What Is Partial Truckload? The Shipping Mode Most Shippers Don't Know About

Partial truckload is the shipping mode that most shippers don't know exists, and the one that could save them the most money on mid-sized shipments.

If your freight is too big for LTL but doesn't fill an entire truck, you've probably been booking FTL and paying for empty space, or booking LTL and paying inflated rates because your shipment is at the top of the LTL weight range. Partial truckload sits between these two options and often delivers better pricing than either one.

How partial truckload works

A partial truckload shipment shares a truck with one or two other shippers' freight, but unlike LTL, it doesn't move through a terminal network. The carrier picks up your freight, picks up one or two other partial shipments along the way, and delivers each one in sequence. Your freight is handled minimally, loaded once at origin, unloaded once at destination, without the multiple terminal transfers that LTL requires.

The carrier benefits because they fill the truck with multiple revenue-generating shipments instead of running partially empty. You benefit because you pay for only the space you use at a rate that's lower than FTL.

When partial truckload makes sense

Shipments of 5,000 to 20,000 lbs. This is the sweet spot where partial TL pricing beats both LTL and FTL. Below 5,000 lbs, LTL is usually cheaper. Above 20,000 lbs, FTL is usually more efficient.

6 to 18 pallets. Enough freight to make LTL pricing unfavorable, but not enough to justify paying for a full 53-foot trailer.

Shipments that need faster transit than LTL. Partial TL moves with 1-2 stops, not 3-5 terminal transfers. Transit times are typically 1-2 days faster than LTL on the same lane.

Freight that's sensitive to handling. With only one load and one unload, partial TL significantly reduces damage risk compared to LTL's multiple terminal transfers.

Partial TL vs LTL

LTL moves through terminal networks. Your freight is unloaded at a local terminal, transferred to a linehaul truck, moved to a destination terminal, transferred again to a local delivery truck, and delivered. Each transfer is a handling event and a potential delay point.

Partial TL skips the terminals entirely. Your freight goes from origin to destination with 1-2 additional stops along the route. Fewer handling events, faster transit, and significantly lower damage rates.

On pricing: for shipments over 8,000 lbs, partial TL is frequently 20-30% cheaper than LTL because LTL carriers price large shipments aggressively to discourage them (they'd rather fill that space with 20 small shipments than 1 large one).

Partial TL vs FTL

FTL gives you a dedicated truck. Partial TL shares the truck. FTL is direct with no stops. Partial TL has 1-2 additional stops.

On pricing: partial TL is typically 25-40% cheaper than FTL for mid-sized shipments because you're splitting the truck cost with other shippers. The tradeoff is slightly longer transit time (usually 1 day) due to the additional stops.

How to get the best partial truckload rates

Partial TL works best when your broker can match your shipment with complementary freight on the same lane. This requires a carrier network deep enough to find matches quickly and operational expertise in coordinating multi-stop loads.

Flexibility helps. If you can provide a 2-3 day pickup window instead of demanding a specific date, your broker has more time to find an optimal match, which usually means a better rate.

How Total Connection handles partial truckload

We quote partial truckload alongside FTL and LTL on every mid-sized shipment. Our 30,000+ carrier network gives us the depth to find complementary freight matches quickly, getting you FTL-like service at partial TL pricing.

Call 732-817-0401 or request a quote.