When shipping your goods, it’s important to consider multiple factors when deciding if LTL shipping or truckload shipping is the best option for your company. Here’s what you need to know about these two popular shipping options to make an informed decision.
Truckload Shipping
Truckload shipping means that you use a single truck to move your items from your starting point to your final destination. There are no stops along the way, and your items are the only things on the truck.
Benefits of Truckload Shipping
Truckload shipping is considered the fastest shipping method, once your truck is in transit. Since your goods remain on one trailer the whole trip, there’s less handling which means they’re less likely to be broken or damaged during their journey.
Downsides to Truckload Shipping
It can take time to have enough goods to fill up an entire truck. This means that even though your shipping time itself is shorter, you may not be able to make shipments as frequently.
LTL Shipping
LTL (less than truckload) shipping means that you share space on a truck with other shippers. Once your goods are loaded, they don’t travel directly to their destination.
Instead, the truck will likely make additional stops along the way to pick up items from other shippers. Your goods may be unloaded and rearranged several times during their shipment
Benefits of LTL Shipping
LTL shipping allows you to make smaller shipments more frequently since you’re able to share trailer space with other shippers.
You only pay for the portion of the trailer that you use, making LTL shipping a cost-effective alternative.
Disadvantages of LTL Shipping
Your shared truck will make multiple stops along its routes, which means that your goods will take slightly longer to reach their destination.
The frequent rearranging of your goods can cause them to be more likely to be damaged or lost while in transit. However, when using a reputable shipping company, your goods are most likely to arrive in their original condition.
Choosing Your Shipping Method
Your ideal shipping method will depend on how much you’re shipping, how comfortable you are having the items handled multiple times, and your preferred shipping speed.
If you have a truck full of goods and want to send them as quickly as possible, truckload shipping is your best option. When you have a small shipment that you want to send as soon as possible at an affordable rate, LTL shipping will allow you to do so.
Learn More About LTL Shipping and Truckload Shipping
Have more questions about when to use LTL shipping and when to opt for truckload shipping or other shipping methods? Contact AMR Group Logistics Worldwide at 702-800-6385 for more info or to request a quote.
