Direct answer. LTL (Less Than Truckload) and FTL (Full Truckload) are two terms, also used as-is in France, that describe how a truck is loaded. In FTL, the vehicle is dedicated entirely to a single shipper, corresponding to chartering. In LTL, several shipments from different customers share the same vehicle, as with groupage or messenger transport.
Two loading logics, two trade-offs
FTL (Full Truckload) designates a shipment that occupies, or nearly occupies, the entire capacity of a vehicle, on behalf of a single shipper. The truck goes directly from the loading point to the delivery point, without passing through an intermediate sorting hub. It is the fastest and most predictable mode, but also the most costly per unit if the shipped volume is not enough to fill the vehicle: in that case, the shipper pays for capacity it does not fully use.
LTL (Less Than Truckload), by contrast, designates a shipment that occupies only part of a vehicle's capacity, shared with shipments from other shippers. Goods generally pass through one or more hubs where they are consolidated, sorted, then reloaded toward their respective destinations. LTL means paying only for the space and weight actually used, which makes it economically relevant for volumes that don't justify a full truck, at the cost of somewhat longer lead times and more handling steps.
The choice between LTL and FTL mainly depends on the volume to be shipped, urgency and budget: a volume close to a full load, a tight deadline or fragile goods argue for FTL, while a modest, recurring volume naturally points toward LTL. Many shippers combine both depending on destinations and time of year, especially during activity peaks when available FTL capacity becomes scarce.
FAQ
Is FTL the equivalent of chartering?
Yes, in common usage: FTL designates a vehicle dedicated to a single shipper for a given route, which corresponds in French to "affrètement" (chartering a full truck). The two terms are often used interchangeably in the road transport sector.
Does LTL correspond to groupage or parcel/messenger transport?
LTL is a generic term that covers both groupage (palletized shipments, flexible lead times) and messenger/parcel transport (parcels and small shipments, short lead times). The English term does not distinguish these two nuances specific to French transport vocabulary.
Is LTL always cheaper than FTL?
Not systematically: LTL reduces the cost per shipment by pooling the vehicle, but involves more handling and longer lead times. For a volume close to a full load, FTL can become more economical and faster per unit transported.
Related terms
Chartering · Groupage · Messenger transport · Freight · Semi-trailer capacity · Transport plan.
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