What is the difference between LTL and FTL?

LTL shares a trailer with other shippers' freight and moves through the carrier's terminals; it is priced by class, weight and lane. A full truckload gives one shipper the whole truck, goes direct from pickup to delivery, and is usually priced per mile or per lane.

How is LTL freight priced?

By the freight's class, the lane, and a rate per 100 lb for the shipment's weight band, subject to a minimum charge. Carriers charge the lower of the actual weight rate and the alternative weight rate, then add accessorials such as liftgate or residential delivery.

Term

LTL (less-than-truckload)

LTL, or less-than-truckload, is shipping freight that does not fill a truck: the carrier combines several shippers' pallets in one trailer and moves them through its terminal network. In the US, LTL is priced by freight class, weight, origin and destination, with a minimum charge and extra fees for services such as liftgates.

Also called less-than-truckload, LTL shipping, LTL freightUpdated 12 October 2026

How LTL works

A local truck collects the shipment and takes it to the carrier's terminal, where it is loaded onto a linehaul trailer with other shippers' freight, moved to the terminal nearest the consignee, and delivered from there. Each carrier draws its own line between LTL and a truckload — FedEx Freight's rules tariff, for one, treats freight under 20,000 lb that fills less than one "pup" — a short trailer — as LTL.

How it is priced

Find the rate table for the freight's NMFC class.
Find the rate for the lane — the origin and destination zones.
Read the rate per 100 lb for the shipment's weight band, and multiply.
Apply the tiered minimum charge — in FedEx Freight's 2026 rates, one minimum for 1–150 lb and another for 151 lb and up.
Use the lower of the actual weight rate and the alternative weight rate, then add any accessorial charges.

Worked example: alternative weight rating

Rates per 100 lb fall as weight bands rise, so a heavier band can cost less. Suppose a lane's class 70 rates are USD 32.50 per 100 lb for 1,000–1,999 lb and USD 27.00 for 2,000–4,999 lb, and the shipment weighs 1,800 lb.

Actual: 18 × 32.50 = USD 585.00 · Alternative (rated at 2,000 lb): 20 × 27.00 = USD 540.00

The carrier charges the lower, USD 540. Any shipment above 2,000 × 27.00 ÷ 32.50 ≈ 1,662 lb is cheaper rated at 2,000 lb.

The mistake people make

An incomplete or wrong bill of lading. Carriers reserve the right to reweigh and reinspect: in FedEx Freight's rules a reweigh 50 lb or more above the bill adds a USD 40 validation fee on top of the corrected charge, and Old Dominion defaults a missing class to class 100. A bill with no prepaid or collect term moves prepaid, billed to the shipper.

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