The beginner’s Guide on LTL: shipping from the US and Canada to Mexico

We have prepared this guide with the most essential information about the LTL transport service. If you are getting started in the world of LTL transport between the United States and Canada to Mexico,  this guide will be very useful for you. Do not forget to share and comment, we love answering our reader’s questions.

What is LTL?

Less Than Truckload shipping or LTL is the transportation of freight that combines shipments from multiple customers in a single truck. In other words, as every customer’s shipment does not require a full 48′ or 53′ trailer, the portion of the truck unused is filled up with another customer’s shipment. Each customer pays according to the type (class), amount, weight, size and density of shipment and the length of travel. The LTL transportation service is the most affordable option among the different land transportation services throughout North America.

Read also: Differences between FTL and LTL  

What are the freight size and weight limitations for LTL shipments?

On the LTL transport service, each customer can send from 1 to 6 non-stackable pallets.

• As a general rule, the maximum total weight of a Less Than Truckload  (total for the 6 pallets) must be less than 10 0000 pounds.
• Also, a pallet should not weigh more than 5,000 pounds. Remember that the standard measurements of a pallet are: 48 “x 40” x 48 “.
• Additionally, the  LTL should not measure more than 12 linear feet.

For loads of greater weight or size, other transportation services are adequate, such as the Partial transportation service or the  Full Truck Load.

If you need to send larger or heavier loads, contact us, we can offer you other transport services.

What information should I provide when requesting a quote for the LTL transportation service?

The cost of the LTL door-to-door transportation service through Mexico, the United States, and Canada will depend on the shipment’s class, weight, dimensions, and route.

That is why, when requesting a quote for an LTL transport service, it is important to mention:

The type of product. Based on this information, the freight forwarder will be able to determine the class, which plays an important role in defining the transportation rate.
The number of pallets
Dimensions of each pallet.
The weight per pallet.
The route. At this point, you must clearly specify the country, city and postal code of the point of origin and the final destination.

What is the freight class in LTL transportation?

The freight class is one of the most important factors when determining the cost of an LTL shipment. In the United States and Canada, the class is established by the National Motor Freight Classification® (NMFC®), based on the degree of “transportability” of the merchandise, which is defined based on four criteria:

Density
Handling
Stowability
Liability

The lower the class, the lower the transportation fee. Freight forwarders help shippers to determine the class of their merchandise and the cost of the LTL shipment.

How to assure the shortest transit time for your LTL shipments?

The most effective way to get an LTL cargo arriving as quickly as possible to its final destination is to choose a transportation company that makes LTL shipments frequently on the specific route where the cargo needs to be transported.

As mentioned above, LTL transport services are used to transport loads from different clients.  If customers are located at different points, the load will take longer to arrive. Because the truck will make more stops and will have to download and upload in several points. On the other hand, the transit time is reduced exponentially when the transportation company or freight forwarder has several clients that need to transport their cargo on the same route. Transporting several LTL loads with the same origin and destination eliminates excessive stops.

For example: Mexicom Logistics offers LTL transport on its busiest route: Quebec, Ontario and Mexico. After providing LTL transportation service for more than 14 years on this route, Mexicom has managed to gather a large number of customers who use this service. This allows Mexicom to make shipments twice per week, speeding up the deliveries of its customers, while offering competitive rates.

If you have questions about LTL transportation between Quebec, Ontario, and Mexico, contact us at info@mexicomlogistics.com, we will guide you.

Sources:

http://www.nmfta.org/pages/nmfc