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The world of shipping can seem complicated to the average businessperson, because of its many terms and rules, which is why we at netParcel want to break a few of these terms down, unpack them and pass that information onto you. This article will look at the differences between LTL (Less Than Truckload) shipping and TL (Truckload, sometimes referred to as FTL, or full truckload) shipping.

Many businesses, especially online retailers, tend to only ever need “courier” service – that is, hand-delivered packages that fall under a certain size and price limit. However, if your shipment exceeds a certain weight and size limit, set individually by the different couriers, then your shipment is a candidate for what’s called “freight” shipping, and that’s where the terms LTL and TL come into play. For the sake of comprehensiveness, we’ll look at couriering quickly, before we dive into LTL and TL shipping.

Courier Service

Generally, when a package is less that 150 pounds and has a combined length and girth of under 420cm, it’s a candidate for courier service. UPS gives a more detailed overview here of how to determine your package’s weight and size. Courier service is wonderful for shipping these small packages, since they are generally overseen by a single person and delivered right to the customer’s door. But packages aren’t always this small, nor this light, which is where LTL comes in.

LTL

LTL, as its name suggests, is when your freight occupies less than a truckload. A cheaper option than TL shipping, you can think of LTL as like a rideshare for freight – your shipment shares a truck with other businesses’ shipments, which are all palletized and sent in a common direction. You pay for the space and weight that your shipment occupies, as opposed to having to pay for the whole truck. It’s great for small to medium sized businesses sending pallets or shipments exceeding courier regulations, and is one of the tools netParcel uses to offer the best prices on shipping services in Canada.

TL

Truckload, by comparison is – you guessed it – when a single shipment occupies an entire truck. We hesitate in calling it “full truckload” since this can be misleading – some businesses will opt for TL even though they’re only shipping a partial truckload. They usually do this to save on time, since TL shipping doesn’t make numerous stops, and is therefore more direct than LTL, but some businesses believe TL shipping is safer, since the shipment is less likely to be moved around en route. But TL shipping is more expensive, and for the perceived benefits it offers companies sending smaller shipments, it’s not worth it. Better to make use of LTL shipping if you can.

At netParcel, we offer instant access to over 40 LTL carriers, and we use our discounted rates to ensure that you get the best possible price immediately. There’s no waiting around for a spot quote, and you get your pick of carrier – all from the tips of your fingers. If you want to learn how our process works a little more, absolutely check out the provided link to our website, which breaks down the selection process. And hopefully this article has demystified the world of shipping just a little bit.