What is less-than-truckload (LTL) freight ?
The first category of freight shipment is “less than truckload” (LTL), which represents the majority of “freight” shipments and the majority of business-to-business (B2B) shipments. LTL shipments are also often referred to as “motor freight” and the carriers involved are referred to as “motor carriers”. LTL shipments range from 100 pounds to about 15,000 pounds, and the majority of times they will be less than 100″ wide or 28’ long. The average single piece of LTL freight is 1,200 pounds and the size of a standard pallet. Long freight and/or large freight are subject to “extreme length” and “cubic capacity” surcharges. Trailers used in LTL can range from 28′ to 53′. The standard for city deliveries is usually 48′. In tight and residential environments the 28′ trailer is used the most. The shipments are usually palletized, shrink-wrapped and packaged for a mixed-freight environment. Unlike express or parcel, LTL shippers must provide their own packaging, as LTL carriers do not provide a
