As a small business, you may be familiar with less-than-truckload shipping. If you are familiar, that also means you are likely familiar with the extended shipping times. What you may not know is that there are actually ways that you can improve these delayed times.
What is LTL?
Less-than-truckload shipping (LTL) is a method of shipping where businesses can ship their freight that doesn’t quite fill a full truck for a reduced rate. The reason LTL is cheaper and not more expensive is the same reason it takes longer for shipments to get from point A to point B. In one truck, rather than carrying freight for one single customer, they may carry supplies from a number of different businesses. Each of those businesses package their load and the freight team will collect it, and make their way to the next pick up or drop off location; almost like carpooling but for shipments.
LTL is a great way for businesses to save money and even increase security, but the delayed times can make the option less appealing than direct shipping.
Factors that make up shipping time
How far away is your destination?
The farther the destination, the longer it is going to take for your shipment to get there.
The carrier you use
Not all carriers travel across the entire country. While they offer cross-country shipping, their process may include transfers at various locations.
How many separate packages you have
If you ship your items separately, you may be looking at longer travel times than if you shipped all your items at once.
You can speed up your delivery times with these three tips
Prepare your shipment for pick up
When you prep your shipment to be picked up, you reduce the amount of time the truck waits at your specific location. You can also reduce your shipment travel time by getting organized and combining multiple shipments to the same location into one.
Try and plan ahead
Leaving your shipment to the last minute could leave you with the last choice of carrier and shipping provider. When you plan your shipments further in advance, you can count on more reliable and dependable shipping teams and delivery dates.
Use expedited shipping
Finally, for those time-sensitive shipments, you might be best off spending those few extra bucks for a certainly fast shipping experience. Expedited LTL shipping reduces the number of “along the way” stops and freight transfers. Typically, expedited shipping practices shorten your delivery time by a few days, but specifics will be determined based on location, carrier, and load.
LTL with Lot Logistics
Looking for a logistics service that offers reliable LTL shipping? Lot Logistics has you covered. Our team has access to a number of the top shipping providers and is dedicated to getting your business shipments where they need to go efficiently and for the best price so that you can focus on maximizing your profits. Contact us today to get started with your free quote!
