BENEFITS OF FTL FREIGHT SHIPPING (SPOILER ALERT: YOU GET THE WHOLE TRUCK!)

If you’re a small to medium-sized business (SMB) that relies on shipping, you may have your parcel and less-than-truckload (LTL) game in full swing. It’s likely this approach has worked and will remain an essential part of your operations. But as your business — and perhaps the size of your shipments — continues to expand, you may find you’re outgrowing the shipping options that historically have worked for you. With that in mind, have you thought about upgrading to full truckload (FTL) shipping? You get the entire truck!

What is FTL freight shipping?

On the surface, there’s no great mystery to defining FTL shipping. It can be described as a shipping option where a shipper fills — or does not share the space of — an entire trailer or flatbed with their products. However, there are many benefits associated with full truckload shipping that simply are not available when using LTL and parcel shipping. When does it make smart business sense to use a full truckload shipping service?

Full Truckload Freight Shipping Provides Cost Savings

Say goodbye to accessorial fees

No one wants to pay for unexpected or unnecessary costs — AKA accessorial fees. With FTL you generally will not pay reweigh fees, redelivery fees, appointment pickup or delivery fees, oversized/odd-shaped pallet fees and other accessorial fees. This allows you to put that money back into your business!

No need for freight classification

Unlike LTL, truckload shipping rates are not determined by National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) codes. Freight shipping costs are based on volume, weight, distance and commodity. When shipping FTL freight, shippers can avoid possible re-class fees by providing these details when considering full truckload as their transportation mode.

It’s just more cost effective

If you have a high volume of product to ship, it makes financial sense to ship it all at once when possible (think of it like buying groceries in bulk). FTL freight shipping allows you to send 10 pallets or more and loads in excess of 20,000 pounds — an option not available in a single shipment through LTL or parcel.

FTL Shipping Provides Damage Control

Door-to-door delivery

When you have an entire truck to yourself, there are no stops to deliver another company’s products, and there is less handling of your product due to loading and unloading. This minimizes damage, theft and loss. And unlike other transportation modes, FTL carriers do not transload freight at terminals.

Perfect for fragile or valuable freight

We realize all shipments are valuable, but if you have products that are more valuable or delicate than others, FTL provides safeguards against damage or loss. Your valuable or fragile freight will not be moved around, unloaded or shared space with another company’s products. This will help ensure it gets to its destination in one piece.

There’s Flexibility With Full Truckload Freight

More room for non-stackable and/or bulky shipments

Not all products are built alike. Truckload freight shipping is the perfect option if you need to ship items that are oddly shaped, large or won’t necessarily fit on a pallet. Did we mention you get the whole truck? Yep, that makes it easy to ship products of all shapes and sizes.

Go big for your oversized loads

FTL is your only option if you are shipping products that are wider or longer than normal — otherwise known as oversized loads. Working with a third-party logistics company allows you to source carriers so you can select one that is equipped to transport such items.

You have equipment options

With FTL shipping, you aren’t tied to one trailer type. In fact, depending upon your shipment, you can choose from refrigerated trucks, flatbeds (standard, step-deck, Contegosa and more), intermodal, multimodal (see the difference) and dry van depending upon your needs. If you need multiple types of equipment, a 3PL can help source those for you. This sidesteps the need for you to contact and work with multiple FTL carriers to deliver your products. You can also source team-driver and drop-trailer options when necessary!

Full Truckload Shipping = Efficiency

Time-sensitive deliveries

FTL is perfect for those times when a shipment needs to get somewhere as soon as possible. Because the truck is dedicated to your freight, even if you don’t fill it, there will be no stops along the way to its destination.

Multiple pickup and delivery options

Now more than ever, your time is valuable, and efficiency is the name of the game. FTL freight shipping allows you to source carriers for multiple pickups and deliveries at the same time and schedule pickup and delivery appointments — allowing both shippers and customers to plan ahead.

No North American destination limits

Full truckload freight shipping allows you to go anywhere … in North America that is. Whether it’s northward to Alaska, south into Mexico and anywhere in between, FTL services can get your product there. This is particularly important if you ship to varying (and less-populated) destinations across the continent.

Are you ready to start shipping truckload freight?

Jumping into the FTL shipping game may seem like a hefty lift. Just remember this option will provide potential cost savings, damage prevention, flexibility and efficiency. Working with a third-party logistics provider like Worldwide Express can help you transition and get you on the road to FTL shipping. Our dedicated team will focus on what they do best during the life cycle of your shipments.

Worldwide Express: Your FTL Shipping Partner

At Worldwide Express, our mission is to provide small to mid-size companies with the scale and savings afforded to larger enterprise businesses. Talk to us today to learn more about how we can help your business with its FTL shipping needs.