LTL 101 - Less than Truckload

LTL is the transportation of relatively small freight, but larger than regular parcel mail like what would normally ship via FedEx Ground, or UPS or U.S. Mail parcel services (about 150 pounds) to just under what would usually be considered a Truck Load at about 20,000 pounds or more than 14 pallets. LTL common carriers are also more likely to accept loose (non-palletized) cargo than the other cargos. LTL shipments typically weigh between 151 and 20,000 lb (68 and 9,072 kg).

While routes tend to be more casual, the main advantage to using an LTL carrier is that a shipment may be transported for a fraction of the cost of hiring an entire truck and trailer for an exclusive shipment. Also, a number of accessory services are available from LTL carriers, which are not typically offered by FTL carriers. These optional services include liftgate service at pickup or delivery, residential (also known as "non-commercial") service at pickup or delivery, inside delivery, notification prior to delivery, freeze protection, and others.

TL 101 - Truckload

TL is the transportation of large amounts of homogeneous cargo, generally the amount necessary to fill an entire semi-trailer or intermodal container (refrigerated). A truckload carrier is a trucking company that generally contracts an entire trailer-load to a single customer. This is as opposed to a less than truckload (LTL) company that generally mixes freight from several customers in each trailer. One advantage Full Truckload (FTL) carriers have over Less than Truckload carriers is that the freight is never handled en route, whereas an LTL shipment will typically be transported on several different trailers. As with LTL, TL should also be packaged or loaded onto pallets for unit loads. Sturdy shipping containers such as crates or corrugated fiberboard boxes are commonly used . 

A typical full truckload for a dry van trailer consists of 24 standard pallets of cargo that weighs up to 42,000 lbs. (or more).