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If you are using road transportation for the movement of your goods, you cannot ignore part truckload shipping or PTL and the benefits of partial truckload transportation. Logistics is a major decisive factor for the success of most businesses, and partial truck load PTL is an option that offers businesses a cost-effective means of shipping goods. True, half truck load might not be the best solution for businesses with huge cargo to move – but when it comes to balancing cost and time efficiently, partial load shipping benefits has no competition.
In this blog we discuss the PTL benefits in India and understand the partial truck load uses in shipping for Indian businesses.
Partial truckload benefits and meaning
PTL or partial truckload shipping refers to the shipping process that transports goods from different customers through one truck. PTL is a cost-effective method for shipping goods as two or more businesses can share truck space and pay only for the space they occupy. PTL enables you to ship larger, heavier freight at high speed across the country, has lesser halts that LTL (less than truck load) and hence less prone to shipping damages and delays.
Before understanding the benefits of partial truckload for businesses, let us take a look at the other shipping options, namely – Less than Truck Load (LTL) and Full Truck Load (FTL).
| S No | Full Truck Load (FTL)
|
Partial Truck Load (PTL)
|
Less than Truck Load (LTL)
|
| 1 | Whole truck is utilised for freight | A part of the truck (usually half) is utilised | Utilised for cargo that is lesser than even a part truckload |
| 2 | Deliveries are from point-to-point with no stoppages involved | Deliveries are generally fast as trucks do not have multiple stoppages | Multiple stops involved and delivery timelines could be delayed |
| 3 | More expensive as it is exclusive shipping | The rate is divided with other businesses, hence not as expensive | Payment is only for the amount of space and load used by the business |
Note – Partial truckload shipments do not require freight class, thereby eliminating re-classing and extra charges typically associated with larger shipments.
Primarily small and medium sized businesses consider PTL shipping services because it involves smaller budget and provides the option to set pickup and delivery dates thus allowing control on purchasing inventory.
Also read: About our latest logistics partner Scorpion Express and find the right shipping partner for your business.
What are the PTL benefits in India?
Partial truckload shipping is most beneficial for businesses that do not have freight large enough for FTL nor small enough for LTL. However, as a business owner, if you have properly recorded the dimensions of your shipment and measured its volumetric weight, you will realise that PTL could be a viable option to fulfill your logistics requirements.
Given below are the various benefits of this mode of shipping.
1. Fast delivery time with partial load shipping
The first benefit of PTL is quicker delivery timelines. Shipping delay is a common logistics challenge. When you go for PTL as a mode of transport, your shipment is placed onto a single truck and is not touched until it arrives at the destination. So unlike LTL where it is moved from truck to truck along the way to its destination or there are multiple halts for loading/unloading other shipments, PTL deliveries have better percentage of on-time deliveries.
In fact, the logistics company Rivigo has recorded a 40% reduction in supply chain costs by moving from FTL to PTL.
2. Less material handling, loading and unloading
Apart from delivery timelines, customers prefer their shipments to be delivered in proper condition, that is, minimum shipping damages.
In partial truckload ptl, due to less handling of shipments, the condition of the packages remain intact and there is less damage. The only time a PTL shipment is touched is when it is loaded at the origin point and when it is disbursed from the truck at the destination. Hence, PTL is highly used to transfer precious and fragile cargo.
Moreover, since the truck space is share by one or two other businesses only, there is overall lesser materials handling involved.
3. Affordability
Half truck load shipping is an affordable and economical option for most businesses. In FTL shipments, you will have to pay for the entire truck space, whether or not your shipment is occupying the entire space.
PTL splits some of the freight space with other shipments and hence the cost gets divided. With PTL you get what you pay for as you are billed according to the dimension of your cargo and your logistics transportation cost is significantly in check.
4. Discounts and offers by part truck load business
Trucking companies offering partial load shipping, often provide additional discounts and offers. This is because it enables them to convince more businesses to move to PTL from FTL. In turn, they don’t have to keep their trucks blocked and can keep them moving.
PTL pricing is fair and hence often the preferred option by SMEs who don’t have their own fleet and/or less goods to ship
5. Exempt from freight class
When a business registers a shipment after the dimensions and the weight are calculated, it is assigned a freight class. This freight class is used by carriers to determine the charge of the shipment and how to properly handle your pallets. PTL shipping does not consider freight class as it’s a custom amount that falls between the set LTL shipments and the FTL shipments. As a result, extra charges get eliminated.
Also Read: What is Delivery Duty Paid in shipping?
Why use partial load delivery instead of full truckload delivery?
A legit question at this point is – Why choose part truckload shipping?
PTL shipping is beneficial because it helps reduce the number of pickups and thus reduces fuel costs. It also contributes towards lesser carbon emission and hence, is more environment friendly. By availing PTL shipping, you can derive all the benefits of a full truckload without having to pay the high cost.
Distribution of shipments is a complexity as goods have different packaging, shipping, handling requirements. PTL helps here as it allows you to deliver only a portion of the total amount of goods produced at one time, while storing the remaining goods in warehouses until they are needed. It helps in managing inventory.
Partial deliveries are fast gaining popularity as most businesses are striving to optimise their supply chains and reduce transportation costs.
How PTL shipping can make your business more competitive
PTL can save costs for businesses and ensure safe and timely deliveries. It facilitates customisation and can be tailored to the exact needs of your shipment. Moreover, it eliminates all the unnecessary costs that can accumulate when using LTL or FTL.
From the perspective of a business, part truck load business can be thriving, especially if you are starting a logistics company or a logistics startup. You can start by investing in a couple of vehicles/trucks instead of a large fleet. Moreover, you can limit your routes to specific regions and prioritise local partial load shipping. In this way, you can focus on meeting timelines, providing customer satisfaction, and reducing costs (e.g., fuel, tolls, overnight charges to drivers, etc.)
In a nutshell, the benefits of partial truckload shipping are many. As a business owner, understand how it can help your business and reap its benefits when you ship with us at Logistics onTata nexarc.
A product manager with a writer's heart, Anirban leverages his 6 years of experience to empower MSMEs in the business and technology sectors. His time at Tata nexarc honed his skills in crafting informative content tailored to MSME needs. Whether wielding words for business or developing innovative products for both Tata Nexarc and MSMEs, his passion for clear communication and a deep understanding of their challenges shine through.
