Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) shipping lets you ship freight that is too large or heavy for standard parcel shipping without paying for an entire truck. Instead, multiple shipments from different businesses share space on the same trailer, helping reduce shipping costs.
LTL shipping is available for US-based ShipStation accounts. You can compare freight rates, book shipments, generate shipping documents, and track freight shipments alongside your other orders and shipments.
With LTL shipping in ShipStation, you can:
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Compare rates from multiple freight providers.
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Create freight shipments directly from your orders.
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Manage freight booking details, tracking, and shipping documents.
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Update connected order sources with shipment and tracking information.
LTL shipping is a good option when your shipment:
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Is heavier or larger than a typical parcel shipment.
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Has dimensions that exceed parcel shipping limits.
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Ships on one or more pallets, crates, or other handling units.
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Doesn't require an entire truck.
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Needs freight services such as scheduled pickup or liftgate delivery.
Whether LTL or parcel shipping is the better option can depend on your shipment's weight, dimensions, packaging, destination, and available rates.
LTL shipping follows a standard freight process from quote to delivery. After you book a shipment, the carrier coordinates pickup, transports the freight through its network, and completes delivery.
Get a Quote → Book a Shipment → Schedule Pickup → Transport Shipment → Deliver Shipment
In ShipStation, you can create and manage an LTL shipment from booking through delivery.
To create and manage an LTL shipment in ShipStation:
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Connect or create a freight provider account
Connect an existing Worldwide Express (WWEX) or Unishippers account, or create a new account through ShipStation.
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Create and book your LTL shipment
Create an LTL shipment from an order or from the Freight tab. Add your shipment details, select a rate, and book your shipment.
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Compare available freight rates
Compare available rates and services to choose an option for your shipment.
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Track your shipment
Monitor shipment status and access shipping documents throughout the shipping process.
After booking, the provider manages pickup, transportation, and delivery while ShipStation provides access to shipment status and shipping documents.
After booking a shipment, ShipStation provides access to the documents needed to prepare and manage your freight shipment.
Depending on the shipment, available documents may include:
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Proof of Delivery (POD) – Available after the shipment has been delivered.
Access available documents from the shipment details.
Accurate shipment details are important when booking LTL freight. Freight providers use information such as weight, dimensions, freight class, commodities, and requested services to determine your rate.
Avoid Adjustments
Post-shipment adjustments are common with LTL shipments. Providing accurate shipment details can help reduce unexpected charges. For more information about adjustments and final charges, visit Manage Your Freight Invoice.
LTL shipments are organized into handling units and commodities. Understanding the difference helps you accurately describe your freight when creating a shipment.
A handling unit is the physical unit used to transport your freight, such as a pallet, crate, or carton. The handling unit includes the packaging or structure that contains or supports the goods during transportation.
A commodity is the specific type of goods or products contained in the handling unit.
A single handling unit can contain one or more commodities. For example, a pallet is the handling unit, while the boxes of books secured to the pallet are the commodities.
For each handling unit, provide accurate information about the goods being shipped. Accurate commodity details help freight providers classify and rate your shipment and can reduce the risk of post-shipment adjustments.
Commodity details can include:
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Weight
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Freight class
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NMFC code
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Piece type and number of pieces
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Commodity description
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Whether the commodity contains hazardous materials.
Freight class is an industry-standard classification used for LTL shipments. There are 18 freight classes, ranging from Class 50 to Class 500.
Freight class considers characteristics of the shipment, including density, handling, stowability, and liability. Providing an accurate freight class helps freight providers determine the appropriate rate for your shipment.
If you don't know your freight class, ShipStation can use your shipment's dimensions and weight to calculate its density and recommend a freight class.
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Enter the dimensions for the handling unit.
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Enter the Weight for each commodity in the handling unit.
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Select Calculate Density.
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Review the calculated density and recommended freight class.
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Select the commodities you want to update, then select Apply Selection. To apply all recommendations, select Apply All.
The recommended freight class is an estimate based on the dimensions and weight you provide. The carrier may determine a different freight class and adjust the final charges for the shipment.
For the complete shipment workflow, visit Book LTL Freight Shipments.
The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) is a standardized system used to identify and classify commodities shipped by LTL carriers. An NMFC code identifies a type of commodity and is associated with its freight classification.
In ShipStation, entering an NMFC code is optional when adding commodity details. However, providing the correct NMFC code can help ensure accurate billing and reduce the risk of reclassification charges.
If you don't know the NMFC code for your commodity, you can use an NMFC classification tool to find the code that best matches the goods you're shipping.
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Search for the specific commodity you're shipping.
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Select the commodity and NMFC code that best match your freight.
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If the classification requires the commodity's density, use Calculate Density in ShipStation to calculate density based on the dimensions and weight you provide.
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Use the classification information to determine the appropriate freight class.
LTL shipping uses specialized terms to describe freight, shipment classification, services, and shipping documents.
For definitions of terms you may encounter when creating and managing LTL shipments in ShipStation, visit the LTL Freight Glossary.