The market for LTL shipping is ranked at nearly a staggering $35 billion dollars. Definitely something worth investing in, the LTL shipping definition is considered to be any shipping that is less than a truckload. Less than a truckload can be many things, but typically it rides that grey area between a smaller UPS shipment and the expense of an entire truckload.
Investing in LTL shipping services can truly be a rewarding experience. Return on one’s investment is nearly guaranteed. Recently gathered statistics show how the value of freight moved is expected to increase from $882 per ton in 2007 to $1,377 per ton in 2040, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. LTL freight companies have fought their way into filling a gap that until more recently, no one really knew how desperately the gap had needed to be filled. Less than truckload shipping saves companies everywhere large amounts of money, because sometimes it really is not worth paying the amount of an entire truckload just because you have a lot of items in need of being delivered. This is not to say that the LTL shipping definition is “cheapest shipping available,” rather, it is quality shipping for a reasonable price. People will get what they are willing to pay for, and if that is decently priced shipment and phenomenal service LTL services are definitely the way to go.
The three most valuable commodities moved by the U.S. freight transportation system include machinery, electronics and motorized vehicles. With the increase in popularity of online shopping, the types of shipments being made are drastically changing. The LTL shipping definition as we know it is constantly under review, quickly evolving to keep up with the times. The more common that online shopping becomes, the more the necessity of smaller shipments becomes. Rarely does a single person or group of people order a giant truckload worth of items, but they do order more than a small cars worth. Not only is it cost and convenience effective, but LTL shipping services help to boost the economy. Nearly 12 million trucks, rail cars, locomotives, and vessels move goods over the transportation network, which requires a large amount of workers and makes a lot of jobs.
Obviously, less than truckload shipping will not be the method that works best for everyone. In spite of this, if you feel that it may benefit you in some way or another it is always worth looking further into it and deciding if it is something worth investing in for you or your company. Either way, at worst you learn something new about shipping methods, and at best you find the way you will be shipping and receiving items for the rest of your life.