What is LTL Freight Shipping?

LTL stands for Less-Than-Truckload in which freight carriers collect shipments from numerous shippers, aggregating the freight into one full truckload.  Opposite to LTL, Full Truckload Shipping applies when one business’ freight occupies the entire truck.  For LTL freight shipping, a driver will make a certain amount of stops in order to fill the truck.  Typically, drivers have the same daily routes and it will be the same driver picking up shipments as long as shipper locations stay the same.  After the stops are made and the truck is full, the driver will take the trailer to a central hub where the freight is unloaded and classed according to freight class guidelines to make sure shipment details align with the description given to the driver.  Once reweighed and rated, the freight may go directly to the end destination or may pass multiple terminals before it arrives at its final location.

Because the shipper does not require a full truck to move the goods, LTL freight shipping is less expensive than doing full truckload moves.  Though less expensive, LTL moves typically have longer transit times due to the increased number of stops.   ShippingDiscounts.com is proud to partner with the most reputable LTL carriers like Conway, Saia, Yellow and over 30 other domestic and regional LTL freight companies.