Which is Better for Shipping Faster: Full Truck Load vs Shared Truck Load

Truckloads are the mode of transporting large freights by road. It also refers to the amount of freight that fills up a truck trailer to its maximum capacity. The freight has to occupy about more than half of the trailer space to be considered a truck load. This is an important factor for companies operating in supply chains around the world. Trucks are transported by road and loaded into trucks. Freight is grouped with other goods or distributed in special containers. This depends on size, weight and the time required for delivery. Usually the fleet manager is the one who is responsible for the transportation of truckload along with the driver.

Shippers tend to use truck-loading when:

• Have enough items to fill an entire truck
• Do you want to load only your luggage on the trailer?
• Freight is time sensitive
• Decide that it is more cost-effective than other methods. 

There are 2 types of Truckloads:

1. Full TruckLoad
2. Shared Truckload 

Full Truck Load

Full Truckload, commonly referred to as FTL, is a delivery method in which a truck carries a dedicated shipment. In other words, the trip is booked for only one shipment. Full truckload service is especially recommended if the shipper is shipping more than 10 pallets. FTL shipments stay on the same truck from pick-up to drop-off. Due to much faster delivery this is a great option for businesses that need to move large amounts of cargo. 

Advantages of FTL

1. It is much faster and the shipment reaches the destination much faster due to no stops and drop offs
2. They are cheaper and more cost friendly than other types of shipments.
3. FTL transport requires less man handling due to single shipments.

Shared Truck Load

Shared Truckload enables more than one shipper to share the trailer space with their shipments, it moves directly from the location to destination. Shipments having the similar course and route are generally shipped via shared truckload which has many advantages over FTL. Shared truck loading applies the concept of carpooling to deliveries, optimizing truck space and grouping cargo into equal loads. 

Advantages of STL

• Reliable and Safe as the truck does not stop at hubs and terminals and heads directly to delivery point.
• Saves about 20% cost as the trailer space is shared with other shippers.
• It’s better for the environment and saves about 40% emissions from the vehicle.
• More predictable delivery timings.

Different between Shared and Full Truck Load 

There are different times at which STL and FTL should be used depending on the requirements. For example, the shipment is fragile and bulky and requires its own space during the transportation therefore we cannot combine it with other products to be transported, in such cases full truck load is done. If you have enough under-utilized space and want to save cost per shipment then shared truck load is the best option for your business. Another difference is that when the truck is full, the carrier loads the goods at the origin, seals the tags, and takes them directly to the destination. In STL shipments, products are typically loaded and unloaded from trailers and warehouses not just once, but multiple times before finally reaching their destination. So, in most cases, your shipment will arrive in perfect condition, but the high level of handling and exposure can damage your product, especially if it’s a delicate or fragile product. 

Which is better, STL or FTL?

Viewing from an angle FTL and STL might look very similar models but have significant differences in terms of their complexity. Share truck loading is the best mode for viewing through any lens. This guarantees the shipper his truckload service at a better price and allows the carrier to earn more revenue per kilometer. By maximising trailer space with cargo from multiple shippers, shared truck loading also eliminates the pitfalls of the environmentally unfriendly hub-and-spoke model, promoting streamlined transportation and improving the trucking industry. The eco-friendly factor also adds up to its advantageous nature, these benefits are invaluable, especially in today’s world. 

Ultimately, shared truck loading provides shippers with what they need : efficient and reliable delivery at less cost. This mode allows shippers to ship goods when they are ready, utilizes hubless transport, and optimizes shipping budgets to drive efficiencies within the supply chain.