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While logistics is a major decisive factor for the success of your business, many businesses have to invest huge amount of capital to ensure that their logistics management is effective. Partial truck load (PTL) is an option that offers businesses a cost-effective means of shipping goods, where two or more shippers can share the load and pay only for the specific space.
In this blog we discuss the PTL benefits in India and understand the partial truck load uses in shipping for Indian businesses.
What is Partial Truck Load?
PTL (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 shippers can share their load and pay only for the specific space occupied by them. PTL enables you to ship larger, heavier freight at high speed across the country utilising the strength of the company’s network.
The need of PTL arose when businesses had shipments to transport that did not qualify for either Less than Truck Load (LTL) or 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 partial truckload |
| 2 | Deliveries are faster with no stoppages involved | Deliveries are generally fast as trucks do not stop at a distribution centre | Multiple stops involved and delivery timelines could be little 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 |
It may be mentioned that partial truckload shipments do not require freight class, thereby eliminating re-classing and extra charges typically associated with larger shipments.
It facilitates on-time deliveries, faster transit times, less handling of freight, and offer cargo insurance coverage. 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.
What are the PTL benefits in India?
Many businesses miss out on availing PTL because either they are ignorant about the option or partly because LTL and FTL have been the standard way of delivering shipment.
However, 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.
- Faster delivery time: The first benefit of PTL is quicker delivery timelines. Customers are spoilt for choices with logistics providers offering several benefits and expect that their deliveries happen at the fastest possible time. 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. 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.
- Less handling: Apart from delivery timelines, customers prefer their shipments to be delivered in proper condition. In 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.
- Affordability: As compared to the other two modes of transport, PTL is more affordable. This is because while FTL shipments are the exclusive cargo of a truck, 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.
- Discounts and offers: PTL shipments are often discounted by logistic providers. So, businesses who avail PTL logistics get the benefit of discounts apart from timely delivery and saving on costs.
- 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?
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.
One of the challenges of logistics is the complexity of distribution of shipments – as different types of goods need to be shipped to different locations within fixed timelines. 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.
To sum up: How PTL shipping can make your business more competitive
It is a fact that many businesses in India are not aware of partial truck load uses in shipping. Hence, they miss out on all the benefits it offers. 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. If you are in a business that requires to ship delicate shipments or need your package to arrive quickly, you must explore the PTL option so that your goods are delivered on time.
If you are keen to explore partial truckload shipping for your business, you can try nextLogistics, where our experts will guide you to secure the most affordable and hassle-free cargo movement.
