So what’s Less than Truckload, and what is Truckload? 

When it comes to shipping LTL freight vs. Truckload, what initially seems like a simple task can become overwhelming. A lot of consideration comes into play with regards to dimensions, weight, classifications and insurance.  Additional issues can also be thrown into the equation in terms of special services. Tail gate delivery, lumper services, hazmat etc. which will all tend to steer you into one direction or another in terms of a choice of carrier and service to be used. Making a decision between the use of a less than truckload carrier, or a full load carrier is often a difficult one. We have made the decision process easier by outlining some key features of both these services in order to ease your burden in the decision making process.

Less than Truckload: insight

From the shipper’s perspective, LTL freight enables many shippers to reduce their transportation costs by sharing the fifty-three feet of a typical dry van with other liked minded firms. The less than truckload carrier essentially builds a load heading to a specific general direction and area by taking on various loads and compiling them in terms of delivery order.The cost of sharing of the van is not directly proportional to the number of feet used relative to the full load rate, however, it’s still very economical. For example, if your freight takes up twenty-six and half feet, or half the van, you will not be charged half of the full load rate, it will be more in line with seventy-five percent of the total load rate. This is still a considerable savings compared to the full load rate.There are some issues that must be taken into consideration. If LTL is the way you feel you want to go, you will have to consider ensuring your shipments are well packaged and shrink-wrapped to be able to endure a bit more handling. LTL freight is handled more often than truckload freight, so it’s important to properly protect the shipment.Another key consideration is insurance. The basic liability of any less than truckload carrier is $2.00/lb in Canada and $0.10/lb in the USA. If the product in the United States is used, even less, so it’s imperative to read the terms and conditions of each LTL carrier you deal with. Skyfer Logistic provides all risk insurance at a small premium and at less cost than what a typical LTL carrier will charge, so please inquire.

Truckload: Let’s take a closer look

Some of the advantages of using a truckload may not seem that obvious. The first advantage is the cost. Filling up a tractor-trailer is way more cost effective; it will be handled only twice, once as you load, and once to offload. You should make certain that this is clearly understood with your carrier. To ensure that this is understood, you can always seal the trailer upon shipping, indicating the seal number on the Bill Of Lading.The reduction in handling will drastically reduce damage in transit, a large benefit over LTL freight. A full truckload will also be delivered faster which is great for time sensitive freight, which should also be taken into consideration.Insurance is another item that will also come into play. Truckload carriers must carry a minimum of $150,000 of cargo insurance, which you should look into relative to the value of your full load. The advantage of truckload over LTL in this instance is that this coverage is included with your rate. Also, some carriers have more insurance than the minimum that is required.