What is LTL Freight?
LTL freight, as it is commonly referred to, stands for Less-than-truckload freight. Some products or goods do not need the service of a full truckload due to the smaller parcel sizes of freight. To accommodate these smaller deliveries, freight can be transported on the same truck to avoid waste of space and additional resources to help optimize the LTL load so that the goods can be transported more efficiently. LTL shipments are usually arranged on pallets and can range anywhere from 150 pounds to 10,000 pounds.
Considering the way LTL shipping operates, you can combine partial loads heading to specific locations to create an efficient, full multi-stop truckload. The cost of shipping your goods is known is based on the class of items shipped, space occupied, and pickup/destination locations. Depending on your preference, LTL freight can also be shipped with specialized services such as lift gate pickup/delivery, inside pickup/delivery, residential pickup/delivery, and reweighing or reclassification with each of these services requiring additional fees.
Analyzing what LTL freight entails can deduce these beneficial effects:
Cost-effectiveness
You don’t have to pay for a full truckload when you are shipping LTL goods. LTL freight has made it possible for you to only pay for the space required to transport your goods. Therefore, your cost will be a fraction of what a standard full truckload shipment would cost.
Environmental effect
Fewer trucks will be transporting goods heading toward the same region, resulting in a drastic reduction of pollutants released into the ecosystem. This process will also reduce road accidents as more trucks will be carrying loads less than their capacity, thereby decreasing full truckloads on the highway.
Profitable for small businesses
Small companies can benefit from LTL shipping because they tend to be shipping fewer goods and spending less money on freight than larger companies. LTL shipping allows small businesses to benefit from all the services professional shipping provides without paying the high cost for space they don’t need. Some carriers typically offer LTL shipping, but not all carriers do. A challenge can sometimes be finding a carrier willing to ship LTL and for the right price.
Dependable Supply Chain Services' asset-based trucking division is the largest west coast regional LTL carrier, with 14 strategically located service centers providing overnight shipping service throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona. Need more services to help boost your bottom line throughout your supply chain? Contact us today for a free quote.