A pallet of packaging materials and a pallet of precision machinery might weigh the same and cost the same to move, but they need very different shipping strategies. One is priced and planned around weight and pallet count, where the goal is filling a trailer as efficiently as possible. The other carries a level of per-unit value and damage risk that changes the calculation entirely, where a single lost or damaged pallet can outweigh anything saved on the move itself.
This article explores how to build a shipping plan that works for both, using Amazon Freight’s full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) options to match the strategy to your cargo.
Sorting your cargo: high-volume or high-value?
First things first, how do you know which bucket your cargo falls into? Here’s how to tell the difference.
What counts as high-volume, palletised bulk freight
High-volume freight covers palletised bulk goods shipped in large, repeatable quantities on a regular schedule. These goods are priced and planned around the pallet itself (weight, count, and how much trailer space they’ll take up) instead of the value of what’s on the pallet.
Common examples include retail stock being replenished into a distribution centre, or packaged goods moving from a production line to a warehouse.
What counts as high-value cargo, like electronics and machinery
High-value cargo works on a different calculation. Per-unit value and damage risk outweigh sheer quantity here, since a single damaged or lost pallet of components can cost more than the entire shipment was ever likely to save on freight rates. Consumer electronics and precision components destined for an assembly line are both examples of high-value cargo.
Why this distinction should shape your shipping strategy
Treating all cargo the same regardless of volume or value tends to produce one of two outcomes: unnecessary cost from over-protecting freight that didn’t need it, or unnecessary risk from under-protecting freight that did. That’s why it’s crucial to identify which category a shipment falls into, and then build a dedicated strategy.
Why high-value goods benefit from fewer handling points
The fewer times a shipment changes hands, the fewer chances there are for something to go wrong, which is what makes handling points worth paying attention to for cargo that can’t afford a mistake.
How multiple handling points increase theft and damage risk
Each time a shipment moves between vehicles or hubs, it creates an opportunity for something to go wrong, be it a pallet getting lost or mishandled during loading. While these types of outcomes are frustrating for bulk goods shipping, it rarely matters much because any single pallet is easy to replace. For high-value cargo, on the other hand, the same handover can result in a loss that outweighs anything saved on the shipping cost itself.
How dedicated full truckload moves reduce exposure
An FTL move that goes directly from collection to delivery removes most of these handover points. The cargo stays on one vehicle for the length of the journey, rather than being unloaded and reloaded at intermediate stops, which is what closes off most of the opportunities for loss or damage in the first place.
What to look for in a carrier for sensitive or high-value freight
For freight in this category, two things are worth checking with a carrier. The first is visibility: real-time GPS tracking of the trailer, so you know where the shipment is throughout the journey rather than only at the point of delivery. The second is the physical setup of the move itself. For higher-value freight, a box trailer offers more security and weather protection than a curtain-sided trailer, which is the usual choice for standard palletised goods.
The cost efficiency of FTL at scale for high-volume shippers
For high-volume shippers, FTL is often the best option when a specific route has enough volume, regularly enough, to fill a trailer. If your volume is high but spread across many different destinations, LTL may still work out better.
How FTL pricing works as volume grows
The closer a regular shipment gets to a full trailer’s typical profile, the lower the cost per pallet tends to be, and the easier it becomes to plan FTL on that lane with confidence. As we’ve noted, higher, more predictable pallet counts on the same route tend to favour FTL, while volumes that stay high but vary by lane or destination often continue to work well on LTL, where you pay only for the space you use each time.
Consolidation and trailer utilisation for bulk goods
Filling a trailer efficiently usually means trading some timing flexibility for a lower cost per pallet. Rather than dispatching a shipment the moment it’s ready, getting close to a full trailer often means holding it briefly so it can be combined with the next dispatch or two on the same route.
The trade-off is usually worth it once the saving per pallet outweighs the inconvenience of holding stock a little longer.
