What are FTL and LTL?
FTL (full truck load) means that the whole vehicle is assigned to the load of a single shipper; LTL (less than truck load), also called part load, means that the cargo of different shippers is consolidated on the same vehicle. In FTL the shipper pays for the trip, including any empty space; in LTL it pays for the space it occupies, measured in loading metres (LDM) or in chargeable weight.
What is the difference between FTL and LTL in practice?
The difference is whether the whole vehicle is assigned to a single shipper. In full-truck transport the entire trailer capacity is given to one load and the vehicle goes from the loading address to the unloading address without transhipment. In part load, the cargo of different shippers is combined on the same vehicle, usually collected at a consolidation warehouse and separated again at destination. In FTL the cargo is not handled, so the risk of damage and mix-ups is lower and transit time is more predictable, but you also pay for any empty space. In LTL you pay only for the space you occupy; on the other hand, the collection and delivery round, waiting at the transfer hub and customs problems of other loads on the same vehicle can also affect your shipment's time.
How is the space measured and priced?
On the road the unit of measure is the loading metre (LDM): the metres of the trailer's 13.6-metre length that your cargo occupies. Euro pallets of 80 × 120 cm placed side by side take roughly 0.4 LDM, and industrial pallets of 100 × 120 cm roughly 0.5 LDM. In pricing, actual weight is compared with its space equivalent; the conversion common in the industry is roughly 1,750 kg per LDM and roughly 333 kg per m³, and whichever is greater is used. The loading metre calculator does this arithmetic for your pallets, and volumetric weight explains the same idea for other modes.
From what volume does a full truck make sense?
There is no exact threshold; the decision falls at the point where the part-load unit price approaches the full-truck freight. In practice, a part-load total of about 12–14 euro pallets, around 5–6 LDM, starts to approach a full-truck freight, and for heavy and dense cargo the threshold comes earlier. A standard 13.60-metre curtain-sided truck usually takes 33 pallets in euro-pallet size. The sound approach is to price both options on the same day and compare them.
What changes in transit time and risk?
Full truck is tied to one vehicle, so the transit time is more predictable, and because the cargo is not handled between loading and unloading, the risk of damage is lower. Part load can lengthen with the collection round and the wait at the transfer hub, and handling happens more often, so the risk is relatively higher. The choice is usually a balance between volume, urgency and how fragile the cargo is. Either way, the carriage is documented on a CMR consignment note.
Full truck (FTL) and part load (LTL) compared
| Criterion |
Full truck (FTL) |
Part load (LTL) |
| Use of vehicle |
The whole trailer is assigned to one load |
Cargo of different shippers is consolidated |
| Pricing basis |
Per trip; empty space is also paid for by the shipper |
On the LDM occupied or on chargeable weight |
| Transhipment |
None; direct from loading to unloading address |
Handling at the consolidation and distribution warehouse |
| Transit time |
More predictable, tied to one vehicle |
Can lengthen with the collection round and waiting at transfer |
| Risk of damage |
Low because there is no handling |
Relatively higher because handling increases |
| Best suited to |
High volume, urgency, fragile or sensitive cargo |
Small lots, regular shipments, flexible deadlines |
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, FTL or LTL?
There is no general answer. The decision falls at the point where the part-load unit price approaches the full-truck freight: while your cargo takes only a small part of the trailer you pay only for the space you occupy, and as the unit price approaches the full-truck freight, a full truck becomes the better choice. The sound approach is to price both options on the same day and compare them.
Do I pay for the empty space in FTL?
Yes. In full-truck transport the whole trailer capacity is assigned to your load, so the price is per trip and any empty space is paid for by the shipper. That is the trade-off for a vehicle that goes from the loading address to the unloading address without transhipment.
What is a loading metre?
A loading metre (LDM) is the metre of the trailer's 13.6-metre length that your cargo occupies, and it is the unit part-load space is measured in. The standard base width for the calculation is 2.40 m. You can work it out for your own pallets with the loading metre calculator.
Can refrigerated cargo travel as part load?
Yes, but in part-load reefer shipments only products in the same temperature group can be combined, and the number of door openings is included in the planning. What decides in refrigerated transport is keeping the temperature regime unbroken.