How LTL Shipping Works: A Beginner’s Guide

LTL freight typically ranges from one pallet up to roughly 6-12 pallets, or about 150 to 15,000 pounds. Instead of paying for a full trailer (FTL - full truckload), an LTL shipper pays only for the portion of the trailer their freight occupies, while the carrier consolidates many shipments bound for the same region onto one truck.

LTL carriers run hub-and-spoke networks. Freight is picked up locally, brought to a local terminal, line-hauled to regional hubs, sorted, and forwarded toward the destination terminal for final delivery. This consolidation is what makes shared trailers economical - and it is why carrier terminal coverage matters. You can explore real carrier networks in our carrier directory.

LTL rates depend on several factors:

• Freight class - the NMFC class (50-500) is the single biggest driver. See What is NMFC?
• Weight and density - denser freight rates lower per pound.
• Distance and lane - origin-to-destination ZIP pairing.
• Accessorials - liftgate, residential delivery, inside delivery, etc.

Because class is so central, getting the NMFC code right is the first step to an accurate LTL quote.

LTL is the right choice when your shipment is bigger than a parcel (over ~150 lbs or multiple boxes) but smaller than a full truckload, is palletized, and is not extremely time-critical. For very large or urgent freight, full truckload or expedited service may be better. To rate LTL accurately at scale, integrate classification with the NMFC API.