This means that if you need to meet a certain deadline, you should ensure that your LTL carrier can give you a firm delivery date before going through with the shipment. While you can usually expect a solid delivery date with FTL shipping, LTL carriers have very flexible transit times. In contrast, LTL carriers might make several stops along the way and could take anywhere from a few days to a week to deliver your shipment. In most cases, you will have a solid delivery date since the carrier is aiming to deliver your shipment as soon as possible. Since FTL shippers are transporting a single load from start to finish, their transit times tend to be much more predictable. FTL carrier transit times are easier to schedule ![]() ![]() If your shipment weighs more than 10,000 pounds, then FTL is the most cost-effective method of shipping. If you can fill up a truck to capacity, however, you will usually save money with FTL shipping because you're paying for a full truck rather than individual spaces. This makes LTL more profitable and cost-effective if your items weigh less than 10,000 pounds. With LTL shipments, you only have to pay for the space you are using, rather than needing to pay for a full truck that is not filled. Because you are paying for a full truck, the total price for your FTL shipment will generally be higher than if you were to ship with an LTL carrier. The biggest difference between LTL and FTL is the upfront cost. We go over the key differences to consider below: FTL shipments are more expensive upfront LTL carriers tend to have a maximum weight restriction of 10,000 pounds in most cases-though a few LTL shippers can handle up to 20,000 pounds-while FTL carriers can handle much heavier loads.įTL and LTL fit different shipping needs so it's important to choose wisely. While this is fine for lighter-weight shipments, sometimes you'll need something larger. ![]() This means that several LTL shipments are combined into one truck to fill it as near to capacity as possible, so you technically have many companies' goods riding in one trailer. In contrast to FTL, less than truckload (LTL) shipments are when multiple shippers’ loads are delivered on the same trailer. In most cases, FTL is ideal for companies that have bulk shipments coming from one location and going to one location within a short timeframe. This is because larger shipments-which are often more expensive to ship with LTL carriers, given the weight-may qualify for discounts given by FTL carriers. Though there are no set rules on the size of a shipment that qualifies for FTL shipping, most businesses choose to use this method when they need to move ten or more pallets, with a weight of 15,000 pounds or more. But what is FTL freight, exactly? How is it different from other types of freight shipping services, and how can it help your business?įTL shipping is the process of transporting an entire truckload of goods with one carrier-often a reefer or a dry van-from a single location to another. If you're a business owner, chances are you've heard the term FTL multiple times. Here's what it is, how it works, and when it might be right for you. If you ship large items regularly and are looking for a way to cut costs on your next shipment, FTL shipping might be the right choice for you. As its name suggests, FTL shipping involves using a full truckload (or trailer) to transport shipments (meaning that there are no other deliveries or pickups on the truck).Ĭompanies who use FTL typically do so for large-scale deliveries, but it is possible to utilize this type of shipping for smaller orders as well.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |