Full Truckload (FTL) Shipping Services: How It Works, Costs & Use Cases

Full truckload shipping (FTL) is a freight transport mode where one shipper’s cargo occupies an entire truck trailer. In FTL service – also known as FTL trucking or full truckload freight transport – a carrier dedicates a 48′ or 53′ trailer exclusively to one shipment. Unlike less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping (where freight from multiple shippers shares space), FTL involves a single load per truck. This exclusive use means no extra stops or transfers, minimal handling, and often faster transit times. Businesses often choose FTL for large-volume, time-sensitive, or high-value shipments that need a direct, point-to-point delivery without detours.

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

• What FTL Is: Full Truckload (FTL) shipping means one customer uses the full capacity of a truck for a single shipment. It’s the opposite of LTL, where multiple shipments share a trailer.
• When to Use FTL: FTL is ideal for large loads (e.g. 24–30 pallets or ~44,000 lbs, which is near full truckload capacity) and for urgent or high-value freight that needs fast, secure transport with minimal handling.
• Key Benefits: With FTL, transit is faster and damage risk is lower since there are no multiple stops or transfers. You also get more control (dedicated equipment and scheduling) and better cost per unit when the trailer is filled, compared to sending several smaller LTL shipments.
• Cost Factors: FTL shipping rates depend on distance, lane demand, fuel prices, etc. As a rough example, contract dry van rates average about $2.50 per mile – so a 1,000-mile full truckload might cost around $2,400-$2,500, while short local hauls can be under $1,000 and cross-country hauls can exceed $5,000. Actual full truckload rates fluctuate with market conditions.
• Choosing a Carrier: Compare quotes from reliable full truckload shipping companies or brokers. Check that they offer competitive pricing, a good on-time record, proper equipment (e.g. reefers for refrigerated FTL), sufficient insurance, and responsive communication for a smooth FTL delivery experience.

What Is Full Truckload Shipping?

Full truckload shipping means your freight fills (or nearly fills) an entire truck trailer, and that truck hauls only your shipment. In an FTL shipment, the carrier picks up your loaded trailer and drives straight to the destination with no intermediate offloading. Because the trailer isn’t shared with other shippers, FTL avoids the hub-and-spoke terminal routing that LTL shipments often face. The result is faster delivery (no multiple stops) and less risk of damage since your cargo isn’t repeatedly handled along the way.

FTL shipments typically use 53′ dry van trailers for general freight. However, other equipment types can be arranged as needed – for example, reefers (refrigerated trucks) for perishable goods or flatbeds for oversized freight. Regardless of trailer type, booking FTL means you’ve essentially “bought out” the full truck’s capacity for your load. This can be cost-effective for large loads: if you have enough freight to fill most of the trailer, full truckload transport often works out cheaper per unit than splitting that freight into multiple LTL shipments. (In short, FTL = one truck dedicated to one shipper’s load, whereas LTL = one truck shared by many shippers.)

Benefits of Full Truckload Shipping

Choosing full truckload shipping offers several key benefits for the right shipments:

• Faster Transit Times: With FTL, your freight goes directly from origin to destination without detours for other pickups or drop-offs. This direct route means shorter delivery times, ideal for time sensitive shipments that need to arrive quickly.
• Reduced Damage Risk: FTL shipments experience minimal handling. Freight is loaded once at pickup and unloaded once at delivery, rather than being moved through multiple terminals. Fewer touchpoints greatly lower the risk of damage or loss, making FTL a safer choice for fragile or high-value goods.
• Cost Efficiency for Large Loads: If you can fill a trailer, full truckload services often yield a lower cost per pound or per pallet than shipping the same volume as several LTL loads. You’re utilizing the entire truck’s space, so you’re not paying for empty space. In many cases, the cost per mile or per unit is lower when the truck is fully loaded.
• Better Security & Control: Because only your cargo is in the trailer, there’s higher security and privacy. The trailer can be sealed from start to finish, reducing tampering or theft risks. Additionally, you can often specify conditions for the whole truck (e.g. temperature control, special handling) without worrying about other shippers’ freight. This level of control is valuable for sensitive shipments that require dedicated handling.
• Predictable Scheduling: Full truckload shipments are easier to schedule with guaranteed pickup and delivery times. You’re not dependent on a carrier consolidating other loads, so you can often arrange pick-up and drop-off appointments that suit your supply chain. This reliability helps with just-in-time inventory and tight delivery windows.

In summary, FTL shipping provides speed, safety, and efficiency for large volume freight. The trade-off is you pay for an entire truck, so it’s important to use FTL when it makes economic sense which leads to the next point: when should you choose FTL?

When to Choose Full Truckload Shipping

FTL is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but certain situations make it the best choice:

• Large Shipments: If your load is big enough to fill most of a truck, full truckload shipping is ideal. In practice, this means roughly 12 to 26 standard pallets (48″ x 40″ each) or a very heavy load approaching the truck’s weight limit. A typical 53′ trailer can handle up to ~24–30 pallets or about 44,000 lbs of freight before hitting legal weight limits. If you’re shipping at that scale, FTL ensures you efficiently use the space and avoid paying for unused capacity.
• Time-Sensitive Delivery: When speed is critical, for example, just-in-time inventory replenishment or perishable goods – FTL’s direct route is advantageous. There are no interim stops to delay your freight, so you get quicker delivery. Companies often choose FTL for expedited or guaranteed delivery deadlines that LTL might not meet.
• Fragile or High-Value Goods: Shipments that are fragile, valuable, or hazardous benefit from the controlled environment of FTL. Since there’s no mixing with other cargo, you avoid potential damage from others’ freight. Minimal handling and a dedicated truck mean delicate items (electronics, glassware, instruments, etc.) or high-value products travel with much lower damage risk.
• Special Handling Requirements: If your freight needs specialized equipment or conditions, FTL is usually the way to go. Examples include temperature-controlled loads (food, pharmaceuticals) that need a dedicated refrigerated trailer, or oversized shipments that require a flatbed or step-deck. With FTL you can secure the exact equipment (air-ride trailers, tankers, etc.) and any extra services (team drivers, GPS tracking) to meet your shipment’s needs.
• Multiple Stop Deliveries (Dedicated Route): Sometimes businesses have multiple stops but still prefer an exclusive truck (for instance, delivering to several of your retail stores on one route). FTL can accommodate multi-stop truckload deliveries tailored to your itinerary, whereas LTL would not guarantee a specific sequence of deliveries. If you need a dedicated truck to handle a route of deliveries for you, FTL with a multi-stop load is a solution.

In short, use full truckload shipping when you have enough freight volume or urgency that dedicating an entire truck is justified. If your load is small (just a few pallets) or not time-critical, LTL or other options might be more economical. The rule of thumb: FTL for large, heavy, or urgent shipments; LTL for smaller, slow, or flexible shipments.

Full Truckload (FTL) vs. Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)

How Much Does Full Truckload Shipping Cost?

One of the top questions shippers have is about full truckload shipping rates, what does it cost to book an entire truck? Unlike LTL (which has complex tariffs based on weight and class), FTL pricing is typically a door-to-door rate for moving the truck from Point A to Point B. However, full truckload costs can vary widely depending on several factors.

Key factors that affect FTL shipping rates:

