LTL Shipping: Less Than Truckload Freight to Fit Your Needs
Easy, affordable, dependable LTL.
Instant rates from 100+ vetted carriers, real experts on the phone, and the freight class and HAZMAT knowledge that keeps your invoices free of surprises.
LTL Freight Shipping, Made Simple
We make LTL shipping easy, affordable, and dependable. As one of the leading third-party logistics companies serving shippers nationwide, ALG makes sure you get the service and the price you deserve: instant rates from our network of 100+ vetted carriers, real experts on the phone, and the freight class and HAZMAT knowledge that keeps your invoices free of surprises. If you ship LTL freight every week or you're moving your first pallet, our team will find the right carrier at the right rate.
What Is LTL Shipping?
Less than truckload shipping moves freight that's too big for a parcel carrier but doesn't need an entire trailer to itself, typically 1 to 6 pallets, or roughly 150 to 15,000 pounds. Your LTL shipment shares trailer space with freight from other businesses, and you pay only for the space and weight you use. That often makes LTL the most economical way to move palletized freight in volumes that would leave a 53-foot trailer mostly empty.
Manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers rely on LTL freight shipping every day to move product between warehouses, restock retail locations, and fulfill orders that don't call for a full trailer. If your business ships pallets on a regular basis but doesn't have the volume for dedicated truckload service, LTL is often your most economical option, though it isn't the only one worth pricing. Volume LTL, partial truckload, and dedicated vehicles can come out ahead depending on the shipment.
How LTL Shipping Works
LTL freight shipping runs on a hub-and-spoke network. A carrier picks up your palletized freight and brings it to a local terminal, where it's consolidated with other shipments heading the same direction. The trailer moves between terminals, sometimes through a regional hub, until your freight reaches the destination terminal, where it's sorted onto a local truck for final delivery.
That extra handling is why solid pallets, secure shrink wrap, and accurate labeling matter more in LTL than in any other mode. Freight that shifts, crushes, or gets mislabeled during transfers is far more likely to be damaged or delayed. Our team coaches shippers on all three, and we'll flag packaging issues before they turn into claims.
What Affects Your LTL Rate
LTL pricing isn't one flat number. Your LTL rate comes down to several factors, and the more of them you share up front, the more accurate your quote will be:
- Freight Class: An NMFC rating from 50 to 500 based on your freight's density, stowability, handling, and liability. Lower classes cost less to ship.
- Weight and Density: Heavier, denser freight typically ships cheaper per pound than light, bulky freight that takes up trailer space without adding weight.
- Dimensions and Stackability: Length, width, and height set how much room your freight takes up. Freight that can't be stacked or has to ride on its own keeps other shipments off the trailer space above it, and carriers price that lost space.
- Trailer Space and Linear Feet: Some carriers price by the linear feet your freight occupies on the trailer, not just its weight. A few long or wide pallets can use more room than their weight suggests.
- Distance and Lane: Rates vary by origin, destination, and how competitive that particular lane is among carriers.
- Fuel Surcharge: Carriers add a fuel surcharge on top of the base rate, and it moves with fuel prices.
- Minimums and Capacity Rules: Carriers set minimum charges, and many apply their own capacity or linear-foot rules once a shipment takes up a certain amount of trailer space. When those rules kick in, a different service type may price better.
- Accessorial Services: Add-ons like liftgate service, residential delivery, inside delivery, or limited-access locations carry additional charges.
Misclassified freight gets rebilled at the correct class after pickup, which is one of the most common sources of surprise invoices in LTL freight shipping. ALG verifies classification on every quote up front, so the class on your quote is the class that gets billed.
Standard LTL, Volume LTL, Partial Truckload, or Full Truckload: Which Fits Your Shipment?
The right mode isn't a simple matter of counting pallets. Under about 150 pounds per piece, parcel carriers are usually the answer. Above that, several options sit between a single LTL pallet and a full 53-foot trailer, and each fits a different kind of shipment:
- Standard LTL: Often the most economical choice for smaller palletized shipments that fit comfortably within a carrier's weight and linear-foot limits and don't have unusual handling needs.
- Dimensional LTL Pricing: Some carriers price on the cubic space or linear feet your freight occupies instead of weight and class. Light, bulky freight often prices better this way.
- Volume LTL: Built for larger LTL shipments. As your freight takes up more of the trailer, volume pricing can beat the standard per-hundredweight rate while still sharing the trailer.
- Partial Truckload: Your freight rides with limited or no other stops, using only part of the trailer. This can cost less than a full trailer and involve less terminal handling than standard LTL.
- Full Truckload: One dedicated trailer, direct routing, and no terminal transfers. It becomes the better fit when volume, handling risk, or a tight delivery window outweigh price.
- Dedicated Vehicles: Box trucks, Sprinter vans, and other dedicated equipment can be competitive even when a full trailer isn't needed, especially for smaller or time-sensitive loads.
- Intermodal: Rail and drayage can be a cost-effective option for freight that isn't time sensitive.
Comparing them comes down to your shipment's dimensions, linear feet, weight, handling needs, lane, and timing. That's a lot of variables, and the cheapest mode on one lane isn't always the cheapest on the next. ALG does the analytics and mode optimization for you, so you see how each option prices out instead of guessing where your freight belongs.
LTL is one piece of a much bigger picture. Our 3PL logistics solutions cover everything from full truckload to warehousing, and our worldwide air and sea freight services get your product moving beyond U.S. borders.
Solutions to Match You
Our Technology
Don't waste your time calling all of your carriers directly. Use our website to compare different carriers and rates and choose the one that's right for you. Or call us directly at 1-877-SHIP-ALG and we'll do it for you.
Our Network
We've built out a vast carrier network that allows us to pass our negotiated prices onto you. With over 100 of the top carriers in America, you'll have instant access to our low rates and deep carrier capacity.
Our People
We hire only the best, and through constant training, we make our employees better to benefit you. Whatever or wherever you're shipping, no matter what lane, our staff will help you find a solution that meets your needs and budget.
Watch how we keep it simple, but powerful.
LTL Shipping FAQ
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