Part-Load Freight (LTL)

What Is Part-Load (LTL) Freight?

Part-load freight (LTL — Less than Truckload) is based on loading small or medium-sized shipments from multiple customers onto the same vehicle for carriage along a shared route. Each customer pays only for the space or volume their goods occupy; the remaining vehicle capacity is filled by other shipments. As a result, the need to hire a full truck is eliminated and transport costs are significantly reduced.

At Çevikoğlu Lojistik we manage LTL transport through a systematic groupage process. Shipments heading to the same route are consolidated at terminal points, dispatched on optimised vehicles, and each load is safely delivered to the correct destination. This structure offers a cost-effective, reliable and flexible logistics solution — particularly for SMEs and e-commerce operators.

How Does Groupage Work?

In our LTL system, every shipment is first received at our departure terminal or collected from the customer's address. Shipments bound for the same route and similar delivery zone are brought together according to the departure schedule. The vehicle departs with effective capacity utilisation; at the arrival terminal, loads are separated and distributed to the relevant final address. Throughout this process each shipment is tracked on a separate work order, and the record system reduces the risk of loss or mix-up to zero.

Groupage allows companies that ship regularly in small quantities to manage their logistics externally without carrying storage costs. Regular weekly or monthly LTL service agreements can be arranged to achieve even more advantageous pricing on periodic shipments.

Who Is It Suitable For?

LTL freight appeals particularly to the following customer profiles. Small and medium-sized manufacturers and distributors: companies that ship regularly at pallet or carton level but cannot fill a full vehicle — LTL is the most economical option. E-commerce businesses: for online sellers that need to send many small cartons to different regions, our groupage service offers a cost-effective way to deliver products to end consumers or distribution centres. Seasonal producers: companies whose output is limited to production seasons and who need to ship only at certain times of year gain flexibility by choosing shipment-based LTL service instead of a fixed freight contract.

Flexible Shipments at Pallet and Carton Level

Our LTL service applies no minimum shipment size restriction. We accept loads of any scale from a single carton up to many pallets. Loads can be priced according to standard euro-pallet (120 x 80 cm) or industrial-pallet (120 x 100 cm) dimensions, or assessed on a volume/weight basis. When wrapping, packaging or labelling support is needed, we provide this service as well.

Departure-point flexibility is another strength of our LTL model. Customer-address pick-up or terminal drop-off options can be personalised to each customer's operational structure. On the delivery side, door-to-door delivery or terminal collection alternatives are also offered.

Cost Advantage Compared with Full-Truck

Hiring a full truck is not always economical — particularly for loads that fill less than half of vehicle capacity, where FTL creates unnecessary cost. In LTL, vehicle capacity is shared among multiple shippers so the unit transport cost is significantly lower. The cost-sharing model allows small businesses with limited budgets to benefit from the network of a major logistics company. In addition, since all LTL shipments are covered by cargo insurance, additional risk cost is also minimised.