When businesses need to move shipments, they should be confident that their goods are moving safely to their distributors.
Sometimes, however, businesses only need to ship smaller orders that don’t take up an entire trailer. In these instances, businesses should look into less-than-truckload shipping (LTL). Using LTL effectively means understanding the LTL pallet limit before scheduling any deliveries.
If your shipments are larger than the limitations, an LTL service will not be cost-effective. Yet businesses can still save money and be efficient when they stay within the limit.
At Beitler Logistics Services (BLS), we are experts in LTL shipping. We have first-hand experience with origin & destination sets, freight classes, and weight break ratings. We use this information to help customers find the right carrier with the best rate that meets their requirements.
Our team believes that LTL shipping should not be complicated. That’s why you should let the BLS team do all the work for you. We will obtain the LTL quotes, manage the freight transportation process, and provide you with up-to-date tracking — along with anything else you might need.
We’ll even make sure your shipments are within the LTL pallet limits. But first, businesses must understand the services they use. Let’s take a closer look at pallet limits so we can understand why these restrictions are in place.
Let’s start by defining LTL shipping so we are on the same page.
What Is LTL Shipping?
LTL shipping is a logistics service designed for shipments that will take up only part of a truckload. For example, some of your businesses may need to move smaller orders that only require a part of the space in the trailer. LTL fills this need by letting businesses only pay for the space of the truck they fill.
In contrast, a full truckload service is for when your shipments need an entire truck trailer.
What Is the LTL Pallet Limit?
For most shipping providers, an LTL shipment falls anywhere between 150 lbs and 15,000 lbs., can include up to 10 pallets, and can be no longer than 12 feet. Since a smaller shipment won’t need a full 48-foot or 53-foot trailer for transport, carriers will combine shipments with other customers’ freight. That way, you only pay for the space you use.
Shipping LTL solves the challenges of shipping smaller loads and is perfect for businesses aiming to reduce costs for large, palletized shipments or shipping bulky items requiring more room in trucks.
Why Is There an LTL Pallet Limit?
LTL can assist many businesses when they have smaller shipping loads. LTL shipping was introduced to provide solutions to businesses with shipments that fill a portion of the truck.
When trying to determine a pallet limit, logistics companies decided there needed to be some restrictions. These limits help logistics providers offer LTL options more efficiently.
The three main reasons for a pallet limit are the following:
- Ability to ship smaller quantities
- Create cost-effective shipping solutions
- Environmentally friendly shipping
LTL Lets Businesses Ship Less
LTL is a solution that allows businesses to ship smaller loads. As a result, they don’t have to spend the money to fill an entire truck, especially when they don’t need to. Less-than-truckload fills the gap between needing a full truckload and falling short of a full load.
Cost-Effective Shipping Solutions
The pallet limit allows logistics companies to offer cost-effective shipping solutions. For example, when companies use LTL, they split the cost of the truck with the other companies that have shipments on the truck.
The prices are more specific, so if you only use a small portion of the truck, you are paying only for the space you take up.
Environmentally Friendly Shipping
LTL offers a more environmentally friendly option for shipping solutions. Since companies combine shipments, there are fewer trucks on the road. As a result, fewer emissions are produced.
Contact Beitler Logistics for LTL Shipments
If you are interested in letting us help you with LTL shipping, reach out to us today and a team member will get you started!