One of the ways that can be used to ship goods through land is the “Less Than Truckload, or LTL for short” method that can save time, effort, and money for the customers of shipping companies.
The concept of split or combined land freight (LTL)
A type of land transportation that means: shipping with part of the truck’s space, where the customer wants to transfer a shipment less than the truckload, where the weight of the shipment does not exceed between 50 to 1500 kilograms, and for which it is not necessary to have a full truck transport.
Advantages of split or combined land freight (LTL)
Split or Combined Land Freight Service, It involves dividing the shipment into smaller units and delivering through trucks or trains to different destinations. Some of the benefits of this service both for the customers and the companies that use it include:
Cost Saving:
This mode of delivery is very cheap for small shipments. The cost-saving advantage occurs when the shipment is not enough to fill the whole truck, such as in the following cases:
- Per customer split shipment transportation cost distribution: transportation cost sharing can be done for different customers in case of split shipment. That covers things like fuel, drivers, truck maintenance, insurance, and other transportation expenses. So, the cost per customer goes down substantially.
- Saving packaging costs: For split shipping, the package doesn’t always need to be packaged in the same way as that for a large shipment. Instead, smaller shipments are typically packed into smaller and simpler boxes. This minimizes packaging costs and may save further.
- Reduced storage costs: Split shipping, where shipments are consolidated in a warehouse or distribution center. This allows for savings on the costs of temporarily storing the shipment. This saves you space in a shared warehouse used by multiple customers, rather than in your warehouse.
Saving time and speed:
In this type of shipping, time and speed are the two things that the customer is very keen on and this can be achieved through below points:
- Consolidation of shipments: Small shipments from multiple senders are put into a truck in split shipping. This cuts down on individual trips and saves time spent loading and unloading trucks. Shipments aren’t sent with one empty truck for each small shipment, but rather shipments are consolidated into one truck for improved time efficiency.
- A broad network: Only a handful of fragmented shipping companies offer a broad network across geographies. One of the benefits of using a moving company with a large network is that trucks are already prepped and equipped in different markets. This takes less time to transport shipments between regions and the time it takes to ship.
- Better tracking technology: Tracking technology helps get time improved up into the split shipping process. using shipment tracking technology, track the movement of the shipment and know its whereabouts, at any given time
- Better planning and coordination: It is possible to save a lot of time by planning and coordinating the split shipping operations as well. This involves establishing an appropriate schedule for both the collection of shipments and the drop off of goods, ensuring that the delivery is executed on time effectively by keeping constant communication with the shipping carrier, planning ahead of time for the execution of shipment processing, and the correct recording of data. Reduced the additional time and unnecessary delays by optimizing these processes.
- Using express shipping services: Usually, transportation companies offer express shipping services. These services are treated as speedy and most secure as the shipment gets the highest priority and gets delivered in quick succession. You can use express shipping service to save time and prefer speedy delivery.
Flexible delivery options:
That gives you elastic delivery types. The flexible delivery options more than the other types of shipping services that the customer usually asks for are:
- Loading and unloading service: The loading and unloading service is highly flexible and applied in loose road transport. A team of the service provider loads the shipment from the sender and unloads it at the receiver. It also saves time and effort for him as it allows him to focus on his other work as well.
- Basement delivery service: If the shipment is large, heavy, and difficult to manage, a basement delivery service can provide delivery to the basement. This ensures that the shipment arrives at the required spot in the building or the basement, not curbside.
- Service with specific delivery time: You might have certain time requirements that you would like to receive the shipment. For this scenario, you may order delivery service at a particular time. The shipment will be delivered for a specific time and its arrival at the requested specified time will be guaranteed.
- Holiday and extra working day delivery service: If you want to deliver a shipment on a holiday or on other working days beyond the regular working time, you can have this flexible solution. They will only deliver a shipment if you require them to at the time.
Increased safety and protection:
Split ground shipping makes things safer and more secure These processes are designed to guard against damage and theft during shipment and help ensure that it returns to the correct destination. Here we take a look at the various pieces that help ensure greater safety and protection in fragmented land carriage:
- Proper packaging: Shipment has to be well-wrapped and packed in strong and shock-resistant materials. Bubble wrap, foamy pieces, and cardboard can be used as an anti-damage during the delivery process.
- Insurance: For the shipment, an insurance policy can be purchased to ensure possible damage or loss can be covered during transportation. You need to read the insurance conditions and ensure that all possible types of damage are included.
- Identity verification: The identity of both the sender and the recipient would need to be verified, ensuring that the shipment is delivered only to the concerned party. You can verify it with a signature or confirmation code of the recipient.
- These should be used through tracking and monitoring techniques to oversee the movement of shipments during transportation. Technologies like bar codes and logistics information systems can be utilized to monitor and record shipment movements.
- Training and awareness: Proper training should be provided to workers in fragmented land freight on safety and protection procedures. They should know the proper handling of shipments to be handled safely.