How to decide between LTL and FTL
Most shippers have an instinct for whether LTL or FTL feels right for a given route, but instinct can lag behind shifting volumes and lanes. For a fair, unbiased comparison, here’s what to keep in mind.
The variables that go into an LTL vs FTL comparison
Four numbers settle the FTL vs LTL debate for any given route: pallet count, total weight, distance, and your current LTL rate on that lane. Pallet count and weight tell you how close a shipment sits to a full trailer’s capacity (typically 24 to 30 pallets on a standard UK trailer), which is the main driver of whether FTL’s flat cost per trailer beats LTL’s cost per pallet.
Distance matters too. FTL’s advantage often widens on longer runs, where the handling and transit time added by LTL’s shared network adds up, and narrows on shorter hops where there’s less to save by removing that handling. Your current LTL rate is the baseline everything else gets measured against.
A simple way to estimate your break-even shipment size
To figure out the best mode for your goods, start with an indicative FTL rate for the specific route you’re comparing. Divide that FTL rate by the number of pallets you’d typically load onto a dedicated trailer for this route, which gives you FTL’s cost per pallet. Then, set that next to what you’re currently paying per pallet under LTL for the same route. Wherever those two figures meet is your break-even shipment size.
Below it, LTL’s pay-for-what-you-use model usually costs less, since you’re not paying for trailer space you don’t need. Above it, FTL usually wins, because its flat cost gets spread across more pallets than LTL’s shared-space pricing allows for. This is a calculation worth running per route, since a busy long-haul lane and a quieter short one can land on opposite sides of that line even within the same business.
Reviewing your break-even point as volumes change
A break-even figure calculated some months ago reflects that route’s rates and pallet counts at the time, not necessarily today’s. If a route’s volume has grown, its break-even point has likely moved with it. This means a lane that used to sit clearly on the LTL side can shift into FTL territory once pallet counts climb, without anything else about the shipment changing, and vice versa. Because of this, the comparison is worth rerunning whenever a route’s volume noticeably shifts.
How Amazon Freight supports both high-volume and high-value shippers
Amazon Freight offers both FTL and LTL services, making it an excellent option whether you ship high-volume or high-value goods, or both. Getting started is simple. Our intuitive online portal makes it easy to book your load in minutes. And once your load is moving, real-time visibility and auto re-routing ensure you’re always on the fastest route, and that you can see the journey, so you always know where your shipment is.
Create your free shipper account
Find the right shipping solution for you. Take advantage of Amazon Freight’s global freight network, advanced logistics technology, and competitive pricing for your goods. Create your free shipper account today to get started.
FTL cargo fills an entire trailer for one shipment, moving directly from collection to delivery without stopping for other loads along the way. Less than truckload cargo shares trailer space with other shippers’ freight, typically covering shipments of around one to six pallets, too large for a parcel courier but not enough to justify FTL transport on its own. The core difference in an FTL vs LTL comparison comes down to this: one dedicates a whole trailer to your shipment, the other lets you pay for only the space you use.
Look at your pallet count and consistency on the specific route in question. A route that regularly comes close to a full truckload is usually a strong candidate for FTL transport, since the cost per pallet drops as the trailer fills. A route with smaller or more variable volumes often continues to work out cheaper on LTL, even if it’s part of a high-volume operation overall. Cargo value plays a role too: high-value or sensitive freight can justify full truckload shipping even below that pallet threshold, since fewer handling points means less risk regardless of the cost comparison.
Usually, yes. For a shipment well below full truckload capacity, LTL tends to be the cheaper option, since you’re paying for a share of a trailer rather than hiring the whole thing. As pallet count grows and gets closer to what FTL transport would carry, the cost per pallet falls, and at some point crosses over to be cheaper than the equivalent LTL rate on that route. Where exactly that crossover sits depends on the specific lane, which is why an FTL vs LTL comparison is worth calculating per route rather than assuming based on shipment size alone.
