Less than truckload (LTL) shipping refers to a freight shipment that doesn’t completely fill an entire truck. An LTL shipment is usually palletized and ranges anywhere from 150 to 10,000 pounds. Shipments over 10,000 pounds are usually moved by full truckload (FTL).
Shipping locally, or even nationally, can be stressful and time consuming. With less than truckload shipping, you can get your shipments quicker and more conveniently than other forms of shipping. Here are five advantages of using LTL shipping for your business:
Quicker delivery time
One of the biggest reasons that companies use LTL shipping is because LTL shipments often have a quicker delivery time than full truckload shipments. This is because there are fewer logistics to deal with. With an LTL shipment, there are fewer stops and weigh-ins happen quicker along the way.
Cost effective with more options
The main advantage of using an LTL carrier is that shipments are transported at a fraction of the cost of hiring an entire truck for exclusive shipment. When you use LTL shipping, the carrier puts all shipments from multiple businesses onto a single freight truck. Therefore, each shipper pays only a fraction of the shipping cost. LTL shipping companies also offer a variety of services that are not usually offered by FTL carriers. Some of these services include non-commercial service for pickup or delivery, inside delivery, notification prior to delivery, freeze protection and more. These services are either billed at a flat rate or by using a weight-based surcharge. LTL is beneficial for shipping companies because it allows them to extend their business to smaller companies that wouldn’t be able to use FTL shipping.
Item protection
Items shipped via LTL shipping are carefully packaged and put into the truck prior to shipping. This is done to ensure that items are not damaged or destroyed in transit. Damaged items is common in FTL shipping which is why many businesses prefer to use LTL shipping for their business.
Ability to ship small shipments
With LTL shipping, you have the ability to ship even the smallest amount of product across the country instead of having to wait until you have enough for a full shipment to be cost effective.
Peace of mind
When you ship your product with an LTL carrier, you can have peace of mind knowing your product will get to its final destination safely. With modern technology, it’s easy to keep track of your shipment and to track its location. This holds LTL shipping carriers accountable for their guaranteed delivery date while making sure you know where your shipment is.
