Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight can feel like a puzzle—multiple shipments from different customers, all loaded into the same truck, traveling across terminals until they reach their final destinations. At Resilient Freight Solutions, we understand that while LTL shipping is cost-effective, it’s also full of moving pieces. And we love helping our clients navigate those pieces like pros.
So what actually happens to your freight once it’s picked up? Let’s walk through the life of an LTL shipment and explore how our team helps you plan ahead and avoid the most common hiccups.
Once you schedule a pickup, your local driver is dispatched from the origin terminal. Their day starts with deliveries, followed by afternoon pickups. Once their trailer is full, they return to the terminal where your freight is unloaded, scanned, and inspected.
Challenges to plan for:
Limited truck space
Tight pickup windows
Incomplete paperwork
That’s why we always confirm details like liftgate needs, site hours, and BOLs upfront—small details that create BIG wins.
This is where LTL gets technical. Freight is moved from your local terminal to one or more “cross-dock” terminals overnight. It’s scanned, reloaded, and sent on its next leg, often by a different truck and driver.
Watchouts during transit:
Outbound cutoff times
Weather and traffic delays
Volume congestion at terminals
This is also where most freight reweighs and inspections happen. Our team keeps tabs on your shipments the entire way to ensure your goods stay on track.
Your freight reaches the destination terminal and is placed on a local truck for final delivery. Once it reaches the consignee, the driver collects a proof of delivery (POD)—mission accomplished!
But sometimes, delays happen due to equipment issues, restricted delivery hours, or special receiver requests. We stay in touch with both the carrier and the customer to resolve any last-mile issues fast.
Did you know that most LTL carriers can:
Ship freight to Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico?
Handle trade show freight with special teams?
Offer Guaranteed Delivery for extra peace of mind?
Ship alcohol and even provide protect-from-freeze options in colder months?
These services can be game changers if your business ships sensitive or time-sensitive products.
Here are a few key metrics we monitor on your behalf:
On-Time Pickup & Delivery Rates (aiming for 95%+)
Claim Rates (under 2% is ideal—ours is even better!)
Operating Ratios (the closer to or under 100, the more efficient the carrier)
Bills Per Day (a snapshot of a carrier’s volume and performance)
Because every day in logistics is different—and that’s one of the reasons we love what we do. Whether your shipment is headed across town or across the border, we take care of all the behind-the-scenes work to keep it moving.
We partner with carriers who align with our values: transparency, reliability, and performance. And when issues pop up (because they sometimes do), we’re already on it.
Let’s simplify your shipping.
Reach out to Resilient Freight Solutions today and let’s talk LTL—without the stress.