Shipping Modes
Less than Truckload (LTL)
Road freight where a shipment occupies part of a trailer and shares space with consignments from other shippers.
In depth
LTL is the road equivalent of LCL. Shipments are collected, consolidated at a terminal, moved on trunk routes, and broken down again for delivery, so cargo passes through several hubs and is handled repeatedly. That makes it economic for pallet-scale volumes but slower and higher-risk than a dedicated truck, and it is why LTL carriers require robust palletised packaging. Pricing depends on weight, dimensions, distance, and often a freight class reflecting density and handling difficulty.
Key points
- Shared trailer space for part-load road shipments
- Consolidated and rehandled at terminals along the route
- Slower and higher handling risk than a dedicated truck
- Priced on weight, dimensions, distance, and freight class