Because of this, LTL shipping may be the better option for shippers looking to have multiple mixed commodities available for consumers.
FTL TRUCKING FULL
Full truckload shipping can also limit a shipper to transporting only one type of commodity at a time. “LTL shipping allows the destination purchaser to buy only what they expect to sell in the near future, saving them money and allowing the freight to be available in a timelier manner. “The problem with FTL shipments is that you must pay for the entire commodity prior to the actual sell of the product in many cases in addition to paying for transportation costs,” says Reo Hatfield, VP of business development at TA Services. This instead would require numerous, smaller LTL shipments in ways that can accommodate each cargo’s individual needs. For instance, if the shipper wants to transport different products with different temperature needs, an FTL shipment will not be possible. However, when it comes to FTL shipments, shippers are pigeonholed to one type of commodity, and shipments with different needs are not possible. For fragile or large and awkwardly shaped loads that take up more room in the trailer, parcel companies or FTL carriers may be a better and more cost-effective option. Because of this, LTLs are less predictable in terms of delivery and sees a higher risk of damage.Īccording to Kory Harb, senior product manager of HaulSuite, LTL typically works best with palletized and uniform shipments so the carrier can maximize the space used in a trailer. Many times, an LTL shipment will be loaded and unloaded up to or more than five times in one trip before reaching its final destination.
![ftl trucking ftl trucking](http://www.abglogistics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cargas-Completas.png)
This type of shipment helps when there many shippers that have many smaller loads to transport, since it would be inefficient to make long-distance individual trips for each small shipment. LTLs are often more expensive per unit, require more handling, take up less space and are a part of many other shipments from numerous shippers and stops on the trip. FTLs also require less handling of the products.
FTL TRUCKING DRIVER
The trip is often faster due to the lower number of stops, which is more convenient for the driver and costs less for the transportation company. While the entire shipment is more expensive than an LTL, it is generally lower cost per unit, like buying in bulk as a consumer. This is why FTL shipments are typically larger, more expensive, only one destination and on one bill of lading. Traditionally, shippers choose FTL for a large product shipment that is worth it for a logistics company to focus the trips’ attention on. Because these trips consist of numerous destinations, the time of delivery is longer. LTL cargo are usually no more than six pallets, weigh between 150-5,000 pounds, never take up an entire truck and are priced based on the amount of space in the truck they fill. These shipments’ destinations are typically toward the same general direction, and the LTL transportation strategy takes it closer to the destination but usually not all the way there. Almost like Uber’s Pool feature but for cargo in a truck instead of passengers in a car. LTL trailers consist of numerous shipments from different shippers for different destinations. These loads are typically more than 32 linear feet, can weigh from 20,000-42,000 pounds or consist of more than 20 pallets.
![ftl trucking ftl trucking](http://www.gilbertusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ltl-vs-ftl.jpeg)
FTL trucks may stop off while en route to its destination, but these are normally shipments that are on one bill of lading going to one destination and shown in capacity of volume or weight. The meaning of FTLįTLs are shipments that take up a significant amount of space in a delivery truck, where the driver is likely going to only one or a very limited number of destinations. Trucking loads are separated into two categories - full truckloads (FTL) and less-than-truckloads (LTL) - and shippers can choose which one to hire based on their needs.
![ftl trucking ftl trucking](https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/fe7a94f9-b021-461a-b63f-d0e0d9975c3a/6acb21bcf6526ad9423f4d9f715e96b6.jpg)
Now that consumer demands shift to more online ordering, even in the cold chain industry, the way trucking companies carry cargo is different as well. Every shipper has different wants and needs for their cargo, which can often change along with the evolving business landscape in both the consumer and supply chain worlds.