Transportation and Medical Tourism

Posted on: 4 December 2014

If you're about to open up a business in which shipping goods and products is an essential component, you will need the services of a freight company.

You will hear a lot of terminology as you become familiar with freight companies, but one of the most important things to understand is the difference between a LTL shipping and FTL shipping. If those are just acronyms for you, don't worry and keep reading, and you'll soon be talking 'freight' lingo like a pro.

LTL FREIGHT SHIPPING

LTL stands for 'less than truckload', and it's a type of freight shipping in which a shipment does not fill up a standard freight truck or container. An LTL shipment can offer you cost-savings if you're not a massive bulk shipper, but you do ship regularly. Because you're not filling the entire truck, you'll pay less for the shipment, but the tradeoff is that your goods will take a bit longer to arrive at their destination.

It takes longer because on an LTL shipment, a freight company will add your shipment items to that of other business owners, which means that your deliveries are not considered 'premium' deliveries, as your items are not the only ones being carried in the freight truck. LTL weight limits are different for each freight carrier, so there is no standard, but you can always inquire about LTL when you're vetting a freight company.

LTL shipping requires less fuel, which is why a freight company can offer you a lower price for this kind of shipping service. And because you only pay for the portion of the truck that your shipment fills, you are saving money when you have smaller shipments.

FTL FREIGHT SHIPPING

FTL is the short form of for 'full truckload', and it's a type of freight shipping in which a shipment fills up an entire standard freight truck or container. With FTL shipping, you are guaranteed a faster delivery because the freight truck is filled up with only your goods so there is no reason for the truck to make stops at the shipment destinations of other business owners.

FTL freight companies often refer to their shipments as truckload shipments because the entire truck or container is dedicated to one customer's freight. If you're shipping a large number of items on a regular basis, FTL is the choice not only because it assures faster delivery than LTL shipments, but also because your shipments are never handled again once they are loaded onto the truck. This means less chance of your goods being damaged due to constant loading and unloading to make room for other products, which is what can occur with an LTL shipment.

Lear more about which system is more ideal for you by contacting experts such as Jayde Transport.