LTL or Less Than Truckload shipping has been around since the 1980s. Today, LTL shipping has become an integral part of the freight forwarding industry with more and more businesses opting for it. In this article, we will highlight how LTL shipping can benefit your business and keep your customers delighted always.

What is LTL Shipping?

LTL shipments refer to shipments that are somewhere between parcel and FTL. When your cargo is not heavy or big enough to fill an entire truckload, or Full Truckload (FTL), then LTL is the best way forward. In LTL shipping, a shipper shares truck / carrier space and cost with other shippers. LTL carriers consolidate freight from various terminal networks and shippers, consolidate freight that is to be transported on the similar route, or lanes and deliver them as planned. Our previous blog post will help you decide whether FTL or LTL road freight is right for you.

So How Can LTL Shipping Benefit You?

The fastest and the easiest way to ship your cargo is to have a shipping company pick, load and transport it to your desired destination. However good this may sound, it is definitely not an economical solution. For such cases, shippers often choose LTL freight. Even though LTL is slower and has more handling points than FTL shipping, it can prove to be beneficial in many ways. Here are some of the top benefits of LTL shipping –

Reduces Shipping Cost:

Probably the most important and biggest advantage of LTL shipping is reduced shipping cost. As you will be sharing cargo space of a carrier with that of other shippers, you will also be sharing the cost of the same, therefore reducing the overall shipping costs. Basically, trucking companies themselves save cost by filling an entire truckload from various shippers and achieve fuel efficiency, reduced operating costs and the number of carriers. Imagine, if they had to use an entire truck to transport goods that are not at par with its capacity. Thus, it is a win-won for both trucking companies and shippers.

Better Safety and Security:

LTL shipping ensures increased safety for your cargo with enough amount of packaging. Generally, shipping companies ensure your cargo is well packed and then they will put in extra effort to repack them whenever the shipments are altered. This ensures your cargo is safe from physical and environmental damages. Usually, your cargo would be packed and stacked onto pallets before being loaded on the carrier – this reduces the risk of loss of cargo in transit between multiple points.

Operational Flexibility:

It is often thought that FTL shipping offers more control and flexibility which is true. Though, it does not mean LTL cannot provide you the operational flexibility – infact it does! For shippers or businesses that have regular shipments but of low volumes – LTL can prove to be an ideal choice. In many cases, shippers enter into a long term agreement with carrier companies and ensure their shipments are picked on time, carried through the desired route and delivered in the desired time frame.

LTL also enables manufacturers to save storage space of goods, since they can be shipped in batches regularly, instead of storing a big lot and then shipping altogether later on.

Another benefit of LTL is that you can ensure your operations are aligned as such that your products are always available to the customer at all locations – given the demand supply fluctuations in the market.

More Eco-friendly Option:

As more and more companies are looking for eco-friendly options, LTL comes up as one of the eco-friendly options. Since you share load with other shippers, you help shipping companies save fuel by optimizing their vehicles and their route.

On Point Tracking:

Probability of your package being lost in transit is quite less, irrespective of multiple handling points, because many LTL carriers offer tracking and tracing facility. Tracking can be done through Bill of Lading number, PO number, shipment reference number, pick up and drop off date range and regular notifications to the shipper. Moreover, many shippers and shipping companies agree on the most optimized route to reduce the number of stops, so as to reduce handling points.

ProConnect Integrated Logistics for LTL Shipments

A well known freight forwarding and 3PL company in UAE and Saudi Arabia, ProConnect caters to all kinds of road freight requirements for companies across various industry verticals. Whether you have FTL or LTL shipments, trust us with it. Our vast agent network, relationships with carrier and extensive experience in the region – we can handle it all for you. Get quote for your upcoming shipments today!