If your company is not sending small shipments in a timely manner, your business is paying the price.
Learn the basics of Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping. Let’s start by answering the question, “What is LTL Shipping?” so you understand its many benefits.
Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping: What Is It?
LTL shipping allows you to share space inside a standard-sized freight truck and pay only for the portion of the truck you occupy. Less than truckload freight transportation is an economical option for local, regional, and national shipping.
When you don’t have enough contents to fill a truck—less than a truckload—LTL is an alternative to full truckload shipping. Collect your goods, protect them in secure packaging, then contact a carrier to pick up your crates or pallets.
With LTL shipping you can send smaller loads whenever they’re ready to go. There’s no need to wait until you have enough to fill a freight truck.
LTL Shipping and Transportation
It’s likely the contents of your LTL shipping load land on several trucks before arriving at their destination. LTL freight transportation takes a little longer to arrive, but it’s a more cost-effective option.
LTL freight transportation begins the moment a carrier picks up your packages. The carrier then takes your shipment to a distribution hub. There, they consolidate your shipment with other LTL packages on the same journey.
From that point, your shipment continues through a network of central hubs. At each terminal, carriers again consolidate your packages with other LTL shipments traveling a similar route. Once your shipment reaches a local central hub, it’s picked up for delivery to its destination.
If shipping of your goods is time-sensitive or weighs more than 15,000 pounds, LTL is not for you; choose full truckload.
LTL Tracking and Delivery
The logistics of shipping are important. An efficient transportation management system allows you to get a quote, track your shipment, and upload and download documentation. Less-Than-Truckload tracking technology provides the same conveniences. It lets you keep up with your shipment at every stop along the way.
You’re provided a Bill of Lading when a carrier picks up your goods. Bill of lading is required documentation when shipping goods with a carrier. It’s a legal document and it serves as your receipt.
A Bill of Lading gives an account for and lists specifics about items picked up. It’s an easy way for you to compare what’s delivered to what was picked up. It’s also your ticket to track the shipment online.
And once a delivery date range is available, your carrier enters it in tracking. Less than truckload transportation tracking gives you a look into when your shipment reaches its final destination.
Is Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) Shipping Your Best Option?
If you need to ship a small number of packages that weigh between 100 and 15,000 pounds, the answer is yes. LTL shipping is the best way to ship small loads at your convenience.
LTL shipping reduces costs, increases security, provides self-tracking, and offers expedited delivery.
Prepare your Less-Than-Truckload shipment for pickup. Then contact GENEX for a quote of their unbeatable pricing. They offer the best resources to get your shipment from point A to point B.