Five Common Questions About LTL Shipping: Info from an LTL Trucking Company in Houston, TX

LTL stands for “less than truckload.” Companies that do not have enough cargo to use an entire truck for their shipments can find LTL shippers to take their deliveries for them, along with cargo from other companies.

Here are a few of the most common questions we receive at our LTL trucking company in Houston, TX about LTL shipping services.

Q: How does LTL shipping differ from other forms of shipping and transport?

Less than truckload (LTL) shipments typically weigh more than 100 pounds, heavy enough that they can be transported by a small parcel carrier but not large enough to the point that they need an entire truck dedicated to shipping them. LTL shipping allows for more consolidated shipments of freight, which ultimately makes it a more economical option for companies to get their cargo where it needs to go.

Q: How does the cost of LTL shipping compare to truckload shipping?

There are a lot of variables that go into determining the costs of both LTL and truckload (TL) shipping. LTL pricing is primarily based on the amount of space your freight takes up on the truck, and also factors in the weight of that freight, its class and its lane. For companies with smaller shipping needs, LTL is almost always a more economical option, because the shipper is only paying for the space that freight occupies rather than the entire truck. Truckload shipping is only a good option if your company ships so much freight that it needs entire trucks of space.

Q: Am I able to track LTL shipments like I am other types of shipments?

Yes—once you have scheduled a shipment with our LTL trucking company in Houston, TX, our customer service representatives will be happy to provide you with updates about the status and progress of your shipment. These location updates are provided with the use of Electronic Data Interchange technology. Speak to one of our customer service representatives for more information about how we’re able to provide these progress updates to our clients.

Q: How do I find out what freight class my items belong to?

The freight class is the number issued by the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) that identifies the types of products that are able to be shipped by a carrier. The weight and class of your shipment will have at least a small impact on the cost of your shipment.

Q: What are some of the other benefits of LTL shipping?

LTL shipping helps to reduce harmful emissions, because companies are sharing space on a single truck rather than using large trucks to carry small shipments. LTL shipping can also help to increase security. Freight is usually handled several times during the course of transit, and LTL carriers have an edge over other types of parcel carriers because freight shippers are encouraged to load freight onto pallets or package it into durable crates.

For more information about LTL shipping, contact a trusted LTL trucking company in Houston, TX.

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