Blog Details

You have six pallets ready to ship. Not enough to justify booking a full trailer, but more than most LTL carriers want to route through a multi-stop terminal network without a few dents and a delay. This is exactly the gap partial load shipping was built to fill, and it is one of the least understood options in Ontario freight until a shipper actually needs it. Partial load shipping moves freight that is too large for standard LTL but does not require a full trailer, using a shared trailer with far fewer stops and handoffs than a typical LTL network. For shippers moving 6 to 18 pallets, or freight that cannot tolerate multiple terminal transfers, partial load is often both faster and less expensive than booking LTL or paying for unused trailer space on a full truckload.

What Is Partial Load Shipping?

Partial load shipping (sometimes called volume LTL or shared truckload) fills the space between a small LTL shipment and a dedicated full truckload. Instead of your freight passing through a hub-and-spoke LTL network, where pallets are unloaded and reloaded at each terminal, a partial load moves on one truck, on one direct route, sharing trailer space with one or two other shippers at most. The result is fewer touches. A standard LTL shipment can pass through two or three terminals between pickup and delivery, with the freight handled by different crews each time. A partial load typically loads once and unloads once, which matters most for freight that is fragile, oddly shaped, or time-sensitive.

Partial Load vs. LTL vs. Full Truckload: The Key Differences

The three options sit on a spectrum, and the right choice depends on shipment size, how many touches your freight can tolerate, and how much schedule control you need.

Factor	LTL	Partial Load	Full Truckload
Typical size	1 to 6 pallets	6 to 18 pallets	Full trailer (24+ pallets)
Routing	Multi-stop, terminal network	Direct or near-direct route	Direct route
Handling touches	2 to 4 (terminal transfers)	1 to 2	1 (loaded once, unloaded once)
Typical transit time	Longer, terminal-dependent	Comparable to FTL on the same lane	Fastest, no consolidation delay
What drives the cost	Weight, class, and terminal handling fees	Space and weight used on a shared trailer	Flat trailer rate regardless of fill

When Partial Load Shipping Makes Sense

Partial load is not the right fit for every shipment, but it is the clear choice in a handful of common situations.

• Your shipment is too big for LTL pricing to make sense. Once you are past 6 pallets, LTL freight class and density rules often push the price close to what a partial load costs, without the benefit of fewer handling touches.
• Your freight cannot handle multiple transfers. Fragile goods, irregular pallets, or freight that has already been damaged once on an LTL network are better suited to a load that stays on one truck.
• You need a narrower delivery window. Direct or near-direct routing means less variability than freight moving through two or three LTL terminals.
• A full truckload would mean paying for empty space. If your freight fills a third or half of a trailer, a partial load lets you pay closer to what you actually use.

How Partial Load Pricing Works

LTL pricing runs on freight class, density, and a terminal handling structure that adds cost at every hub. Partial load pricing works more like a scaled-down version of full truckload: the rate is based on the trailer space and weight your freight actually occupies on a direct route, not a class table. That difference matters most when freight sits close to an LTL class boundary. A shipment that gets reclassified upward because of its dimensions or density can see an LTL quote jump well past what a partial load would have cost for the same freight, on the same lane.

Good to know: Freight class reclassification is one of the most common sources of surprise charges on LTL invoices. If your shipment has an unusual shape, low density, or has been reclassified before, ask a partial load carrier for a comparison quote before you book LTL again.

What to Expect From an Ontario Partial Load Carrier

S&R Trucking runs partial load shipping out of our Kleinburg, Ontario yard, with direct routing across the GTA, Ontario, and cross-border into the US. Because we dispatch our own equipment, a partial load moves on one truck from pickup to delivery, without being handed off between terminals. For shippers who are not sure whether their freight fits partial load, LTL, or full truckload, our team can walk through the pallet count, weight, and delivery window and recommend the option that actually costs less. If your freight grows past what a shared trailer can handle, we can shift the same shipment into our full truckload or LTL services without switching carriers. Call 905-951-2951 or visit our contact page to get a quote.

Key Takeaways

• Fills the middle ground. Partial load shipping sits between LTL and full truckload, typically covering 6 to 18 pallets.
• Fewer handling touches. A partial load usually loads once and unloads once, compared to two to four terminal transfers on LTL.
• Priced by space used. Partial load rates are based on the trailer space and weight your freight occupies, not an LTL freight class table.
• Avoids reclassification surprises. Freight that risks LTL class reclassification often costs less to move as a partial load instead.
• Better for fragile or time-sensitive freight. Direct or near-direct routing means less handling risk and less delivery-window variability than LTL.
• You do not pay for empty trailer space. Unlike full truckload, you are not paying a flat rate for a trailer you only partially fill.
• Can scale up or down. A carrier that also offers LTL and FTL can move your freight into a different service as shipment size changes, without switching carriers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is partial load shipping?

Partial load shipping moves freight that is too large for standard LTL but does not fill a full trailer. It typically uses a shared trailer with one or two other shippers at most, on a direct or near-direct route, so freight is loaded once and unloaded once instead of passing through multiple LTL terminals.

How many pallets qualify for partial load shipping?

There is no fixed rule, but partial load typically covers roughly 6 to 18 pallets. Below that range, standard LTL is usually more economical. Above it, a full truckload often becomes the better value, especially if the freight would otherwise fill most of a trailer.

Is partial load shipping cheaper than LTL?

It depends on the shipment. Partial load pricing is based on the space and weight your freight actually uses, while LTL pricing is based on freight class and density. For shipments near an LTL class boundary, or freight that risks reclassification, partial load can end up costing less for the same pallets on the same lane.

How is partial load different from a full truckload?

A full truckload is priced as a flat trailer rate regardless of how much space your freight fills. Partial load shares the trailer with other shippers’ freight and is priced closer to the actual space and weight used, which usually costs less when your freight does not need a whole trailer.

Does partial load shipping take longer than LTL?

Usually not. Because partial load moves on a direct or near-direct route with far fewer stops than an LTL terminal network, transit time is often comparable to full truckload and faster than a typical multi-stop LTL shipment on the same lane.

Does S&R Trucking offer partial load shipping in Ontario?

Yes. S&R Trucking runs partial load shipping out of our Kleinburg, Ontario yard, with direct routing across the GTA, Ontario, and cross-border into the US. Call 905-951-2951 to discuss your pallet count and get a quote.