Reliable LTL Solutions to Keep Freight Moving.

LTL services can benefit a wide range of shippers, from small to medium-sized businesses that only want to pay for what they ship and not the whole truck, to larger format shippers who want to enhance the flexibility of their supply chain. An LTL solution can work as both a standalone freight solution or exist as a complimentary service for truckload and container-load shippers.  

LTL allows you as a shipper to apply a variable cost to your freight management plan, only paying for what you ship.  It also allows shippers to improve the flexibility of their supply chain, mixing or blending various consignees to optimize supply networks. Shipments can be sent in lower quantities, but at higher frequency, as to enhance the ability to replenish inventories regularly, achieving those Just-In-Time models many shippers strive for.  

There are many factors to consider when choosing your ideal LTL carrier including cost, service, communication, network reach, specialty service offerings, or technological competence. LTL carriers can be either over-the-road or intermodal, so understanding your preferred mode is also very important. 

Standard transit time in LTL is typically 1-3 days longer than the same lane on a truckload direct service. This is to allow for the loads to enter and exit hubs at each stop in their journey. Many LTL shippers do not have extremely strict or expedited transit expectations but are often first-come-first-served locations, or locations with flexible delivery receiving.

LTL shipments are typically done in pallets, crates, or totes, allowing for easy transloading at hub points by forklift workers on the dock. LTL can also be priced in a variety of ways to cater to the shipper’s needs, so as a shipper you must understand if your goal is to price freight in cubic volume, per-pallet, per-linear-foot, or by weight.   

Cross-docking allows freight transfer from one truck to many (or vice-versa) without needing to store your product in a warehouse. This allows you to consolidate your freight upfront and then cross-dock it into smaller vehicles for the last leg of the journey or allows for the splitting of loads to stagger shipments. Cross-docking may also be referred to as Transloading, whereby containers from the port are crossed onto road units to make their way inland and avoid demurrage costs with the container provider.  

Shippers can hone their LTL network costs in a variety of ways, including multi-modal options, leveraging both road and rail services as they fit, or exploring hybrid solutions like our Zone Skip solution, which offers a blended FTL/LTL hybrid model.  

LTL can be priced in a variety of ways including: 

CWT – Per Hundred Weight (Cubic) 
Actual Weight 
Per Pallet 
Per Linear Foot of Trailer 

Cubic volume is calculated by taking the dimensions of the product in Length, Width, and Height. As LTL shipments share trailers or containers while they move, it is imperative to understand exactly how much trailer each shipment will consume for optimal consolidation. Variances between estimated and real weights or volumes may create rate variability, so it is important that shippers understand their volumetric shipping patterns.

Accessorial charges are surcharges that occur for services beyond basic transportation. Thes are more common in an LTL service than a FTL service, because the LTL service is more specialized and will execute in a higher frequency of niche circumstances. Some common accessorial surcharges customers may see on LTL shipments include: 

Firm Appointments  
Hazmat Shipments 
Temperature Control Shipments 
Oversized Pallets (ie. Length or Width Exceeding 48”) 
Power Tailgate Service (ie. Non-Dock Locations) 
Inside Delivery (ie. Shopping Malls) 
Driver Assisted Delivery 
Residential, Farm, or Construction Site Deliveries 

Freight density is measured in pounds-per-cubic-foot. This measure is used to calculate LTL rates. In the US market, freight class is used to categorize common-density commodities into standardized groups, leveraging NMFC guidelines.  

Companies who ship truckloads out of their manufacturers or distributors may often struggle to find solutions for smaller quantities of returns and dispositions. Leveraging an LTL solution for reverse logistics allows shippers to offer comprehensive multi-directional services.  

As LTL shipments are often sharing space with other customers, freight securement is paramount. Customers should not ship loose pieces, or pieces that could fall off during transit and get mixed with other shipments. Customers should also be careful to wrap their pallet tightly, ensuring no product overhangs the edge of the pallet. Many customers may also ship with cardboard slips or dunnage to avoid risk or abrasion on cases from stacking freight. Oversized, fragile, or un-stackable product should be clearly communicated up front to your Customer Service Rep.