LTL Freight

What Is LTL Freight?

LTL stands for less-than-truckload. It is used when a shipment is too large for parcel carriers but does not fill an entire trailer, typically a few pallets of goods. LTL carriers combine freight from multiple shippers on the same truck, and each shipper pays for the space and handling its freight requires.

How It Works

LTL shipments move through a network rather than going directly from pickup to delivery:

• Freight is picked up and taken to a local terminal.
• It is sorted and loaded onto trucks heading toward the destination region, sometimes passing through more than one terminal.
• It is delivered by a local truck to the receiver.

Pricing is based on factors such as weight, dimensions, distance, freight class and any extra services like liftgate delivery or appointments. Freight class is a standardized classification that reflects how easy or difficult goods are to handle and transport. For example, a brand sending four pallets of new inventory from a manufacturer in Texas to a warehouse in Los Angeles would usually book LTL, since the pallets do not justify a full truck.

Why It Matters for Ecommerce Brands

LTL is often the most cost-effective way for growing brands to move inventory between suppliers, warehouses and retail partners. It does come with trade-offs: transit times can be longer than FTL because freight passes through terminals, and extra handling increases the risk of damage. Palletizing well, labeling every pallet, and listing accurate weights and dimensions help avoid reclassification charges and claims. LTL is also common for B2B wholesale orders shipped to retail partners.