What is LTL Freight?

LTL Freight is a method of transportation that makes it possible to transport any volume of goods at affordable transportation costs. It is due to the fact that one truck can collect different shipments to transport them to the appropriate place. One shipper does not have to fill all the capacity to receive a profitable transit. This mode of transport carries smaller parcels – around 100 – 15,000 pounds.

The goal is for every customer to be able to get the goods they need while saving costs. That is why not filling the entire place is not a problem. You pay as much space as you need to load your goods. The rest is the commitment of other senders. Such complex delivery is a great advantage for all participants in the process – sender, consignee, carrier, etc.

LTL is the best choice for any small and medium business. It is an effective, affordable and reliable way to ship goods in different quantities.

LTL Shipping

Freight transportation has many options to fully meet the needs of each customer. It may sometimes be difficult for you to choose the most cost-effective and reliable transit option for specific goods. Your terms may not meet the requirements of individual companies.

There are actually several major factors that need to be taken into account. These include, in particular: the

• size of the goods the
• type of consignment – whether goods needing proper care, short shelf life, etc.
• delivery time – If you a very urgent delivery, you may have to pay more and decide faster

One of the most valuable types of delivery is LTL. Next, it will become clear what you need to consider, what you need to know about this type of delivery, what are the differences between LTL and FTL shipping and more.

When to use LTL Freight?

Any shipper who has not yet been faced with the choice of delivery method considers this an easy game. This is not at all because many criteria matter. It is most difficult when you want to arrange a relatively fast delivery of small size goods.

LTL delivery is one of the most preferred methods, but there are different things to consider here as well. It is important that the focus is on meeting different business needs. You need to have a clear idea of ​​the budget you can allocate, the number of individual shipments, the final destination, etc.

Advantages of LTL freight transportation

The LTL shipping method offers many advantages for freight forwarders and carriers. Here they are:

LTL delivery is cost-effective

LTL delivery is the most efficient way to transport goods. Provides a number of options for filling on the spot – you do not have to use all the load capacity, and you can only transport one good. This is an optimal solution to reduce the cost of using large cargo space.

The lower cost of the LTL procedure is not at the expense of the poor quality of service, but because of the whole difference in the process itself. Ships are loaded with different shipments given by different freight forwarders. The right combination of products optimally fills capacity and this reduces costs for each country. Also known as bundle consolidation – the sender pays for some of the space they use.

LTL Delivery is Easy to Track

It can be said that LTL delivery is one of the most reliable types of goods transportation. It is due to the fact that the status can be easily verified. This greatly simplifies a number of processes, such as inventory planning, production processes, invoice payments, etc.

The movement of goods can be tracked by the presence of specific indicators:

• shipment reference number
• PO
• consignment note
• date, etc. much more accurate estimates of delivery to the final recipient are given.

Enhanced Security

The focus of LTL delivery is not simply to transport goods, but to do so with maximum security. The procedure is entirely aimed at the precise loading of goods. The purpose is to provide the service with good quality without incident with the load. Carriers take care of:

• reducing the risk of losing individual packages
• protecting the goods from wear and tear during transportation
• maximum protection of each cargo from being pressed or damaged by other loads

What determines the tariff rates for LTL?

LTL shipping rates for different companies may vary, but generally they are determined by several major factors:

The total weight of the LTL shipment

The total weight of the shipment means the entire package packed and ready to go to the final destination. Whether it is a single item, a pallet or an entire container, everything will be downloaded and summed to calculate the total weight of the whole shipment.

The total size of the LTL shipment

The size of the shipment is determined by the total space required to fit the shipment into the vehicle. All things considered – height, width and length. If you have more than one pallet, for example, measure one and then multiply it together to get a total occupied area.

Another important detail for multi-piece shipments is that the height and width must be measured and then the lengths of all pallets combined together. This will also give the total size of the shipment.

Calculating the total size may seem difficult for some shippers, but don’t worry. Competent personnel from the carrier company will assist you in making a transport offer. Precise measurement is a key factor in paying a fixed price. Otherwise, the price can increase significantly.

LTL distance traveled Freight shipment

There is not much to explain here, as it is understood that each shipper pays for a specific place of transportation to a particular destination. Each freight journey has a designated route (lanes) that follows. It follows that the payment depends on the final destination. Therefore, bands that are closer are cheaper than those that are farther away.

Type of LTL freight service

Any transport service can be standard, insured, fast or express. This factor has a great influence on the final amount for the whole delivery of the cargo. This is why the type of service can fall within the following timeframes:

• Standard freight is the cheapest but least secure way to transport goods. Depending on the carrier used, sometimes the delay of the goods may be greater. Standard freight is not recommended for goods with special requirements, short shelf life and values
• Express freight – LTL carriers offer fast delivery when needed, at the expense of additional funds. Express receipt always increases the value of the service
• Guaranteed Cargo – this method of delivery is undoubtedly the most appropriate option for transporting valuable products. Carriers are responsible for the type of goods they receive. However, all this has to do with even higher costs

LTL Shipment Freight Class

Sometimes the categorization of LTL shipments can become more complicated. It is determined on the basis of weight, size or goods transported. It can be said that the ranking is on two bases – on goods and on the density of goods. The classification varies greatly – from 50 to 500. The lower your class is assigned to your load, the lower your LTL shipping costs will be.

Most carriers have freight calculators. They determine shipping density, focusing on the weight and overall size of the shipment. Others use specific CBM calculators to measure the cubic meter of the entire shipment. Thanks to the shipment measurement tools you will get a more accurate shipping quote.