When Does LTL Shipment Make Sense?
When it comes to shipping, there are a lot of options out there. The LTL shipment niche has become a more common option for many shippers in the past several years as the rise of e-commerce has changed the nature of logistics. Under which circumstances is LTL shipping the best option? Read on to find out.
When You Need to Cut Shipping Costs
One of the main reasons shippers turn to LTL shipments is the fact that it costs less to send an LTL load than it does to contract a full trailer. When you ship LTL, you don’t have to pay to ship empty air. You pay only for the space you’re actually using.
When You Need a Faster Solution
While FTL is, on the surface, often a faster shipping option, there are certain circumstances when LTL shipping may actually be a faster solution. When capacity is tight for full trailer loads, as it is in peak seasons, you can often get your loads out faster by opting for LTL. LTL may also be faster if only because it means you don’t have to wait to fill a full trailer before shipping.
When Full Truck Loads are Few and Far Between
If it takes a long time for your company to work up a full truck load, you might find it more efficient and quicker to use LTL shipping. Shipping a light full truck load can be a waste of money. Opting to ship smaller loads via parcel services like USPS or FedEx can get expensive quick. LTL forms a great middle ground when your shipments are too big for the mail and too small to fill a full 48′ or 53′ foot trailer.
Your Load Requires Special Care
LTL shippers often offer services not available through traditional FTL carriers. Temperature sensitive loads, loads that require close tracking, or ones that need to be delivered indoors might benefit from the extra perks LTL shippers frequently offer.
