When a shipment is too big for a courier network, you move it by road freight. The two main options are Full Truck Load (FTL) and Part Truck Load (PTL). Here is how they compare.
What is FTL?
With Full Truck Load you book an entire vehicle. It is loaded at your premises and driven directly to the destination — no other customer’s goods, no hub stops.
What is PTL?
With Part Truck Load (also called LTL) your goods share a truck with other shippers. Freight is consolidated through hubs and you pay only for the space and weight you use.
Side-by-side comparison
| FTL | PTL | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large loads that fill most of a truck | Medium loads, roughly 100 kg to a few tonnes |
| Cost | Pay for the whole vehicle | Pay for your share only |
| Speed | Faster — direct route | Slower — routed via hubs |
| Handling | Loaded and unloaded once | Handled at each hub |
| Good for fragile goods | Yes | With good packing and palletising |
How to decide
- Choose FTL if your goods fill most of a truck, the delivery is time-critical, or the goods are fragile or high-value.
- Choose PTL if the load is medium-sized, the timeline is flexible and cost matters most.
- For smaller consignments, B2B courier or cargo may be cheaper than either.
Not sure? Share the weight, size and route with us and we will recommend the most economical mode.