LTL freight: shipping pallets without a full truck
LTL, or less-than-truckload, freight is shipping that uses only part of a trailer: your pallets ride with other shippers' freight and move through the carrier's terminals. It is the usual way to ship a few pallets of closeouts, priced by weight, freight class, distance and extra services.
Reviewed by Tyler Kober · Updated
Key takeaways
- LTL is for shipments too big for parcel and too small for a full truck, typically a few pallets.
- Price depends on weight, freight class, distance, density and extra services such as liftgate.
- LTL freight is handled several times through terminals, so wrap and label pallets well.
What is LTL freight?
LTL stands for less-than-truckload. It is freight shipping for loads that do not fill a trailer: your pallets share space with other shippers' freight. The carrier picks up, moves the freight through one or more terminals, and delivers. You pay for your portion, not the whole truck.
How LTL is used for closeouts
Most pallet purchases move LTL. A buyer who takes a few pallets from a warehouse in another state usually books an LTL carrier rather than a dedicated truck. The price depends on:
- Weight and dimensions of each pallet.
- Freight class, a US standard classification based largely on density and handling.
- Distance and the lanes the carrier runs.
- Accessorials: liftgate, residential delivery, appointments, inside delivery.
- Fuel surcharge, which changes with fuel prices.
Because LTL freight is loaded and unloaded at terminals, it gets handled more than a full truckload. Stretch-wrap pallets tightly, keep them square, label every pallet and avoid overhang. Inspect on delivery and note any damage on the delivery receipt before signing.
Example
A discount store in one state buys four mixed pallets of shelf-pull housewares from a warehouse a few states away. The store has no loading dock, so the buyer books an LTL carrier with liftgate delivery and a delivery appointment. On arrival, one pallet is leaning and has a torn wrap; the buyer notes it on the delivery receipt and photographs it before signing.
The common confusion
LTL is often confused with parcel shipping and with partial truckload. Parcel carriers move individual boxes; LTL moves palletized freight. Partial truckload uses part of a trailer but usually without terminal transfers, which can be gentler on fragile goods. Once a shipment gets big enough, an FTL truckload may cost less than LTL.
LTL rates change often, so this page gives no prices; see what it costs to ship a pallet LTL. For pallet sizes, see pallet.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
When should I use LTL instead of a full truckload?
When you are shipping a few pallets that do not fill a trailer. LTL lets you pay for your share of the space. As the number of pallets grows, there is a point where a full truckload or a partial truckload costs less and avoids terminal handling. Get both quotes when a shipment is borderline.
What are LTL accessorial charges?
Fees for services beyond dock-to-dock delivery: liftgate for locations without a dock, residential or limited-access delivery, inside delivery, appointment scheduling, and storage if the shipment waits. Closeout buyers without a loading dock often need a liftgate. Ask for these charges in the quote so the invoice holds no surprises.
What is freight class?
A standard classification used in US LTL shipping, based mainly on how dense, how easy to handle, how fragile and how liable to claims an item is. Lower classes generally cost less per pound. The carrier can re-class and rebill a shipment if the declared class is wrong, so describe goods accurately.
Related
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