As you evaluate your business goals and explore how to distribute your goods more efficiently, you may realize some of your shipments do not require a full truckload. You might wonder what the solution is and how you can save money.
At Beitler Logistics Services (BLS), a non-asset shipping company, we have the solution for you: LTL Shipping.
You may be asking, “How does LTL shipping work?” At BLS, we are here to answer your questions and provide clarity to anything LTL shipping related.
What Is LTL Shipping?
Less than truckload (LTL) means transporting goods that do not need an entire truckload. Smaller freight loads usually mean a truck full of many separate shipments on the same truck. Instead of having an entire truck for your shipment, you only need a portion of the truck for a small freight.
The goal of LTL freight shipping is to optimize the truck space by serving multiple customers simultaneously.
What Does LTL Offer Me?
An LTL shipping method has various benefits that can save your business money and time and give you more flexibility.
- Flexibility
- Cost effectiveness
- Environmental friendliness
At BLS, other benefits (in addition to the ones listed above) make LTL an excellent option for logistic needs, including:
- Adaptability
- Vast coverage
- Industry experience
- Many options
The benefits of LTL shipping can help your business needs. So, what exactly is LTL shipping? And how can you get in on the action to start reaping the benefits of the items listed above?
How Does LTL Shipping Work?
The basic principle behind LTL shipping is that partial loads combine into full multi-stop truckloads, which is very efficient. This means that there are many small loads on the same truck instead of the truck carrying one full load. So, you only pay for the space our freight takes on the LTL carriers’ trucks.
A logistic solution like this can be beneficial when you don’t need to move an entire truckload worth of goods. Sometimes, you only need a pallet, so it is helpful that there is a solution for these situations.
There are three methods of shipping LTL freight:
- Standard
- Expedited
- Guaranteed
In addition to LTL freight, special services can be added. These services include lift gate pickups, inside pickups, residential pickups, and reweighing/reclassifications. To obtain these services, additional fees are required, known as accessorial fees
Breaking Down LTL Shipping Costs
Three main factors determine shipping rates:
- The amount of space used
- The type of item for shipment
- The location of pickup and delivery
At BLS, we have three common financial factors for LTL shipping costs:
- Freight classification
- Trucking lanes
- Special services
Each of these impacts the final cost amount, so let’s explore each factor.
Freight Classification
One of the most significant factors for costs at BLS is freight classification. So, ensuring your freight has the correct classification is crucial.
The following items are what are used to determine a shipment’s classification:
- Density (What is size and weight?)
- Storage ability (Is it difficult to store?)
- Handling (Is special handling needed?)
- Liability (Is it perishable or fragile?)
Using these factors, we will classify your freight and add it to the final cost of LTL shipping.
Trucking Lanes
The shipment’s final destination is essential in determining the final cost. By this, we mean there is a difference between driving on a highway and on mountain roads. So, if your shipment’s route is mainly on straightaway highways, the cost will be less than if your shipment needed to travel through mountain roads.
Special Services
Lastly, some truckload shipments may need special services because they are fragile or need to be expedited. Particular circumstances can cause the overall to increase, but we are always transparent about these additional add-ons.
How Do I Know If I Need LTL Shipping?
You may ask yourself, “Do I even need LTL shipping?” Answering this question depends on the weight of your shipment. An LTL shipping solution will work best if your load weighs anywhere from 150 to 15,000 pounds. In this instance, choosing LTL shipping will help your small business immensely.
At BLS, we are available to answer any questions about finding the best solution. Contact us and we will get you onto the right path as soon as possible.
BLS’s LTL Shipment Options
At BLS, we can offer a wide variety of options for your shipping needs. So if you need, we can help and accommodate your shipping needs.
The following options are available for all of our LTL shipping solutions.
- 26′ liftgate delivery
- 53′ liftgate delivery
- On-demand trucking
- Business deliveries
- Local delivery
- Regional delivery
- National delivery
- Palletized delivery
- Pallet jack delivery
If you need something missing from this list, reach out, and we will help you find it.
Reach out to BLS Today To Ship via LTL Today
What are you waiting for? If you want more information or a quote, reach out to us today, and we are more than happy to get you started.