LTL freight shipping, priced to the pallet.
Less-than-truckload lets your freight share a trailer with other shippers, so you pay for the space you use instead of a whole truck. RS Group brokers LTL nationwide across a 6,200+ carrier network — and helps you class, pack and price it right the first time.
What is LTL freight?
LTL — less-than-truckload — is freight that does not fill a whole trailer. When your shipment is bigger than a few parcels but smaller than a full truck (roughly one to six pallets and under about 15,000 lbs), it rides alongside freight from other shippers. Everyone on the trailer pays for the space and weight they use, which is what makes LTL the most economical way to move small and mid-size freight.
LTL runs on a hub-and-spoke network. A local truck picks up your pallets and brings them to an origin terminal, where they are consolidated with other freight bound the same direction. Line-haul trailers move the load between terminals, and a final delivery truck takes it the last mile. Freight is tracked end to end by a PRO (progressive) number, so it is always accounted for even as it changes trucks.
That consolidation is the trade-off worth understanding: LTL is cheaper than a dedicated truck, but it is handled more times and routed through terminals, so it can take a little longer and rewards freight that is packed to travel. Get the packaging, weight and class right and LTL is one of the most reliable, cost- effective modes in freight.
When LTL is the right choice
The line between LTL, partial truckload and full truckload comes down to how much space your freight needs and how directly it has to travel. Here is how the three compare.
| LTL | Partial truckload | Full truckload | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical weight | 150 – 15,000 lbs | 5,000 – 27,500 lbs | 20,000 lbs + |
| Pallet count | 1 – 6 pallets | 6 – 18 pallets | Full trailer |
| You pay for | The space you use | The space you use | The whole trailer |
| Freight class | Rated by class (50–500) | Often class-exempt | Not classed |
| Handling | Terminal to terminal | Fewer stops, less handling | Direct, minimal handling |
| Best for | Small, palletized shipments | Mid-size or fragile loads | Large or time-critical loads |
LTL is usually the best fit when:
Your shipment is between one and six pallets · it is palletized and stackable · it is not so time-critical that it needs a direct truck · and you would rather pay for a share of the trailer than reserve a whole one. If your freight is creeping past six pallets or 12,000 lbs, it is worth comparing against partial and full truckload — we price all three modes and send you the lowest.
The advantages of LTL freight
Six reasons LTL is the workhorse mode for small and mid-size freight moving across the country.
Pay for the space you use
You share the trailer with other shippers and split the cost, so a few pallets never pay for a whole truck. For small and mid-size freight it is the most economical way to move.
Nationwide coverage
Our carriers run dense terminal networks that reach commercial, residential and limited-access locations coast to coast — the same lanes, with one point of contact.
Safe, professional handling
Palletized freight is handled dock-to-dock by experienced carriers and tracked by PRO number. Pack and class it right and it moves with fewer touches and fewer claims.
Flexible service levels
Choose standard transit or add guaranteed, expedited, appointment, liftgate or inside delivery — matched to the shipment instead of a one-size service.
Visibility and support
Every shipment carries a PRO for tracking, and a real brokerage team follows it — chasing appointments, exceptions and reweighs so you are not on hold with a terminal.
Lower emissions
Consolidating partial loads onto shared trailers means fewer half-empty trucks on the road — a measurable cut in the emissions per pound you ship.
How LTL freight pricing works
An LTL rate is not one number — it is built from a handful of factors. Understanding them is the difference between a clean invoice and a corrected one.
Freight class
Every LTL shipment is rated on the NMFC scale of 18 classes, from 50 to 500. A low class is dense, durable and easy to stow, and it costs less to ship; a high class is light, bulky or fragile and costs more. Class is set by four things: density, stowability, ease of handling and liability.
Density
Density is the biggest driver of class. It is the shipment’s weight divided by its cubic feet — cube equals length × width × height in inches, divided by 1,728. A denser shipment earns a lower class and a better rate, which is why measuring accurately matters so much.
Weight, distance and accessorials
On top of class, the rate reflects the billed weight, the origin-to-destination lane and distance, and any accessorials — liftgate, residential, inside delivery, appointment, or limited-access locations. Carriers price from published tariffs; as a brokerage we move your freight on negotiated and FAK rates and shop them across our network so you are not calling carriers one by one.
Equipment and trailer types for LTL
LTL moves on more than one kind of truck. Matching the freight to the right equipment is part of getting the pickup and delivery right the first time.
28 ft pup trailers
Doubles that ride the hub-and-spoke line-haul between terminals — the backbone of the LTL network.
48–53 ft dry vans
Standard enclosed trailers for city pickup and delivery, protecting freight from weather and road debris.
Liftgate trucks
A hydraulic gate lowers freight to ground level where there is no loading dock — essential for many delivery points.
