Understanding exactly what LTL Freight is, may help you to understand why it may be best for you. LTL Freight is less than a truckload. Meaning not a full truckload. Traditionally, its a parcel load ranging from 150 pounds to about 10,000 pounds.
These freight shipments are typically organized on to pallets, and share a truckload with other shipments. You may find in your search, that some trucking companies are cracking down on their specifications for LTL Freight loads, or even what they consider to be an FTL freight load.
LTL Freight and the Environment
Many businesses these days are trying their hardest to lessen their ecological footprint. If you are one who wants to stay green, you will love the impact that LTL freight shipping offers. With a shared trailer, there are far less half-full trailers on the road today. In some cases, it can’t be helped, when facing a deadline, but with proper planning, LTL Freight can be a great fuel and energy saver. A great logistics team plays a huge role in saving fuel and time, as well.
How Does LTL freight shipping actually work?
LTL Freight in the simplest form is sharing a trailer. This practice of a shared trailer has some really specific benefits. The shipper will save on the cost of their shipment. In an LTL freight shipment, the shipper only pays for the space that their cargo occupies. Keep in mind, because of the sharing of space, there will be multiple stops made, and it may take a little longer to reach its destination. However, shippers who offer LTL freight are specialized in this area and keep these shipments organized and time efficient. They achieve this by mapping their route and packing in a way that requires as little unloading and re-loading as possible. If your load is not a full truckload, it may not be ECO-friendly to send out a trailer that isn’t full.
LTL Freight for small businesses
Smaller businesses tend to ship out in smaller quantities, and typically wouldn’t need a Full truckload to manage their fright. If you fit in that category, LTL freight shipping may really pay off for you. Instead of paying full price for a half full trailer, why not ship LTL freight instead. The expenses saved, may prove valuable to help your business grow even more. Why pay for unused space if you don’t need to?
If you have never shipped LTL freight before, it may seem a little intimidating. You may find some relief in the tracking-ability of our shipments. This brings a sense of comfort knowing if your items are on track or not. This gives the ability to stay connected and keep great communication with your clients.
Whether you are new to shipping or new to LTL freight, we are pleased to offer up any help we can in your shipping needs. At American Manufacturing Solutions we work hard to iron out all the details so you can concentrate on the logistics of your business.