When one truck is in charge of transporting a single kind of shipment in large quantities from one location to another, it is known as a full truckload. It is commonly known as FTL and is a bit expensive mode of transportation. FTL often refers to the truck-based delivery of a single kind of cargo. However, truckloads are also utilized when the shipper needs to move more than one kind of item but it is safe to move them all at once. For instance, cereals and pulses can be transported together in a container, but transporting soaps with food items in full truckloads is strictly prohibited.
When you transport a full truckload, the item on the vehicle is your freight only. A complete full truckload cargo may contain a minimum of 24 pallets and a maximum of 30 pallets. Full truckload shipments often weigh between 5,000 pounds and 45,000 pounds and more. And it’s of great importance because the size of your shipment in the trailer matters more than weight when shipping freight by truck.
When And For What Full Truckload is Used?
Shippers choose full truckloads when they have sufficient quantities of merchandise to move from one place to another. Normally, shippers utilize a full truckload for a shipment to deliver to its destination when the volume of the consignment is more than half or almost full. Full truckloads are also employed in situations where the shipper requires his shipment to be delivered fast. Even if the quantity is less than a container load, full truckloads are frequently employed for shipments that need to be delivered quickly.
Shippers choose to ship certain commodities as FTL when they have to convey them because they cannot be combined with other kinds of items. Therefore, a full truckload is best for transporting homogeneous materials. This may not always happen; and sometimes, a full truckload is used to deliver a variety of commodities. However, the compatibility of the commodities for traveling in the same container must be considered when diverse types of goods are sent together as FTL. For instance, fruits and grains can be sent through FTL but fruits and fertilizers cannot be sent. Also, FTL shipping is ideal for temperature-sensitive goods and for bulk and break-bulk cargo.
Transition and Handling in a Full Truckload
In full truckload the truck never stops, resulting in substantially quicker transit times, with the exception of driver’s rest stops, fuel refill, and equipment problems. As a result, we can assume that the transporter will pick up the shipment at the origin and go directly to the destination. Your freight also never leaves the vehicle, which means there is a lot less handling and less chance for damage to goods.
Full Truckload Pricing
Pricing for truckload freight is wholly determined by the market. By the week, day, or even the hour, truckload rates might change. The origin and destination, weight of the shipment, seasons (like harvesting season or even back-to-school season), truck capacity and location, shipping lane or route, and fuel and operation costs are some of the variables that affect pricing. Truckload carriers often don’t have contracts, and they might range from small owners/operators with a single vehicle to massive shipping firms with a fleet of thousands of trucks. As there are no pre-set rates, therefore, truckload freight prices are negotiated as needed by phone or email.
Types Of Full Truckload Container
General Purpose or GP Container: The general-purpose container is the typical freight container having a floor, walls, roof, and two lockable doors. They are also referred to as Dry Vans (DV). A 20′ or a 40′ container is usually used here. This type is recommended for fragile loads or for items that must be delivered in a locked container that is shielded from the environment.
Flatbed: A flatbed lacks structural walls and a roof. This open, platform-style vehicle is frequently used to move items of unusual sizes. It is used for loads that have uneven shapes, must be loaded by the truck’s top or side, or don’t need to transit in a closed environment.
Refrigerated Container or Reefer: Refrigerated containers are utilized for the transportation of goods that require strict temperature control, such as food and pharmaceuticals.
Pros Of Full Truckload
For companies transporting enough goods to fill an entire truck, full truckload shipping is the ideal option. If you have questions regarding the advantages of full truckload shipping or whether it is the right choice for your company’s needs, we have listed below its amazing benefits that would make your decision easier.
- Less handling and a lower risk of loss or damage because it is handled by just one truck driver.
- For large cargos it is the most effective way of transportation.
- Transit without interruption from start to finish.
- For shipments larger than a particular size, it is the most economical way.
- More rapid transit times compared to combined or less-than-truckload shipments.
- Fewer limitations on weight and size.
- FTL transport service is appropriate for large loads that can fill an entire truck.
- It is the best choice for delicate or temperature-sensitive loads.
- It is used when the cargo must be delivered quickly.
- It is more cost-effective to rent the entire container when the amount of cargo being shipped is greater than half or near to a truckload.
- The competitive rates that transporters provide for full truckloads are also advantageous to shippers.
- You will have fewer formalities to cope with before your commodities can be carried to their destination if you choose to use a full truckload shipment.
Cons Of Full Truckload
Full truckload has some disadvantages as well, which are as follows:
- If the items are not packed and loaded properly when using full truckload transport to move less than truckload, harm to the commodities may occur.
- Only compatible or homogeneous cargo is allowed to be transported via FTL.
- Sometimes it can cost unnecessary extra expenses.
What is the Difference Between Full Truckload and Less than Truckload?
It can be challenging to choose between less than truckload (LTL) and full truckload (FTL) shipment. We’ve described some of the key differences between full truckload and less than truckload freight, so that shippers may make confident reservations.
Load: In the broadest sense possible, we may state that the less than truckload (LTL) service is the ideal choice for smaller cargoes, while the full truckload (FTL) service is advised for heavier and bulkier loads.
Cost: Multiple shippers can share space on a truck with less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment. It is the most economical choice between the two modes of truckloads because different businesses pay for a share of the trailer space in one truck. The full truckload (FTL) is still your best financial option if your cargo is big enough. However, if your shipment is small, the less than truckload service will be the cheapest option.
Shipment Weight: LTL shipping is the best option for companies with freight shipments weighing less than 15,000 pounds. Whereas, when the freight is over 15,000 pounds in weight or the organization needs to move more than ten pallets’ worth of goods, full truckload becomes the more practical option. FTL also makes delivery time estimations more precise and rapid.
Speed: The FTL is your best choice if cutting transport times is your top priority. Full truckload transport is the fastest mode of land transportation since cargo is moved directly from point A to point B without any stops in between. On the other hand, less than truckload (LTL) transport services involve multiple stops before arriving at the end location, hence the transit times are longer.
When selecting a shipping method, take into account elements like freight dimensions (such as length, width, and height), freight classification, and special services. There are many elements that affect freight shipment and evaluating each one can point you in the direction of the most effective strategy depending on your unique requirements. Although each approach has advantages and disadvantages, depending on your freight, you will find the one more suitable for your needs.
Bottom line
Lastly, companies need to send a lot of goods, supplies, or other things frequently; therefore, we have tried to deliver all the needed information regarding full truckload in this blog. No matter what mode of transportation you are choosing; in the business of logistics, doing due diligence investigations before booking your cargo and adhering to best practice guidelines are crucial. This naturally applies to FTL as well.
For guaranteed capacity and to negotiate the best rates with transporters, prepare carefully and consistently to find the best full truckload services in the town. Also, most of the time, loading is the shipper’s responsibility while transporting FTL. Therefore, make sure that goods are properly stacked and packed inside the container. Because when there is damage to the cargo, this becomes even more critical as the transporters cannot be questioned because it was your responsibility to carefully pack the goods. We hope you got the answers to your questions. For further assistance feel free to contact us.