What is the difference between Full Truck Load (FTL) and Less Truck Load (LTL) Services?

Overview of FTL and LTL Services

If you are looking for pallet deliveries within the UK or Europe, Pallet2ship is your best option! Whether you have an FTL (Full truck load) or an LTL(Less than truck load) shipment, we offer our customers the best and the most cost-effective options.

With experience of over 12 years in the industry, we have teamed-up with the most reliable transport companies in the UK and Europe, and we can offer the best facilities to our customers when it comes to pallet deliveries. Curtain side vehicles, low loader, or mega trailers are just a few examples of the facilities our customers can benefit from.

It doesn't matter if you are considering a UK pallet delivery, or a pallet delivery to Europe, our customer service team is ready to help you book the service you need.

We pride ourselves to be a part of a reliable transport network, and regardless of whether you need to transport just a single pallet, an LTL (Less than truck load) or an FTL (Full truck load), you can confidently entrust your freight with us. We are aware that shipping across the continent may be challenging for our customers, especially for the ones new to the shipping process, but worry no more, Pallet2ship is flexible when it comes to the volume of freight, and in the same time, we can offer you reliable transit time, trackable services, and the most important thing, the lowest prices possible. All you need to do is to book your European pallet delivery option, and we will take care of the rest.

What is FTL and LTL?

One of the most important things when it comes to freight services is to acknowledge all the options available, and to choose the one that best suits your needs. Furthermore, we aim to offer our customers an easy but complete introduction about our delivery services.

FTL and LTL are acronyms that a new customer may get confused by, but we are here to advise you.

An FTL is usually considered to be a shipment of over 20 standard pallets. Depending on the pallet type used, it can go up to a maximum of 26 or 33 pallets; if you are using standard pallets (120cm X 100cm), the maximum number of pallets per lorry load is 26, if you are using Euro pallets (120cm X 80cm), then the maximum capacity is 33 pallets. The maximum weight allowed per truck load is 24 tonnes, and the pallets must not be taller than 240cm.

We can ship pallets of all types, oversized pallets, and mini pallets, stackable or non-stackable. All you need to do is provide us with all the details, such as: collection and delivery addresses, pallets' measurements, and number of pallets. Once we have this information, we can either quote you instantly or work on a price and we will get back to you with the most competitive prices.

Now, it is very important to understand what an FTL shipment implies. As its name suggests, this type of shipment requires a full truck availability. One of the most important advantages is the safety of shipment. By booking an FTL, your freight will be picked-up and delivered, without changing hands. In this way we can ensure the goods will not be moved more than necessary and they will arrive safely at the destination point. We would highly recommend this option, especially if you are shipping fragile goods.

Another important aspect is the transit time. When we talk about FTL, we talk about a faster delivery and a more accurate transit time. Once your pallets have been picked-up, they will travel to the delivery point, without any stops, and without changing the truck. This would automatically imply a faster delivery, and a more accurate transit time.

You will also have total control over your shipment. Even if the goods have been collected, you can easily change the delivery address, without facing massive costs and delays.

Since January 2021, all the imports and exports are subject to custom clearance. Furthermore, considering your goods will not share the truck with other consignments, you don't need to worry about any potential delays caused by other freight not having the necessary documents. However, in regards to your freight, you need to make sure all the documentation requested is complete and correct.

On the other hand, there are also a few things to consider if you are interested in an FTL shipment. First of all, loading and unloading facilities are required at both collection and delivery points. Also, both points must ensure easy access for an articulated truck.

Now, let's see what an LTL is, and if this is the option that best suits you. If your shipment is made up of 10 to 16 pallet spaces, with the total weight between 400kg and 15000kg, then we would classify it as an LTL.

We can handle both Standard (120cm X 100cm) and Euro pallets (120cm X 80cm), or other pallet sizes, such as 120cm X 120cm. The maximum weight allowed per pallet is 1200 kg, and the pallet's height limit is 240 cm. If you are shipping oversized or mini pallets, there is no need to worry, we will make sure to find the option that benefits you the most.

If your shipment is not urgent, and you are looking for a more cost effective option, then LTL must be your choice.

LTL shipment implies that your pallets will share the same truck with other consignments, which means that the truck that originally made the collection will likely not deliver them, meaning your freight will get moved to different vehicles until the delivery is made. This fact would also affect the transit time. If an FTL would give you a better idea about the transit time, it would not be the same for the LTL. Of course, we and our network partners are doing our best to offer an accurate transit time, however, it mainly depends on how many stops the truck must complete to deliver the other consignments on board, and where along the journey your consignment is planned for delivery.

Choose your option!

Besides all of the shipping options and facilities, we aim to offer our customers compact information about the industry and the way we and our carriers are operating, so you can make the best decision.

We offer very fast turn-arounds to your quote requests, and we will happily answer all of your questions. By choosing our services you will get door-to-door collection/delivery options, and you can have access to the very best transport companies in the industry.

Most of our services are trackable, and you can also choose to insure your freight with us; instantly up to £45,000, or get back to you with a quote for coverage between £45,000 and £100,000.

If you are looking to insure your goods, and you want to know how much it will cost you, please visit our Insurance Calculator page.

Whether you are looking for an FTL or an LTL, please be assured that we are here to find the most cost-effective solutions for your pallet delivery.