Entrepreneurs who want to ship freight need to be aware of the two main options for moving their cargo: LTL (Less-than-truckload) and FTL (Full truckload).
LTL involves partial loads, i.e. you share the transport option with other shippers. FTL involves full loads where you use a truck trailer just for your freight.
Here we’ll take a look at the special features between FTL and LTL, showing you the advantages and taking into account aspects such as sustainability, cost efficiency and best practices.
What is FTL (Full truckload)?
FTL is the abbreviation for ‘full truckload”. Here you book the transport of your freight and use the entire truck loading capacity for your goods. To book an FTL shipment, your cargo must meet certain specifications to fill the total volume (90 cubic metres).
What is LTL (Less-than-truckload)?
LTL is the abbreviation for “Less-than-truckload” and means a partial truck load. This means you only pay for the space actually used in the truck. Goods from other senders are placed in the remaining space. If you want to ship smaller quantities of goods without taking up an entire truck trailer, LTL delivery is the best option for you.
What is the difference between LTL and FTL in cost, sustainability and speed?
Whether FTL freight transport or LTL freight transport is more efficient and cheaper for you depends on your loading volume, the destination and the speed of delivery. In principle, large FTL deliveries offer numerous advantages, but only if there are large quantities of goods available for a delivery.
Small LTL deliveries using one pallet have the advantage of flexibility in terms of collection and delivery, as well as the opportunity to send a few goods professionally via freight forwarding and transport companies.
Best practices for sustainability in LTL and FTL
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for logistics. Through digitalization, optimal route planning, freight tracking, fuel cost calculation, and avoidance of traffic jams and interruptions on the route, freight transport has become more efficient and environmentally-friendly in recent years.
Amazon Freight notifies its customers, for example, in the dashboard via live tracking where their goods are in real time.
Sustainable route planning in FTL and LTL logistics
- Analysis of optimal routes for effective route planning
- Capturing transport routes with high demand
- Analysis of LTL and FTL transportation routes that are the most cost-effective
- Incorporating seasons, market changes and trends
- Real-time analysis of blockages and route changes
- Gasoline price calculation for optimal route planning
- Reduction of packaging
- Use of robust pallets with a long lifecycle
Cost & speed of freight transport
The fastest variant is FTL transport. Since the transporter transports your freight directly from A to B, route planning is more effective and your goods are transported without interruption.
LTL transport takes longer because you share the truck with other shippers. This means the driver has to make several stops to load and unload the goods. On the other hand, you have more flexibility here as to where your goods should be delivered.
At Amazon Freight for example, you can book a pallet that will go to Frankfurt and two more that will be transported to Munich. All pallets will be picked up together.
Since only part of the van is booked by you for an LTL delivery, the trucking company looks for other buyers in order to fully utilise the space. The other buyers then pay the additional route costs and petrol, while the first person booking only pays for the part of the loading space that they occupy.
Which is cheaper, FTL or LTL?
- FTL is cheaper and faster when shipping large quantities
- LTL is more expensive and takes longer, but offers flexible loading and unloading locations when shipping to different recipients
What are the advantages of FTL?
- Faster delivery speed
- Faster loading and unloading as only one load is transported
- No additional stops or detours on the route
- Cheaper delivery
- No transfers from van to van
- All goods reach the destination together
- Best choice for short-term and fast deliveries
- More environmentally conscious because of shorter distances and lower fuel costs
Advantages of Amazon FTL and LTL shipments
Amazon is committed to providing its customers with the highest quality, and we never reject a load.
In 2023, Amazon Freight:
- Delivered twice as many shipments transported as in the previous year
- 24% faster delivery due to scheduling improvements
- Achieved over 99% on-time pickup of FTL shipments
- 94% of all shipments reached their destination on time
Conclusion
Would you like to book an EU FTL freight or send an LTL partial load? Amazon Freight is focused on eco-friendly, cost-effective transport and always offers the best solution for your needs with a professional network of freight forwarders and carrier partners.
Send us an email at: freight-eu-interest@amazon.com. We would be happy to answer any questions you have.