Define the difference ...

[Michael Ludwig]

Define the difference between LTL and FTL. I want to know what everyone thinks is LTL and what is FTL.
My reason for asking is this ... I was offered a load ... pick up at a specific time, straight thru transit, deliver at a specific time, but since it was "only" 44 feet of trailer, it had an LTL rate on it. Most of you know me well enough to insert your own version of my reply, so there's no need for me to type it here.

Anyways, I have a guess that the definitions of LTL and FTL are vastly different between carriers and brokers/shippers.

 

[martinetav]

I believe that ltl is a partiel, taking up X amount of space, which although you do need to get it there eventually, should not be expected to be expedited... This is happening more and more often. Or they offer a full load at an inferior rate because it's 'not quite a full'. BUT, needs to deliver say next day???

 

[Freight Broker]

If the service requirements preclude you from putting other freight with it... i.e. they want direct service in accordance with truckload service standards then its truckload regardless of the actual size of the shipment.

 

[jackhole]

The Orange Cat , is once again , absolutely correct !!

 

[whatiship]

If a shipments size allows for even 1 extra skid on the trailer to be delivered on route or after the load is delivered then it is entirely up to carrier to utilize the extra capacity providing it does not effect the delivery time promised.
If the customer wants his freight to be the only goods on the trailer then they should not assume but specify "exclusive use". It is then up to the carrier to price it accordingly. In my opinion a request of direct drive for an LTL shipment precludes the carrier from putting additional freight on the trailer. However, lets say I get a call for 5 skids "direct drive" to Calgary. I have another 5 skids to Calgary on my dock that I can stick on the nose and deliver after the "direct drive" Am I cheating my customer? I wouldn't do it with a similar situation on a shipment to the U.S. because a customs issue on the other shipment could hold up service on the hot one, but on a domestic it is a different story. It is all "interpretation of terms" being upfront with your client and meeting the service level expected.

 

[lowmiler88]

We ship a lot of LTL to the States and our skid pricing obviously starts at 1 skid and by the time you hit 14 skids it is a FTL as not a lot of people want to touch 6+ skids and the higher the number the harder to find someone.

 

[theman]

If the truck needs to be sealed, it's F/L no matter what the actual size of the shipment is. My view on LTL is that there is a different service level for an LTL shipment than one that is F/L, and prorating partial loads makes sense up until anywhere between the 14 and 20 skid mark, depending on how long the actual haul is. I agree with lowmiler88 that the number of players who want to touch partials larger than even 6 skids wanes off quite a bit. This is because the margins on LTL freight are derived from the P&D activity and not the linehaul.