Full Truckload (FTL) is a road-freight service in which the entire truck or semi-trailer is dedicated to one shipper. Depending on cargo volume and route, it can provide faster, more secure and more economical transport.
A major advantage of FTL is that cargo can be collected directly from the shipper’s warehouse or terminal and transported to the final consignee without unnecessary sorting or transshipment. The load can remain sealed during the journey, supporting faster and more secure movement.
Process
1. Vehicle selection
A suitable vehicle is selected according to cargo weight, volume, loading method and route.
2. Collection and loading
The truck arrives at the shipper’s location, the cargo is loaded and prepared for direct transport.
3. Direct transport
The full load travels on transport dedicated to one customer, avoiding unnecessary terminal handling.
4. Delivery and unloading
The cargo is delivered to the final location, unloaded and handed over to the consignee under the agreed terms.
Vehicle selection
Cargo transport
Collection and loading
Delivery and unloading
- 1
Vehicle selection
- 2
Collection and loading
- 3
Cargo transport
- 4
Delivery and unloading
Advantages
Choosing FTL provides several advantages specific to this transport model:
Security
Once the cargo has been loaded and checked, the trailer can be sealed and normally remains closed until it reaches the consignee.
Speed
Because there is no need for consolidation and repeated handling, the shipment can move to destination more quickly.
Control
Because the whole vehicle is reserved for one customer, collection and delivery times and locations can be coordinated more flexibly.
Cost efficiency
For shipments of around 12 or more pallets, FTL can often become more economical, depending on the route and current rates.
What is the difference between FTL and LTL?
| Kriterijus | LTL | FTL |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | Shared with other shippers | Dedicated to one shipper only |
| Pricing | Pay for the volume used (CBM) | Fixed price for the entire semi-trailer |
| Speed / Transit time | Longer, includes the consolidation process | Faster, with fewer stops and additional processes |
| Security | More handling operations and therefore greater exposure to risk | Sealed at origin, with lower exposure to handling risk |
| Flexibility | Greater flexibility, with the possibility of serving different destinations within the overall logistics chain | Less flexible in capacity sharing because the semi-trailer is dedicated to one shipment |
| Cost efficiency | More economical for smaller cargo volumes | More economical for larger cargo volumes |
| Ideally suited for | Small and medium shipments (<15 CBM), non-perishable, price-sensitive and relatively low-risk cargo. | Larger shipments (15–20 CBM+), fragile or high-value cargo. |
Truck and trailer types
Road transport offers a wide range of trailers, platforms and semi-trailers that can be selected according to the cargo type:
A standard trailer widely used in road transport, with a tarpaulin roof and sides that allow flexible loading.
Extendable platforms suited to unusually long cargo, including items such as wind-turbine components.
Temperature-controlled trailers for sensitive cargo such as food products.
Open or semi-open transport equipment without a fixed roof or sides, with cargo protected by tarpaulin where appropriate; suitable for certain machinery and non-standard loads.
Flat platforms without a roof or sides allow easy loading from different directions and are commonly used for oversized cargo.
Low-bed equipment designed for particularly heavy or high machinery, providing a lower loading deck.
Specialised chassis designed for fast and efficient transport of sea containers between ports, terminals and inland locations.
FAQ
FTL (Full Truckload) means booking an entire truck or semi-trailer for your goods only. The cargo usually travels directly to the consignee without intermediate consolidation. LTL (Less than Truckload) means sharing vehicle capacity with other customers, so you pay for the space used, typically based on loading metres (LDM), pallet positions, weight or another agreed charging unit.
A standard 13.6 m curtainside semi-trailer (tautliner) is the most common option. It can typically accommodate around 33–34 Euro pallets, carry approximately up to 24 tonnes depending on vehicle and legal limits, and provides around 86–92 m³ of volume.
A CMR consignment note is the standard document used for international carriage of goods by road under the CMR Convention. It records key details of the carriage and cargo and is important when confirming receipt, delivery and liability matters.
International road carriage is generally subject to carrier liability under the CMR Convention, but compensation is limited according to the applicable liability rules and is not automatically equal to the cargo's commercial value. For high-value, sensitive or fragile cargo, additional all-risk cargo insurance is therefore recommended.
