A Full Truck Load (FTL) simply means that the truck will be used to ship the goods to a particular vendor only. The trucking system is what keeps the wheels of an economy moving, all over the world. They carry raw materials to the factories for production, and then the finished goods from the factories to the domestic & international markets.
There are different categories of shippers, shipping various commodities and in varying quantities. Certain commodities need to be sent in huge quantities or in bulk; while there are others that get shipped in much smaller quantities. Depending on the quantity of shipment, the shippers select the type of trucking service. One such service is Full Truckload (FTL) service.
What is Full Truckload (FTL)?
In FTL, the shipper avails of the service of the entire truck to ship his/her good. Shippers of bulk cargo or heavy goods usually need this facility, especially if the distance to be covered is large. A single shipper books the entire truck/van/trailer to ship his/her entire cargo. And the shipping rate per unit of cargo also comes down for the shipper, creating a beneficial scenario.
There is a difference between FTL and LTL, as the name suggest Full Truckload means the entire truck area will be used, whereas in Less than Truckload, only partial truck area is used to ship the goods.
Advantages of Full Truckload (FTL)
Full Truckload comes with a host of advantages for shippers. Let’s take a look at some of them below:
- If the contents of the shipment are sensitive or of a fragile nature, then it makes sense to go for the FTL mode. That way, the shipment would not be accompanied by other types of cargo. This considerably eliminates the risk of damage being caused to the fragile shipment.
- FTL works the best while sending bulk shipments. Bulk shipments need a lot of space, and having the entire vehicle to yourself allows you to pack the cargo the way you want it to. You can space it out whichever way you deem it fit, without having to worry about consuming too much space or encroaching on other shippers’ designated packing area.
- In FTL, once the goods are loaded onto the vehicle, it’s a consistent shipment till it reaches the destination. The cargo won’t be switched from one vehicle to another. Nor will it be repackaged in order to account for space. The same truck will carry the cargo to the final destination. This substantially cuts down the risk of damages being caused during transportation.
- Since there is no transshipment involved, much time is saved in transporting the goods to the destination. During the rush seasons, when the demand for certain categories of goods are very high, the need is to deliver the goods as fast as possible to the destination. And an FTL service ensures just that, because the same truck will carry the goods for the entire length of the journey.
How much weight can a Full Truckload can handle?
It is estimated that a full truckload can transport around 5,000 to 45,000 pounds depending on the size of the truck.
