If you’ve ever thought about shipping your goods, then you’ve probably heard about LTL shipping. But what is this type of freight transport and how does it work? In its core, less than truckload shipping is a method that allows you to ship smaller loads for lower prices. It was created as an alternative to full truckload shipping which allows shippers to use only the space their cargo needs, but still enjoy all benefits of truck delivery.

Less than truckload (LTL) freight transport is an alternative solution to full truckload (FTL). The main difference between those two types is in the amount of space that a cargo takes on the vehicle. Whereas FTL requires using up all 75-80 ft² (25m²), with LTL you can ship smaller loads while occupying 25% or less of vehicle capacity.

Every carrier has different policies regarding minimum and maximum weight as well as cube requirements for freight to qualify as LTL cargo. As a rule of thumb, less than truckload freight requires at least 150 ft³(5m³) in volume and weighs between 100-15 000lbs (45 – 6800 kg). However, there may be exceptions and some carriers might have stricter standards. For instance, UPS Freight states that minimum weight for their service is between 200-750 lbs depending on state regulations.

Thus if your needs fall into any of the categories below, consider signing up for an LTL shipment:

1. You Don’t Have a Full Truckload of Goods

If you don’t have a full truckload of goods, LTL freight transport is an excellent solution.

• If your company needs to deliver smaller shipments that are not enough for an entire truck, consider less than truckload cargo transport.
• If you need same-day delivery, choose LTL freight transport because it works well with small items like documents and parts that often require quick delivery times.

2. More Affordable Shipping Rates

LTL freight transport is often the cheapest solution for delivery of smaller cargoes. However, it may not be suitable for every type of product or service. When selecting an LTL cargo transport carrier, it’s important to consider all of your options and choose the one that best fits your needs.

Less than truckload (LTL) transportation is a cost-effective alternative to full truckload shipments when shipping small amounts of goods over long distances or on a regular basis. Full truckload service provides door-to-door delivery with guaranteed on-time arrival; however, this comes at an increased cost due to its size and weight constraints—and there’s no room for error if you’re sending something fragile or delicate. For example, if you’re shipping perishable products such as fruits and vegetables that need to arrive in good condition by a certain date, then this isn’t going work well because they won’t have enough time once they’ve been picked up from their origin point before reaching their destination location where consumers need them right away (or else there won’t be anything left).

By contrast:

It’s Cheaper Than Other Small Shipping Envelopes

What do you do when you need to ship something and it’s too big for a small package but not big enough to fill the entire truck? If you are looking at LTL freight transport, this is a common problem that can be solved by using less than truckload freight. Let’s look at how less than truckload shipping works and why it is cheaper than other small shipping envelopes.

One of the great benefits of using LTL freight transport is that it’s more cost effective than many other types of shipping options. Less than truckload freight has been shown in numerous studies to offer lower prices on average compared with full truckloads, airfreight and sea shipments. As far as cost goes, there are only two ways: cheaper (less) or more expensive (more). When comparing LTL vs FTL vs Air Freight vs Sea Freight and so on., we always want less because that means our costs go down!

3. When The Route Is Not Direct

The route also assumes significance. For example, if you’re moving goods between two cities about 5000 kilometres apart and your shipper picks the most direct road, it could take over a week longer than if they select the most optimised routes.

The actual transit time will also affect the cost of freight transport, as well as the delivery date. If you have a deadline for receiving your items or services in another country and take three weeks instead of one or two weeks because of delays and detours along the way, you won’t be happy with the service at all—even though it’s cheap!

4. Your Goods Are a Little Heavy

If you’re shipping heavy but not that much, less than truckload is a good option. It’s so easy to find yourself in the position of transporting heavier items and having them arrive on time without all the fuss and expense that would come with full truckload service. If your goods are heavy but not too big or bulky, then less than truckload freight shipping can be for you.

5. You Ship Items with Different Hazardous Groups

• The Hazardous Materials Table of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) classifies hazardous materials into nine groups, based on their flammability, corrosivity and reactivity.
• These groups are:
• Flammable Liquids – items that will readily ignite at room temperature.
• Flammable Solids – items that will readily ignite at normal temperatures or may require only a slight heat source.
• Combustible Solid – items that will ignite when in contact with air and form an explosive mixture.
• Oxidizing Substances – can cause fires even in small quantities, such as hydrogen peroxide or bleach solution.

6. Your Items Require Special Handling During Transport

If you or your freight are special, you may need special handling. Special handling can be required for a number of reasons. As an example, if your items are dangerous or sensitive and require protection from damage or theft, they may need to be placed in a secure container and transported using this method.

If your goods are perishable and must arrive at their destination before they spoil, then less than truckload freight transport may not be the most efficient option for you to take advantage of since it does not provide faster transit times than other types of freight shipping methods do.

LTL freight transport is often the cheapest solution for delivery of smaller cargoes.

LTL freight transport is often the cheapest solution for delivery of smaller cargos. LTL freight is a good option for small shipments that are not time-sensitive and do not require special handling.

For example, if your products are sensitive to temperature changes, or if you’re shipping perishables like food or flowers, it’s important to make sure they arrive at their destination as quickly as possible. If this is the case, then you may need to consider using an express transport and delivery service.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that LTL freight transport can be the best option for your business if you don’t need a full truckload of cargo or you have too many shipments per week. It can also be an affordable delivery solution for heavier, bulkier items and not just light-weight parcels.