When To Use Expedited LTL Shipping

There’s LTL shipping, and there’s expedited LTL shipping. Following are guidelines to help you determine when expediting is the best option.

What Is Expedited LTL Shipping?

Expedited LTL shipping via truck is a faster process than standard LTL shipping, and there’s often an additional charge to expedite a shipment.  It helps to keep in mind that transit times provided for LTL freight shipments are generally estimates and each freight carrier has its own timeline based on variables like truck availability and distance from the point A origin to the Point B destination. Expedited LTL shipments are delivered by one dedicated vehicle that, thanks to two drivers working in shifts, is able to keep moving for quicker transit time and with less chance of the shipment being damaged.

What Scenarios Call For Expedited LTL Shipping?

Expedited LTL shipping can be crucial for many situations. For example, if you are shipping components that a client will need for completion of a product, or in the case of broken machinery, replacement parts that will get an enterprise up and running, a freight shipment that’s late can mean a complete halt in production or operation until it arrives. Or, you could have a retail client with a very specific delivery window that includes a penalty—equal to a percentage of the shipment’s value—for being early or late with delivery. Even a very small percentage can mean a fee in the thousands of dollars, far more than the cost of expedited LTL shipping. If high value goods are being shipped, the direct delivery offered by expedited LTL shipping offers protection for, and less possibility for theft of, these goods. And for clients who seek lower inventory costs via a just-in-time strategy, expedited LTL shipping can be the best choice.

Is There Ever A More Cost Effective Option?

Specifying a guaranteed delivery time can cost less than expedited shipping, and certain carriers even offer a refund of shipping charges if they don’t meet your guaranteed delivery date and time. If more than one day can be allowed for your LTL shipment to reach its destination, guaranteed delivery time sometimes can be a cost effective option.

When a shipment must reach its destination ahead of standard LTL transit times, however, the reduced handling, additional security, and real-time delivery information are important benefits of the expedited LTL shipping offered by a 3PL company like Amware.

Check out the Amrate TMS for FREE below, and start booking your expedited LTL shipments today.