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LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) is built for palletized, smaller shipments. But many shippers don't realize: once the pallet count climbs, standard LTL is not always the best deal — and carriers may not even offer a standard rate.
A rule of thumb (what our system flags)
- 1–5 pallets: standard LTL is fine
- 6 pallets: a yellow flag — start comparing options
- 7+ pallets: an orange warning — consider other modes
Why? LTL is priced on space occupied + weight + class. When you take up a large share of the trailer, carriers price it as Volume LTL or suggest Partial (PTL) or Full Truckload (FTL) instead.
Four modes — how to choose
| Mode | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard LTL | 1–6 pallets, reasonable density | Most flexible, multi-carrier compare |
| Volume LTL | 6–12 pallets, large LTL | Cheaper than standard LTL when you take up space |
| Partial / PTL | 6–20 pallets, less than a full truck | Shared truck — cheaper than FTL, simpler than LTL |
| FTL | Near-full, urgent, or high-value | Dedicated trailer, fastest door-to-door |
For the same shipment, these modes can differ 20–40% in price.
How ShipOnlines helps
One entry, multiple carriers and modes compared together — so you see which is cheapest instead of being defaulted into standard LTL. Get an LTL quote or a truckload quote to compare.
This article chooses a mode by pallet count. To decide by weight (lbs) instead, see: How Many Pounds for LTL? A Freight Weight Guide.
