Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping is one of the most effective ways to move freight when you don’t need a full truck, but it’s rarely as simple as it sounds.
For manufacturers and retailers shipping a few pallets at a time, LTL can create cost efficiencies. At the same time, it introduces complexity: more paperwork, increased handling, and a big book of freight classes and codes.
If you understand how LTL shipping works, and have the right tools in place, LTL can become a reliable part of your operation instead of a shipping headache.
When should you ship LTL?
Most shipping decisions start off with a simple question: how much space do you actually need?
LTL is a middle-ground option designed for shipments that are too large for parcel, but don’t justify paying for a dedicated trailer. That typically looks like 1 to 6 standard pallets moving at a time.
LTL shipping is especially useful in operations where orders are smaller and more frequent. Instead of waiting to build a full truckload, you can move product as needed while keeping transportation costs within budget.
That said, LTL works best when the freight itself is a good fit.
You should choose LTL when:
- You don’t require a full truck or a dedicated delivery
- Freight isn’t delicate or in irregular packaging
- Orders move frequently in smaller quantities
- Flexibility and cost matter more than precise delivery timing
Not all goods are suited for LTL shipping. Even if it’s only a few pallets, a dedicated shipping option like a sprinter van or a straight truck is a better choice for high-priority shipments. Sensitive goods like trade show freight or just-in-time manufacturing components should never move LTL because of their high-value, delicate, or time-sensitive nature.
What happens to your freight during an LTL shipment?
The biggest difference between LTL and truckload is how the freight moves.
Instead of traveling directly from pickup to delivery, LTL shipments move through a network of terminals. After pickup, freight is brought to a local LTL facility, sorted, and combined with other shipments heading toward the same destination city. From there, the freight moves on a linehaul truck to another terminal closer to its destination, where the process repeats before final delivery.
Each step introduces a new touchpoint where freight is unloaded, staged, reloaded, and sometimes shifted to access other shipments on the trailer. It’s essential that any freight moving LTL is packaged well enough to withstand this increased handling.
With multiple stops planned for each LTL truck, transit times are harder to predict. A delay at one stop can push your delivery out hours or days, even if the freight is already on the truck, so loads with flexible delivery timelines are the best fit for LTL.
How are LTL shipments priced?
When it comes to LTL moves, you’re paying for the space your freight takes up on the truck. Rates are calculated based on your freight’s density.
Compact, heavier shipments like metal manufacturing components generally cost less because they use space efficiently and are easier to handle. Lightweight, irregular freight like lamp shades tends to cost more because it takes up more room and carries a higher risk of damage.
Every item is assigned an NMFC code and freight class based on the density. These classifications tell carriers how the freight should be handled based on factors like density, stowability, and risk. Shaker’s LTL portal automatically calculates freight density and assigns an NMFC code when shippers put in the weight and dimensions of their items, streamlining the shipping process.
Rates are also impacted by accessorials, which are charges for any services that fall outside standard dock-to-dock moves.
Common accessorials include:
- Liftgate service at non-dock locations
- Delivery appointments that affect routing
- Inside delivery or restricted access sites
- Special handling requirements (hazmat, oversize / overlength)
Because all of this depends on the shipper accurately providing information, small mistakes like incorrect weight or dimensions often turn into added charges later. Shaker’s LTL portal prevents this by detecting and automatically adding the required accessorials to each load, which the shipper can review and confirm.
A better way to manage LTL
For many manufacturers, LTL is a necessary evil with unpredictable pricing and too many opportunities for human error in the load-booking process. But LTL shipping doesn’t have to give your team a headache. You can control more of your LTL shipping on a dedicated platform.
Within Shaker’s LTL portal, shipment details like freight class and NMFC are automatically calculated based on the information you enter. As you build a load, location data flags where accessorials may apply so you can account for them upfront instead of adjusting your budget after the fact.
From there, you can compare carrier options and prices, generate BOLs, and track your loads, all in the same place. And when something isn’t clear, our support team is there to help the process run smoothly.
See How It Works
If you’re looking to simplify how LTL fits into your operation, it helps to see the process in action.
From building shipments to selecting carriers and generating documentation, the Shaker platform brings everything into one place, so you can manage LTL on your schedule, with fewer surprises along the way.
Interested in streamlined LTL shipping? Watch a quick video about the portal, or schedule a demo with our team today.