FTL, LTL and partial freight explained for carriers, brokers and shippers: what each one is, when it pays better, and how LoadBoot posts and matches both full loads and partials to the right truck size.
One shipper’s freight fills the whole trailer. One pickup, one delivery, fastest transit — the classic 53′ van, reefer or flatbed load.
Small shipments (1–6 pallets) share a trailer through carrier terminals. Cheapest for shippers, slower, more handling.
The middle: 6–18 pallets, no terminals — freight rides direct with one or two other partials. Ideal for box trucks, hotshots and filling unused deck space.
A 16–26 ft box truck cannot take a 38,000-lb FTL — partials sized to your real weight capacity are your paying freight. See box truck dispatch and hotshot dispatch.
Half-full trailer on a lane you are running anyway? A partial on top of your existing load is nearly pure margin.
Post a partial with pallets, weight and dims and pay for the space you use — instead of buying a whole truck.
Every load is posted as FULL (FTL) or PARTIAL (LTL) with pallets and weight — required at posting, printed on the rate confirmation.
Carriers filter the live board by Full / Partial, so a box truck only hunts freight it can legally haul.
Carrier profiles carry equipment and max weight capacity — offers go to trucks that actually fit the load.
FTL fills a whole trailer for one shipper. LTL moves small shipments (1-6 pallets) through carrier terminals with more handling. Partial truckload is in between - roughly 6-18 pallets riding direct without terminals, often sharing the trailer with one other partial.
Yes. Partial and LTL-style freight sized for 16-26 ft box trucks is posted with pallets and weight, and the board filters by load size so you only see freight your truck can haul.
Per load, usually yes - but per foot of trailer and per mile it often pays MORE, because the shipper pays a premium over LTL for direct transit. Two partials on one trailer can out-earn one FTL.
The posting wizard requires a load size (Full or Partial). For partials you add pallets, weight and dims, and the rate card (detention, TONU, layover) prints on the posting like every LoadBoot load.
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