FTL (Full Truck Load) and LTL (Less than Truck Load) are the two ways to contract trucking: in FTL you book the whole truck for your cargo; in LTL you share the unit with other shippers’ freight and pay for the space or weight you use. They are the road equivalent of FCL and LCL at sea.
How each one works
FTL: the truck loads at one point and unloads at another, no stops in between. Less handling, direct transit, predictable dates.
LTL: your freight rides with others and the route passes through consolidation hubs where it is unloaded, sorted and reloaded. Cheaper for small volumes, in exchange for more days and more hands on your goods.
Why it matters when importing from China
It is the last leg of the chain: from the port or airport to your warehouse. That leg decides whether the container leaves the terminal on time (stopping the demurrage clock) and in what condition the goods that crossed the Pacific intact finally arrive.
The common mistake
Choosing LTL on price for fragile or urgent cargo. Every intermediate consolidation is one more handling, and the savings evaporate with the first damaged package or missed date. For delicate or high-value goods, the sound practice is FTL with cargo insurance and route monitoring.
Our ground transport service covers the final leg, integrated with sea and air. Write to us.
