When it comes to logistics and shipping, some of the terms that you come across may seem a little confusing. Two common terms used in the industry are “full truck load” or FTL and “less than truck load” or LTL.

Full Truck Load

As its name suggests, the FTL I the shipment of the quantity of freight that it takes to completely fill a semi-trailer or intermodal container. Unlike the LTL, the FTL goes to any specific destination without making additional pick-ups along the way. The advantages of this are that your shipment gets delivered faster and is never handled en route. Truckload carriers will often specialize in a specific type of freight, such as hazardous materials, food and perishable items or machinery.

Less than Truck Load

Most LTL loads are comprised of around 100 and 10,000lbs per load. Although this may seem like a heavy weight, the freight is laid out on the truck to optimize the space and ensure a full load by combining more than one shipment. An LTL load may take longer than an FTL because they often have more pick up locations or destinations to accommodate the accumulative shipments they are carrying. Further delays can be caused by the redistribution of the shipment as they are en route to their final destination.

At Bonded Service our expert team has been providing public warehousing, contract warehousing, order fulfillment, transportation and inventory management services since 1931. As one of Atlanta’s first logistics companies, we are dedicated to offering cutting edge facilities and services. We operate over one million square feet all over the greater Atlanta area and now have two new facilities in the Savannah area designed to meet demands of our clients needing close proximity to the Port of Savannah.