The three most common ways to transport your goods via road are LTL, PTL, and FTL. All three are closely related and yet differ significantly.  Which method you choose should depend on factors like the size, weight, volume, urgency, safety, and costs associated with the shipments. Let’s understand how they vary to decide on how to move your products.

LTL

If you frequently send out packages regardless of the quantity, Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipping could be a transportation option, for various reasons. It can help reduce transportation costs, fuel expenses, and other related charges on days when your shipment volume is low. This is because it combines shipments from several suppliers into one truck and costs are distributed based on the space used.

PTL

Choose PTL shipping when you deal with items that require more space than LTL. This is generally considered quicker than LTL because fewer shippers are involved in a single trailer, resulting in reduced transit times. Although PTL tends to be pricier than LTL, it is cheaper than FTL. Additionally, the handling fees for PTL shipments are typically lower as they undergo fewer transfers than LTL shipments. Additional services such as pickup and delivery requests are offered through PTL.

FTL

This should be your choice if you want better control and visibility. A truck is dedicated to a single shipper and hence the products would be the safest in this mode. If you have large quantities of goods or a high-ticket item large enough to need its own space, then this will be the best way to ship them. FTL shipping is the most expensive among the three but also the fastest.

Which method is suitable for you?

The method of road transportation selected for the shipments depends upon the nature of the shipments and it will in turn affect the overall costs, control, and operational efficiency within the supply chain. LTL could be the cheapest option for frequent shipments, PTL for shipments that are generally larger than LTL shipments in terms of size, and FTL when the volume is high enough to fill a container and require better control and visibility.