You have probably heard the term ‘Truckload’, it is used a lot within the freight industry but can lead to some confusion and misunderstanding, particularly when you hear the term LTL simultaneously.
So what does truckload shipping exactly mean and when should you use it?
- If your freight fills the entire truck or is the only item on a truck, it is considered FTL
- You should use it when you have enough cargo to fill a full trailer – 53 feet.
- You do not fill the entire truck but have enough pallets to make it more economical to use a full truckload vs. LTL.
- You have a time sensitive load. With FTL, your shipment will go directly to its destination, instead of being sorted multiple times as an LTL load.
- Your cargo has a high value. Because your shipment stays on one trailer and remains untouched until its destination, it greatly reduces the chance and worry of getting damaged or lost during transit.
- Your cargo needs a special service, like a flatbed or step deck trailer, for example.