RoadLINX Inc Learn Different Transportation System And Warehous | Page 5
Reasons To Ship Your LTL
Shipment Via FTL Freight
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Extremely Fragile Shipments
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Time Sensitive Shipments
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As the name suggests, shipping via FTL freight means that your items are the only
items aboard the truck. There are no intermediary stops when using FTL freight, so
your shipping time is significantly reduced versus shipping via LTL.
Very Heavy Shipments
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FTL freight shipments Do not use the hub system. Due to this, items within your
shipment are not touched or transferred between vehicles - substantially reducing
the risk of damage. If your load contains elements that are at high risk of breakage,
shipping FTL freight is the better option even if your shipment does not take up the full
truck.
It is important to note that the decision to ship FTL versus LTL is not only a function of
size. Container trucks must abide by strict weight restrictions. Although your shipment
may not take up the full trailer, if your load meets the weight maximum for the entire
truck, it must be shipped via FTL.
Boundary Shipments
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If your shipment is right on the cusp between having to ship LTL versus FTL freight, it is
advisable that you receive pricing for both LTL and FTL freight costs. If your shipment
takes up over 70% of the truck, it is best to get pricing on both LTL and FTL freight. A
lot of times shipping via FTL freight is cheaper especially when the timing is factored
into the cost. In addition, every freight provider will have their own requirements.
Although a truck may have the capacity to hold 30 pallets, your provider may
require you to ship via FTL if your shipment will use over 50% of the trailer’s capacity.
This requirement varies by provider.