Full Truckload (FTL) Shipping Services

Get fast, hassle-free cargo delivery at competitive rates when you use Amazon full truckload (FTL) services for freight shipping. Tap into our network of dedicated trucks to boost your logistics and give customers a great experience on time, every time.

Full truckload (FTL) shipping, refers to both the mode of transport and the capacity of a trailer. In road freight, shippers choose between moving cargo either with FTL or less-than-truckload (LTL) transport.

FTL shipping means a truck conveys one dedicated shipment. Shippers hire the entire truck space for freight, usually for oversized loads that need maximum capacity, and keep all their consignments on this same truck throughout the freight journey—from pickup to drop-off.

Full truckload services are dedicated to one shipper who can use the entire space themselves. Other businesses don’t have access to the same FTL from the lane, removing the need for additional drop-offs. For businesses looking to move large, valuable cargo across long distances, this smoother, more secure freight option is ideal.

FTL vs LTL shipping?
While FTL uses the full truck, LTL shipments only use the space they need, with other shippers’ freight sharing the same vehicle. This makes LTL rates lower, as costs are split. However, FTL is the faster option, with no interruptions from other pickups and drop-offs, and offers greater security for high-value or time-sensitive shipments.

If you think LTL might be a better fit for your shipment needs, find out more about our LTL shipping services and how we can support your business.

With FTL shipping, your goods are loaded onto a dedicated truck that carries only your shipment from pickup to delivery. This means your cargo stays on the same vehicle throughout its journey, without transfers or additional stops for other shippers. As a result, FTL offers faster transit times, greater security, and reduced risk of damage compared to other freight options. It’s ideal for large, heavy, or time-sensitive shipments that require the full capacity of a trailer.

FTL is a cost-effective and efficient way to make use of truckload capacities. For faster, secure shipping, you can fill a shipping vehicle near-to or at capacity. Not only does this remove other pickups, it also eliminates transfer during transit. When you book with us, you’ll receive transparency around truck capacity that helps you reduce empty miles and idle time — while we automatically book loads to suit your needs.

For delicate, time-sensitive deliveries, FTL can keep your units of cargo together using pallet consignments. The whole truck is yours, giving you room for as many as you can fit in there, which is usually between 24 and 30 pallets made for fragile shipments, with a max weight limit of up to 20,000kg.

Since FTL requires a dedicated truck to transport the entire shipment, full truckload shipping rates tend to be higher than LTL shipping. Although this provides more protection for the cargo, it also uses larger and more expensive trailers. These extra costs are then passed on to the shipper at higher rates.

However, with Amazon full truckload services, you receive competitive pricing and reliable transport. After you’ve opened your shipper account and given us your details, we’ll provide you with an instant quote.

Shipping with Amazon Freight gives you access to our fleet of owned, GPS-tracked trailers for both FTL and LTL freight shipping, plus 24/7 support and network monitoring for each shipment.

With our network of 9,200 owned trailers and 10,000+ trusted carrier partners across the UK and EU, we ensure you can meet shipping demands on time at competitive prices.

You also have the option of receiving a free lane-pricing analysis before you’ve even placed your first freight shipment. To get started, create your shipper account today, get a free quote, or become part of our carrier network to access our exclusive load board and advance short-term contracts.

In case you have any queries, please drop us a mail at freight-uk-interest@amazon.com with your FTL volumes and our sales team will contact you.

If you’re looking to make your FTL shipments even more efficient, read on to learn about our drop and hook services.

Plans can change. With Amazon Freight, you can edit your booked FTL shipments quickly through our portal—at no extra cost or impact to your pickup date. Whether you need to update your pickup number, commodity description, pallet count, or shipment value, our simple edit function allows you to re-book with the updated details seamlessly.

Edits can be made up to two hours before pickup and applied to FTL inbound and off-Amazon shipments. However, please note that you cannot change the pickup or drop-off location, or the date and time, via the edit function.

How does FTL edit shipment work?

After users have rebooked, we will:

1. Update the FC appointment details (not the date or time) with the change in any appointment details, e.g. handling unit, number of handling units, purchase orders, ASN/FBA numbers
2. Update any changes in attributes on the R4D app
3. Update the CMR document

How to edit your FTL shipment

If your circumstances have changed or you’ve forgotten an important detail after you’ve already booked your freight journey, don’t worry—there are two ways to edit an existing booking:

Method 1

1. On the left-hand corner of the website, click on the shipments tab.
2. Select the booked shipment you want to edit from the list, and click on the shipment ID on the left-hand side of the page. This will take you to the shipment tracking page.
3. On the shipment tracking page, in the right corner, you should see an “Edit shipment” button. This will take you through to the booking page.
4. Once on the booking page, you can proceed to update the values and fields you want to change.
5. After you’ve made your changes, simply click on “save changes” to finish editing.
   

