Less-than-truckload shipping (LTL) is a method of transportation for freight that is sized between individual parcels and full truckloads. LTL freight shipping is used for the transportation of small freight or when freight doesn’t require the use of an entire trailer. LTL shipping involves truckload shipments that don’t fill a full trailer and generally encompasses freight class categories between 150 and 15,000 pounds. When shipping LTL, the shipper pays for the portion of a standard truck trailer their freight occupies, while other shippers and their shipments fill the unoccupied space. LTL carriers rely on rail or air to forward some freight toward its destination, and they are normally able to deal with railroads more effectively than small shippers since LTL carriers typically send a large volume of freight daily.
Some benefits of LTL shipping include reduced costs, increased security, and additional service options. LTL shipping is a great option if you don’t have enough freight to fill an entire truckload, and it ensures that your cost will be a fraction of what a normal full truckload shipment would cost. LTL shipping is most widely used for shipping freight packages between 150 pounds and 15,000 pounds which don’t need a full trailer.
