FTL stands for full truckload, a shipping method where one shipper’s freight takes up an entire trailer. The truck travels directly from the pickup point to the destination without stopping to consolidate or drop off other customers’ cargo. It’s the go-to option when you have enough freight to fill (or nearly fill) a trailer, and it offers faster transit times and less handling than shared shipping alternatives.
How FTL Shipping Works
In an FTL shipment, a carrier assigns an entire trailer to your freight. The driver picks up your load at the origin, seals the trailer, and drives it point-to-point to your destination. No terminal stops, no consolidation hubs, no mixing with other shippers’ goods. Your freight stays on the same trailer from door to door, which reduces the chance of damage and simplifies tracking.
You don’t necessarily need to fill every cubic foot of the trailer to book FTL. If your shipment is large enough that it wouldn’t make sense to share space, or if you’re shipping high-value or fragile goods that benefit from dedicated handling, FTL is typically the better choice. Most shippers start considering FTL once their freight exceeds about 10 to 12 pallets or roughly 10,000 pounds, though the exact threshold depends on the carrier and the route.
Trailer Types and Capacity
The most common FTL trailer is a 53-foot dry van, an enclosed box trailer used for non-temperature-sensitive freight. A standard dry van can hold approximately 26 pallets on the floor (or 52 if double-stacked), with a maximum weight capacity of around 42,000 to 45,000 pounds and roughly 3,500 to 4,000 cubic feet of interior space. Interior dimensions max out at about 8 feet 5 inches wide and 9 feet 2 inches tall.
Refrigerated trailers, commonly called reefers, are built for temperature-controlled freight like food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. They’re the same length as dry vans but slightly narrower and shorter inside because of the insulation and cooling unit. A reefer’s maximum weight capacity runs around 42,500 pounds, with an interior height of roughly 8 feet to 8 feet 2 inches.
Flatbed trailers haul oversized or heavy items that won’t fit inside an enclosed trailer, such as construction materials, machinery, or lumber. Standard flatbeds and step-deck (drop-deck) trailers carry between 40,000 and 48,000 pounds, depending on configuration. Because the freight is exposed, flatbed loads require tarping or securing with straps and chains.
Why FTL Is Faster Than LTL
The main speed advantage comes from routing. An FTL truck moves directly from origin to destination without stopping at terminals to pick up or drop off other shipments. LTL (less-than-truckload) carriers, by contrast, operate hub-and-spoke networks. Your freight gets picked up, brought to a local terminal, transferred to a linehaul truck, possibly transferred again at a regional hub, and finally delivered on a local truck at the other end. Each transfer adds time and another round of handling.
FTL shipments almost always arrive faster than comparable LTL shipments on the same lane. For time-sensitive freight, that direct routing can shave one to several days off transit. The reduced handling also lowers the risk of damage, since your pallets aren’t being loaded and unloaded multiple times or stacked next to other shippers’ cargo.
How FTL Pricing Works
FTL rates are quoted on a per-mile or per-load basis rather than per pallet or per hundredweight, which is how LTL carriers typically bill. The total cost depends on the distance, the lane (some routes are more competitive than others), the trailer type, and current market conditions. Reefer loads cost more than dry van loads because of the added fuel and equipment expense.
Shippers generally choose between two pricing structures: spot rates and contract rates. Spot rates are negotiated for a single shipment, often on short notice. They fluctuate with supply and demand, so they can spike during peak seasons or tight capacity and drop when trucks are widely available. Contract rates lock in pricing for a set period, usually 12 to 24 months, covering agreed-upon lanes and volumes. Contracts give you predictable costs and are especially valuable when the market tightens and spot prices climb.
The tradeoff is straightforward. Spot rates offer flexibility if your shipping needs are irregular, but they carry the risk of price swings. Contract rates offer stability and help with budgeting, but they require committing to consistent volume over time. Many shippers use a mix: contract rates for their regular lanes and spot rates for overflow or one-off shipments.
When FTL Makes Sense
FTL is the right choice when your shipment is large enough to justify dedicating a full trailer, when transit speed matters, or when the freight itself demands careful handling. Specifically, it tends to be the better option when:
- Volume or weight is high. If you’re shipping more than about 10 to 12 pallets or more than 10,000 pounds, FTL often costs less per unit than LTL because you’re paying for the truck rather than for each pallet individually.
- The freight is fragile or high-value. Dedicated trailers mean your goods aren’t shuffled between trucks or stacked alongside other cargo. Fewer touchpoints mean fewer opportunities for damage.
- Delivery deadlines are tight. Direct routing cuts transit time significantly compared to LTL’s multi-stop model.
- You’re shipping temperature-sensitive goods. A dedicated reefer maintains consistent conditions for the entire trip without opening the doors for other deliveries along the way.
For smaller shipments that don’t fill a trailer, LTL is usually more cost-effective because you only pay for the space your freight occupies. But once your shipment reaches a certain size, the per-unit economics of FTL start to win out, and you get faster, more reliable delivery on top of it.