Straight / box trucks
Smaller single-unit trucks for residential and tight-access stops the line-haul fleet cannot reach.
Refrigerated LTL
Temperature-controlled shared loads for food, pharma and other cold-chain freight that must hold a set temperature in transit.
Flatbed / step-deck LTL
Open-deck capacity for over-dimensional or non-palletized partials that will not fit inside a dry van.
How to prepare an LTL shipment
A little care before pickup prevents the two things that raise an LTL invoice: damage claims and reweigh/reclass fees. Six steps to get freight on the truck clean.
-
Palletize and secure the freight
Stack cartons squarely on a sturdy pallet, keep everything within the footprint, and shrink-wrap or band the load. Stable, contained freight resists damage and is far less likely to be reclassed at the dock.
-
Weigh and measure accurately
Record the exact length, width, height and total weight of the palletized unit. These numbers drive density, freight class and the rate — a guess here is the most common cause of a corrected invoice.
-
Determine the freight class
Use the shipment’s density, stowability, handling and liability to find its NMFC class (50–500). Our freight class lookup estimates it from your dimensions and weight in seconds.
-
Create an accurate bill of lading
The BOL is the contract: list a clear product description, the NMFC class, piece count, weight, and any PO or reference numbers. Accuracy here prevents delays and reweigh/reclass fees.
-
Label every piece
Mark each pallet with the origin and destination, piece count, and any handling instructions (fragile, this-side-up). Clear labels keep freight together across terminal handoffs.
-
Book the pickup and flag accessorials
Schedule the pickup and declare anything the carrier needs to plan for up front — liftgate, residential, inside or appointment delivery, limited access. Surfacing these early avoids surprise charges later.
What our customers say
- Inc. 5000 · #799 America's fastest-growing private companies (2024)
- TSA IAC Indirect Air Carrier status
- 6,200+ Vetted carrier partners
- 18,500+ Shipments moved to date
I have been working with Brent and his team for almost a year and the experience has been nothing but positive.
The best part of working with RS Group is the customer service you can expect to receive.
RS Group, to me, represents the pinnacle in customer service.
LTL freight shipping questions
The questions shippers ask us most about less-than-truckload — answered plainly.
What is the weight limit for LTL freight?
LTL is generally the right mode for shipments from about 150 up to 15,000 lbs, or roughly one to six pallets. Below that, small parcel is usually cheaper; above it, a partial or full truckload often wins.
The thresholds are guidelines, not hard cutoffs — the crossover depends on your freight’s density, class and lane. When a shipment is near the edge, we price it as LTL and as partial truckload and send you whichever is lower.
How is LTL freight cost calculated?
An LTL rate is built from the freight class, the weight, the shipment’s density, the origin-to-destination lane and distance, and any accessorial services such as liftgate or residential delivery.
Carriers publish tariffs, but brokered freight moves on negotiated and FAK (freight-all-kinds) pricing. As a brokerage we shop those rates across our carrier network so the same shipment is priced competitively without you calling each carrier.
What is a freight class and how do I find mine?
Freight class is a standardized code from the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) that ranges from 50 (dense, easy to ship, lowest cost) to 500 (light, bulky, fragile, highest cost). It is set by density, stowability, ease of handling and liability.
Density is the biggest driver, so start by calculating it, then map it to a class. Our freight density calculator and freight class lookup do both from your dimensions and weight — and our team confirms the class before the freight moves.
How long does LTL shipping take?
LTL moves terminal to terminal through a hub-and-spoke network, so for the same lane it usually takes longer than a direct full truckload. Regional lanes often run one to three business days; longer cross-country lanes take more.
When a delivery date is firm, add a guaranteed or expedited service level — it commits the carrier to a window rather than a best-effort transit.
What are accessorial charges?
Accessorials are fees for services beyond a standard dock-to-dock move: liftgate, residential pickup or delivery, inside delivery, delivery appointments, limited-access locations (schools, farms, job sites), and reweigh or reclassification when the paperwork does not match the freight.
Declaring the ones you need when you book keeps them off your invoice as surprises. We flag the likely accessorials for your lane before you ship.
Is LTL cheaper than full truckload?
For small shipments, yes — you pay for a slice of the trailer instead of the whole thing. But there is a crossover: once a shipment reaches roughly six or more pallets or about 12,000 lbs, partial or full truckload can cost less and moves more directly with fewer handoffs.
Because we broker LTL, partial and full truckload, we can price all three for the same freight and recommend the mode that actually costs you less.
Get an LTL rate that fits your freight.
Send us your lane, dimensions and class — or just the details you have. We’ll shop our 6,200+ carrier partners and come back with a competitive LTL quote, often the same day.