If you happen to be a manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or wholesaler in Canada, you’re probably looking for an efficient way to save money on the freight and undecided on whether to opt for (LTL) less than truckload goods services or (FTL) full truckload freight services in Calgary.
To help you select an FTL carrier over an LTL one or otherwise, we’ve created a curated list of the key differences between these 2, most popular, transportation methods.
Full Truckload Freight Services versus Less than Truckload Goods Services
FTL and LTL are the 2, most frequently used, cargo loading methods in the logistics industry that are utilized by businesses to deliver their shipments.
While the former is required when the total load of the consignments equals the maximum carrying capacity of the truck, the latter is needed when the gross/net consignment weight is less than the full loading capacity of the vehicle.
Here are a few of the most critical differences between them.
According to the Association of Independent Truckers (AIT), the majority of FTL carriers are owned and operated by small third-party companies with a fleet size of about 2,500. When planning to ship FTL freight, you should consider all the time and money you’ll be charged for trucking the goods, and not to mention other expenses, including the charges for accommodation and pilot cars.
On the contrary, LTL carriers are often operated by individuals who function as owner-worker and don’t have any other employees to help run the business. However, they’re less expensive than full truckload freight services in Calgary (or wherever one may require for that matter) and other locations in Canada.
FTL carriers typically have a bigger fleet of trucks, more trailers, fuel, and equipment than their LTL peers possess. Furthermore, the former scores much higher than the latter does on maximum loading capacity and truck sizes/configurations.
However, when it comes to the LTL carriers, they’re characterized by tiny fleet size and you won’t have a plethora of choices for vehicle types and cargo weight combinations.
An FTL carrier uses trailers to transport freight from one place to another that are purpose-designed to carry bulky products unsuitable for shipping via an LTL vehicle. As they’re ideal for carrying heavy items, the total quantity of units that an FTL carrier is capable of transporting is always less than what an LTL carrier can deliver.
Hence, the greatest advantage of using an LTL automobile is that it’s best suited for shipping a higher number of units than an FTL vehicle can do.
When LTL vehicles carry the goods from the warehouse to the consignee’s doorstep, there’s much less time spent on the trucks, and the products are transported from the origin to the destination in the least possible time, which translates to better savings in terms of both time and cost.
Admittedly, the less time one’s required to spend on the freight, the lower the shipper’s transportation expenses will be.
If you’re still confused about whether to go for less than truckload cargo services or full truckload freight services in Calgary, you can call Welkin Transport for a FREE consult.
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