Method 2

1. On the left-hand corner of the website page, click on the shipment tab. This will show you the list of all recently booked shipments.
2. Click on the shipment that you want to edit. At the right corner of each shipment, you will see three dots (...)
3. Click on the three dots. You should see a drop-down list of options, including “Edit Shipment”
4. This will redirect you to the booking page, where you can proceed to make your changes.
5. After you have made the changes, finish editing by clicking the “save changes” button.

If you’d like to find out how Amazon Freight’s edit shipment services can support your business, get in touch with us at freight-uk-interest@amazon.com or fill out our contact form today.

Discover our full range of freight services to support your shipping needs.

For even greater efficiency, many shippers combine their FTL shipments with drop and hook services. Amazon Freight’s drop and hook services help our customers drive transport efficiencies for quicker final-mile deliveries.

What is drop and hook freight?
Drop and hook is a straightforward process. Shippers or carriers “drop” one pre-loaded trailer at a warehouse or fulfilment centre, and “hook” a new one from the same source. The process is seamless, and usually happens inside one lorry yard or a yard nearby.

If you need to exchange a specific truck or trailer, we can arrange that for you. Starting with your details and the type of freight you need to ship, we’ll match you with the right carrier partner for your drop and hook loads.

Why use drop and hook?
Drop and hook trucking is practical for shippers who have consistent and predictable demand for freight shipments. Often, they are operating at scale—delivering high-volume shipments and expanding their business or trying to optimise their supply chain processes.

An alternative to this method is “live loads”. Here the driver needs to make a stop and wait as their trailer is loaded/unloaded. Since drop and hook helps cut down on these wait times, it not only boosts driver efficiency but helps lower the risk of detention charges.

What are the benefits of drop and hook?
Using drop and hook, shippers and drivers get:

• More efficient load scheduling
• Fewer time constraints i.e. delivery windows
• Lower labour costs
• Reduced risk of damages

These benefits still demand some planning and preparation, including longer lead times. Shippers need to know that a driver will be dropping and hooking from one load to another in their warehouse, centre, or yard.

Our drop and hook freight services

• Dedicated lanes
• Spot lanes

If you’d like to learn how Amazon Freight’s drop and hook services can support your business, contact us at freight-uk-interest@amazon.com. Our team will be happy to help.

FTL shipping FAQs

What is considered a full truckload shipment?
A full truckload shipment typically uses most or all of a trailer’s capacity, either by volume or weight, and is dedicated to a single shipper’s freight.

When should I choose FTL over LTL?
FTL is ideal if you have large, heavy, or time-sensitive cargo that requires an entire trailer, or if you want faster delivery without other stops along the route.

How long does FTL shipping take?
FTL shipping is generally faster than LTL as it involves direct transit with no intermediate pickups or deliveries.

Is FTL shipping more expensive than LTL?
Yes, FTL tends to cost more because you pay for the use of the entire truck, but it can be more cost-effective for high-volume shipments.

Can I ship fragile or high-value goods with FTL?
Yes. FTL is suitable for fragile or high-value goods because the cargo stays on the same truck from pickup to delivery, reducing handling risks.

What is the maximum weight for a full truckload shipment?
Most FTL shipments can carry up to 20,000kg, depending on pallet configuration and regional transport regulations.

Do I need to load the trailer myself?
Loading responsibilities vary by contract. In most cases, the shipper loads and unloads, but Amazon Freight can advise on arrangements during booking.

What is the cut-off time for editing bookings?
Shippers can edit their shipment details up to two hours before pickup.

Can I edit any type of shipment?
No. Shippers can only change full truckload (FTL) inbound and off-Amazon shipments. For off-Amazon FTL shipments, shippers can still edit the location of fulfillment.

Can I change my pick-up date?
Shippers can only change the attributes of the shipment—not the date or time.

Can I edit the origin or destination of the shipment after booking?
No. Shippers are only able to edit the details of the shipment, not the pickup or drop-off location.

Drop and hook FAQs

What types of freight are suitable for drop and hook?
Amazon Freight’s services are not restricted by the type of product you want to ship, other than fresh food.

What are the typical costs of drop and hook?
Drop & Hook typically costs 10-30% higher than live loading and trailer rental cost.

What if my trailer is not picked up or dropped off on time?
If drivers show up in shippers’ facility without a new empty trailer and picks-up the full trailer, we can reposition a trailer within six hours.

How do I sign up as a drop and hook shipper?
You can sign up for Drop and Hook by setting up a contracted lane with their Account Manager. They assess your eligibility criteria based on region, length of haul for their lanes, what type of equipment is needed, and the ability of engineers to enter the facility for maintenance if there are any requirements for them to do so.