• Distance (Mileage): This is the biggest cost driver. Longer hauls cost more in absolute terms. Carriers usually price FTL by the mile – so a 1,000-mile shipment costs roughly double a 500-mile shipment, all else equal. For example, contract van rates in the U.S. average around $2.40–$3.00 per mile in recent years. That means a 500-mile full truckload might be in the ballpark of $1,200 (500 * $2.40), while a 2,000-mile cross-country haul could be around $5,000 or more, depending on fuel prices and demand. (These figures fluctuate with market conditions, but give a sense of order of magnitude.)
• Weight and Volume: In FTL, you’re paying for the whole trailer, not per pound of freight. As long as you’re under the truck’s legal weight limit (around 44,000 lbs of cargo for a standard 53′ trailer), the cost is usually the same whether the trailer is half-empty or fully loaded. In other words, if you ship significantly less than a full load, you’ll still pay for a full truck. Extremely heavy loads that approach the legal maximum might incur slight surcharges, or require special permits if they exceed standard weight limits, but otherwise a half-full truck often costs nearly the same as a full one – so maximizing the space gives the best value.
• Route & Market Conditions: Truckload pricing is heavily influenced by supply and demand in different freight lanes. Certain routes (origin-destination pairs) are more expensive if there’s an imbalance of freight – for instance, an area that sends out a lot of loads but doesn’t receive many will have higher outbound FTL rates (because trucks struggle to find return loads). Seasonal market conditions also play a role: during peak seasons (e.g. the fall holiday retail rush or agricultural harvest time), demand for trucks is high and prices rise. If you’re shipping during a busy season or on a difficult lane, expect higher quotes. Conversely, during off-peak times or on backhaul lanes (where a truck is trying to get back to a high-demand area), FTL rates can be lower.
• Fuel Costs: Fuel is a significant expense for any trucking operation. Most full truckload quotes include a variable fuel surcharge that adjusts with diesel prices. When fuel prices rise, the surcharge goes up (increasing your total cost); when fuel prices fall, the surcharge drops. Fuel surcharges are typically calculated on a per-mile basis and added on top of the base linehaul rate. This means FTL costs will fluctuate over time with the price of fuel.
• Timing and Urgency: If you need a truck last-minute or require expedited transit, you might pay a premium. Short lead times (e.g., same-day coverage) often invoke spot rates, which are day-by-day market prices that can be higher than contracted rates. Additionally, if you request team drivers (to drive overnight in shifts) or other special fast services, the cost will be higher than a standard one-driver transit.
• Accessorials and Special Services: These are extra fees for additional services. Common accessorial charges in FTL include things like detention (if loading/unloading delays the driver beyond a free time), layover (if the driver must wait overnight due to issues), lumper fees (hired unloading labor), or additional stops (if your FTL has multiple drop-off points). If your shipment needs special handling (hazardous materials, refrigeration, tarping on a flatbed, etc.), there may be added costs for those services as well. Always communicate any special requirements upfront so the carrier factors them into the quote.

Typical FTL Price Range: So, how much is a full truckload? It depends on all the variables above. In general, full truckload rates in the U.S. might range from around $700–$1,000 for very short local hauls, up to $5,000 (or more) for long cross-country shipments. A mid-distance trip (say 500–1,000 miles) will typically run in the low-to-mid four figures. For example, at roughly $2.40–$2.50 per mile, a 1,000-mile haul would cost about $2,400–$2,500. Keep in mind these are broad estimates – actual FTL quotes reflect real-time market conditions and can swing significantly. (For context, national average van rates hovered around $2.40–$2.50 per mile in early 2024, but by 2025 they could be higher or lower.)

Industries That Use Full Truckload Shipping

Many industries rely on full truckload services when moving large quantities of goods. Some of the most common users of FTL shipping include:

