Less-than-truckload carrier Estes Express Lines is working with software provider DDC FPO to deliver more accurate, timely information through the automation of freight bill processing.
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LTL Trucking Logistics
LTL Trucking Logistics
News pertaining to the transportation and logistics services provided by LTL (Less than truckload shipping or less than load (LTL) carriers, which transport relatively small freight. The alternatives to LTL carriers are parcel carriers or full truckload carriers. Parcel carriers usually handle small packages and freight that can be broken down into units less than 150 pounds (68 kg). Full truckload carriers move freight that is loaded into a semi-trailer. Semi-trailers are typically between 26 and 53 feet (7.92 and 16.15 m) and require a substantial amount of freight to make such transportation economical
Finally, the most commonly referenced LTL are shipments via “common” carriers that handle freight above what would normally ship via FedEx Ground, or UPS or U.S. Mail parcel services (about 150 pounds), to just under what would usually be considered a Truck Load at about 20,000 pounds or more than 14 pallets. LTL common carriers are also more likely to accept loose (non-palletized) cargo than the other two. The biggest of the LTL “Common” Carriers are the Freight divisions of FedEx and UPS, and YRC Freight (Formerly Yellow Freight and Roadway). Other large national carriers include YRC, FedEx Freight, or UPS Freight, such as: Old Dominion Freight Lines, Saia, or Estes-Express to name a few.
Top 25 LTL Trucking Companies
Webcasts
Sep 24, 2019 2:00PM EDT
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News & Analysis
20 Sep 2019
The need for speed and distribution points closer to customers is fueling growth and demand for more capacity among LTL carriers, even in a softer overall freight market.
19 Sep 2019
Less-than-truckload carriers are asking shippers to start using digital bills of lading, which would provide better track-and-trace capability on shipments so receivers know when their orders will arrive.
18 Sep 2019
When it comes to profitability, FedEx’s less-than-truckload arm outperformed its bigger, package-focused sister divisions, while gaining e-commerce business.
18 Sep 2019
The second-largest US less-than-truckload company will add or expand eight terminals in the second half of 2019 as the LTL sector takes a long-haul view of the economy.
16 Sep 2019
An agreement between two of the oldest US regional LTL carriers is designed to speed cross-country LTL shipments, and reduce costs for trucking operators and shippers.
13 Sep 2019
Multiregional LTL carrier Saia adds three new terminals in the Northeast and expands in Philadelphia amid a market giving off mixed signals.
11 Sep 2019
Winning more favorable terms from its lenders will help YRC Worldwide proceed with a strategic plan to reshape its LTL networks and improve profitability.
11 Sep 2019
The US intermodal industry is currently in the midst of a down cycle after volumes and rates surged in late 2017 and early 2018, but there are opportunities for railroads to accelerate the potential rebound if they are able to take advantage.
03 Sep 2019
Freight operations are suspended in much of Florida as Hurricane Dorian passes on its way toward the Georgia and Carolina coasts.
28 Aug 2019
The number of US trucking companies rose by more than 21,000 in the year between June 2018 and this June, even as low spot-market pricing increased pressure on smaller fleets.
16 Aug 2019
The 2019 JOC Directory of Trucking Companies is a one-stop source of information for North American shippers and third-party logistics providers on nearly 180 select trucking companies in the United States and Canada.
13 Aug 2019
The largest domestic truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers reported double-digit percentage revenue gains in 2018 thanks to strong US economic growth and the tightest trucking market on record.
09 Aug 2019
Sponsored: Digital marketplace Emerge launched in late 2018, connecting shippers directly with carriers. At JOC’s TPM conference in March 2019, President Grant Crawford discussed the plans for expanding live data and the direction from which he sees the next wave of innovation coming.
08 Aug 2019
Multiregional less-than-truckload carrier Saia is adding terminals in the US Northeast, building “capacity for growth.”
07 Aug 2019
Roadrunner Transportation Systems reported revenue and profits were down in the second quarter as it battled weak conditions in the airfreight, truckload, LTL, and intermodal markets.
07 Aug 2019
Tonnage and shipments are falling, but LTL carriers are piling up profits, thanks to a keen focus on the bottom line not noticeable 10 years ago.
05 Aug 2019
The long-term outlook for truckers, and their shipper customers, is blurred by the fog of trade wars, but 2020 will bring changes.
25 Jul 2019
Old Dominion Freight Line demonstrates how trucking companies can prosper even in a “soft demand environment.” The key: Knowing your costs, and pricing accordingly.
24 Jul 2019
The driver shortage has diminished, but not disappeared, the American Trucking Associations says. Demographics, freight demand, and pay are the key issues.
22 Jul 2019
IHS Markit data shows LTL pricing and rate hikes declining at a slower pace than truckload pricing.
19 Jul 2019
Shippers own the US freight market in mid-2019, but they are finding the cost of poor or inconsistent trucking service can outweigh the savings of lower rates.
15 Jul 2019
Cross-border truck traffic between Mexico and the United States is rising, and shipping costs are likely to increase as delays tighten border capacity.
12 Jul 2019
Heavy truck orders are in steep decline, but production backlogs are falling and new trucks are hitting US highways, adding to excess capacity and preserving shipper pricing leverage.
12 Jul 2019
Shippers “don’t need to panic” over two recent bankruptcies, an LTL expert says, but they do need to vet transportation providers more carefully, and look for signs of trouble before a bankruptcy.
11 Jul 2019
YRC Worldwide is not merging any of its carriers, but is consolidating back-office functions by closing its New Penn headquarters, and plans to eliminate 'duplicate' terminals.
09 Jul 2019
With trucking employment rising, there are few signs excess US truck capacity will be reduced soon, keeping pricing power in the grasp of shippers.
03 Jul 2019
The typical retail-based truck freight rebound came later this year and is likely to be shorter as trade tensions with China and Mexico ease.
01 Jul 2019
In a disaster-prone era, LTL carrier ODFL finds preparing for any event is better than reacting to one.
25 Jun 2019
Lower manufacturing activity, high inventories, and trade wars are flattening the US freight economy, speakers at the SMC3 Connections 2019 conference said.
24 Jun 2019
The front-loading of Chinese imports to avoid tariffs is disrupting US less-than-truckload distribution networks, forcing reallocation of resources.
19 Jun 2019
Many of the communications systems knocked out by a ransomware attack against A. Duie Pyle have been restored. But the attack signals a growing cyber threat.
19 Jun 2019
Ike, a developer of automated trucks led by veterans of Uber, Google and Apple, says ATs are entering a new phase, but still many years from widespread use.
18 Jun 2019
Logistics growth is moderating, but shipper of choice programs are surviving because lower rates won't guarantee on-time delivery, speakers at the CSCMP State of Logistics Report launch said.
17 Jun 2019
A ransomware attack temporarily knocked communications offline at one of the largest Northeast less-than-truckload carriers.
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Commentary
Shippers need to ‘tune in’ as ELD deadline draws closer