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When you’ve got goods to move, one way to move them is to hire a trucking company, fill a trailer with cargo, and send it directly to its destination. Truckload shipping, also known as Full Truckload or FTL, is a fast, reliable shipping method, perfect for large companies that ship large amounts of freight.But what if you ship goods in smaller amounts? Traditionally, shippers have had to choose between paying for a truckload without actually having enough freight to fill the truck or settling for a less-than-dependable less-than-truckload option.

What is less-than-truckload shipping?

Less-than-truckload, also known as LTL shipping, allows you to move smaller loads without waiting until you can fill a trailer to capacity. By shipping LTL, you can combine your smaller loads with other shipments and share the expense with other shippers. LTL shipping is ideal for freight that is:

• smaller than 9 pallets
• takes up less than 12 linear feet of trailer space
• weighs 150-15,000 pounds

LTL shipping generally costs less than FTL since you only pay for the space you use, but it frequently comes with additional risks and fees. For example, when you ship LTL freight, your cargo is handled more often at distribution centers and terminals along the route, so it could be damaged or lost while unloading and reloading. Unexpected delays affecting delivery times may also occur. At the same time, LTL freight rates may include extra fees related to freight re-classification and accessorials.

What is shared truckload shipping?

What if there was a better way to ship your less-than-truckload freight? Shared truckload, or STL shipping, is a smarter, faster, more sustainable option for shipments that don’t fill a trailer to capacity. Like LTL, STL shipping allows businesses to combine freight with other shipments to optimize trailer capacity. By