• Retail & Consumer Goods: Big-box retailers and e-commerce companies use FTL to stock stores and fulfillment centers. For example, a retailer might ship high volumes of merchandise from a distribution center to stores via dedicated truckloads. The e-commerce boom has also increased FTL usage for moving goods to fulfillment warehouses and for middle-mile distribution.
• Manufacturing: Factories often produce goods or components in bulk that need to be shipped to warehouses, assembly plants, or distribution centers. Manufacturers of automotive parts, electronics, appliances, and other goods commonly book FTL for raw materials inbound and finished products outbound. The automotive industry in particular ships large volumes of parts and vehicles that fill entire trailers.
• Food & Beverage: Producers and distributors of food use FTL, especially for perishables and temperature-sensitive products. Full truckloads in refrigerated trailers (reefers) carry loads of produce, frozen foods, dairy, or meat directly to distribution points to maintain cold chain integrity. Beverage companies also ship truckloads of bottled drinks or kegs due to the weight involved.
• Agriculture: Farms and agribusinesses ship commodities like grains, produce, and livestock feed in large quantities. At harvest time, it’s common to see full truckloads of crops (e.g., a trailer of corn or oranges) heading to processing facilities. The dedicated nature of FTL ensures produce gets delivered quickly to reduce spoilage.
• Construction & Building Materials: The construction industry requires transporting heavy and bulky materials – think lumber, steel beams, cement, bricks, roofing materials – often in full truckload quantities. FTL flatbeds are frequently used for oversized or heavy construction equipment and materials to go directly to job sites. These loads are usually too large to send LTL.
• Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals: Chemical manufacturers ship full truckloads of chemicals (sometimes in liquid tanker trucks or dry bulk trailers) to industrial customers. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies use FTL (often in reefers) to distribute large batches of medicines or health products to distribution centers, since these may require temperature control and careful handling.
• Furniture and Appliances: These products are large, space-consuming, and often shipped in bulk to retailers or warehouses. The furniture industry will use FTL for moving lots of furniture pieces together. Similarly, appliance manufacturers or distributors ship full truckloads of refrigerators, washing machines, etc. to regional warehouses or big retail clients.
• Logistics & Distribution Providers: This is broad, but 3PL (third-party logistics) providers and wholesalers often consolidate client freight into full truckloads for linehaul moves between cities. If a 3PL manages freight for multiple customers in one region, they might combine loads into an FTL to send to another region, improving efficiency (this is sometimes called consolidated freight or PTL – partial truckload, when different loads share an FTL without intermediate handling).

Choosing a Full Truckload Shipping Company

Selecting the right full truckload (FTL) shipping provider – whether it’s a trucking carrier or a freight broker arranging the truck – is key to keeping costs low and deliveries on schedule. Here are six essential factors to consider when evaluating FTL shipping companies:

1. Competitive Pricing

Always compare quotes from multiple FTL providers. Look beyond just the base rate, check if it includes fuel surcharges, tolls, or accessorials. The lowest price isn’t always the best if it means unreliable service.

2. Transit Time & Service Quality

Make sure the provider meets your delivery deadlines. Ask about estimated transit times, on-time performance, and whether they offer service guarantees or expedited options like team drivers.

3. Reliability & Reviews

Choose companies with a solid track record. Look for on-time performance, low damage claims, and positive reviews. Well-maintained equipment and professional drivers are a must.

4. Equipment & Coverage

Ensure the provider has the right trailer type (reefer, flatbed, etc.) and coverage in your shipping region. Specialized loads may require specific equipment or permits check upfront.

5. Licensing & Insurance

Confirm the carrier is fully licensed with a valid DOT number and carries sufficient cargo insurance. For brokers, ask if they’re bonded. These are non-negotiable for freight protection.

6. Communication & Support

Strong communication is essential. Look for 24/7 support, real-time tracking, and a dedicated point of contact. A responsive team can prevent delays and resolve issues quickly.

Conclusion

Full truckload shipping plays a vital role in modern supply chains by enabling the fast, secure, and efficient movement of large freight quantities. By understanding the benefits of FTL and knowing when to use it (versus LTL or other modes), you can make more informed logistics decisions that improve your operations. Remember to account for the various cost factors that affect FTL pricing, and optimize your FTL shipments for maximum efficiency (for example, consolidating loads to fill a trailer when possible). Choosing reliable carrier partners wisely is just as important as getting a good rate – service quality and consistency matter a great deal in freight transport.

When you have a shipment that justifies it, FTL transport can offer tremendous value to your business: faster delivery times, less handling of goods, and streamlined door-to-door service. Whether you’re shipping full truckloads every week or just occasionally, leveraging the right strategies will help you reap the benefits of this mode while keeping costs in check. By planning ahead and working with trustworthy providers, you can ensure that FTL shipping remains an efficient and cost-effective part of your logistics toolkit.

For tailored full truckload solutions or any questions on optimizing your shipping strategy, contact OLIMP Warehousing. Our team can help you navigate FTL shipping challenges, provide competitive rates, and ensure your freight moves with the speed and care your business deserves. Let OLIMP Warehousing be your partner in delivering freight on time and in full, every time