LTL Shipping 101: Your Top Questions, Answered

Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping sits in an interesting middle ground, too big for parcel, too small for a full truck. For a lot of shippers, it’s the right fit, but it can also feel like unfamiliar territory. How is it priced? What does the network actually look like? And how do you prepare your operation to ship LTL well?

To answer those questions, we turned to Brett Kraynyk, Bison Transport’s Program Manager of LTL Business Integration. Brett walks through the most common questions shippers have about LTL freight, from the basics to the specifics of how Bison’s network operates across North America.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is LTL shipping?

LTL shipping is a model where you only pay for the space your freight actually uses. It’s designed for businesses that don’t have enough volume to fill an entire truck or container, but have outgrown traditional parcel and package shipping. LTL serves everyone in between.

How is LTL priced?

LTL can be priced in a number of ways, per pallet, per pound, per cubic foot, or per foot of trailer. The flexibility in pricing models means Bison can structure something that fits the unit economics of your specific business.

What are some scenarios where LTL is the right choice?

LTL is a strong fit for distributors fulfilling store locations with smaller, more frequent shipments. Think standard store distribution, strip mall fulfillment, or vendor replenishment, where you’re moving two or three pallets per location per week rather than sending a full truck of 26 or 27 pallets on a regular cycle.

Are there different styles of LTL shipping?

Yes. The most common is a consolidated hub-and-spoke network, where freight moves in and out of cross-dock locations along the route to its final destination. There are also hybrid models that combine truckload and LTL conversion along the way, as well as partial truckloads that make multiple stops with the same driver on a single journey. The right network type depends on your freight profile and distribution needs.

Can Bison offer LTL service across all of North America?

Yes. It won’t always be a Bison-branded truck and driver, but Bison works with a network of interliners and agents across North America to service freight coast to coast in both Canada and the U.S. No matter where your freight needs to go, there’s an LTL option through Bison.

How can a shipper prepare for an LTL program?

LTL involves significantly more handling than traditional truckload shipping, freight moves through docks, forklift operators, and multiple touchpoints along the way. That makes shipment quality critical. Proper packaging, labeling, and palletization go a long way toward protecting your product and keeping your program running smoothly.

Ready to Ship Smarter?

If LTL sounds like the right fit for your business, Bison has the network and expertise to make it work, whether you’re shipping across the province or across the continent.

Learn more about Bison’s LTL services.