainly hamper your business. With LTL shipping, you’ll be able to keep your goods moving without having to allot more of your profit than necessary to doing so. 

How Does LTL Shipping Work?

LTL shipping is a fairly simple process. When you need to ship your goods, you’ll load them on pallets or pack them into crates. Then, you’ll schedule a pickup with your LTL freight company. They’ll pick up your shipment. It’ll ultimately share space in the truck with other businesses that need LTL shipping. While sharing truck space with other companies, you’re also sharing the costs of shipping. 

After being picked up, your shipment may make its way through various terminals. In contrast, full truckloads are often hauled straight to their destinations. With that being the case, LTL shipments can be a little slower than FTL. Their lower cost tends to make up for the added time, though. 

Additional Considerations

Though LTL shipping can be a suitable choice in many situations, it’s not always the best alternative. In some situations, other options may be more effective. For one, if your shipment is extremely time sensitive, LTL may not be the best choice. Additionally, despite the weight of your goods, if you’re shipping multiple bulky items that fill the majority of the space in a tractor-trailer, FTL shipping may be more cost effective. 

Keeping Your Freight Moving With LTL Shipping

Keeping your products moving is crucial to your business’s success. When you don’t produce enough goods to fill up an entire truckload, though, shipping your products can be a problem through conventional means. LTL shipping may be the alternative you need. It’s an effective solution that can help keep your customers happy without eating away at your profits. 

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