LTL vs. FT Freight Rate Comparison Analysis

Comparison of LTL and Full Truckload Transportation Prices

With the rapid development of the logistics industry, less-than-truckload LTL and full truckload transportation have become essential parts of enterprise supply chain management. When choosing an appropriate mode of transport, price is often one of the important factors in corporate decision-making. This article will conduct an in-depth analysis of the prices of LTL and full truckload transportation from the perspectives of cost composition, market demand, and industry trends, and provide readers with a comprehensive perspective based on the latest industry developments.

LTL transportation usually refers to situations where the weight of the goods is not enough to fill a whole vehicle, so it needs to be loaded together with other customers' goods on the same vehicle for transportation. Its advantage lies in high flexibility, which can meet the demand for small-batch and multi-frequency delivery. However, due to involving multiple links such as sorting and loading, its operating costs are relatively high. According to data from a logistics platform, in the first quarter of 2025, the national average unit price of LTL transportation fluctuated between 0.8 yuan and 1.2 yuan per ton-kilometer. This price range was significantly affected by seasonal factors. For example, during the Spring Festival period, due to the sharp increase in freight volume, the freight rate usually rose by about 15%.

In contrast, full truckload transportation is suitable for the centralized transportation of large quantities of goods and is more appropriate for enterprises with stable sources. Since there is no need for additional sorting operations, full truckload transportation has higher cost efficiency, especially noticeable in long-distance transportation. According to a report released by the China Transport and Communications Association, the average unit price of domestic full truckload transportation between major cities remained at 0.4 to 0.6 yuan per ton-kilometer in the first half of this year. It is worth noting that with the promotion and application of new energy vehicles and technological progress, the cost of full truckload transportation still has room for further reduction in the future.

From the perspective of market demand, the rapid development of the e-commerce industry in recent years has greatly promoted the growth of LTL business. Statistics show that in 2025, China's express package volume exceeded 10 billion pieces, with a significant portion delivered through the LTL network for the last mile. At the same time, the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing industries have also generated more customized service demands, prompting logistics companies to continuously optimize resource allocation and improve service quality. On the other hand, large retailers and manufacturers tend to use full truckload transportation to reduce overall logistics costs. In the field of international trade, this model has even taken a dominant position.

Looking ahead, with the popularization of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things and big data, smart logistics will become a major trend in the industry. On one hand, through real-time monitoring systems, the time for cargo storage can be effectively reduced, improving overall operational efficiency; on the other hand, precise pricing mechanisms based on data analysis will help customers better control their budgets. The enhancement of environmental awareness has also made green and low-carbon practices one of the key indicators for evaluating transportation solutions. Whether it is LTL or full truckload transportation, both must keep pace with the times and actively embrace change to maintain an unbeatable position in future competition.

In summary, although LTL and full truckload transportation each have their own characteristics, the price difference between them reflects the actual needs of different scenarios. For small and medium-sized enterprises pursuing timeliness and diversity, LTL transportation is undoubtedly a better choice; for larger enterprises, full truckload transportation should be given priority to save costs. Of course, in actual practice, it is still necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as the nature of the goods and destination location to reasonably plan transportation schemes, thereby achieving the best results. In short, regardless of the form adopted, ensuring the safe and timely delivery of goods remains the common goal of all participants.