Average Pricing for Full Truckload Shipping in Ontario

It is important for businesses to consider all the possible costs that would be charged for their cargos to be shipped. There are times when the quantity of the items that need to be transported would be able to fill up one or more trailers. For situations like these, customers have to consider availing of a full-truckload (FTL) shipping service. FTL shipping can be either cost-effective or uneconomical depending on the situation. When the situation deems FTL shipping to be uneconomical, then a business might be forced to avail of a less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping service. In this article, we will be talking more about the differences between the different shipping methods while also including the current average pricing for FTL shipping in Ontario, Canada.

Different Characteristics Between FTL and LTL Shipping Methods

Knowing about the differences between both shipping methods would help businesses decide which would fit their current circumstances. This is necessary information before even deciding on transacting with a logistics or shipping company to ensure that there would be no problems or unnecessary charges that need to be dealt with during the actual transport of the cargos. You can refer to the following list for more information on what makes FTL and LTL shipping different from each other:

Quantity of items included in the cargo

  • LTL shipping service is known to be the option for customers whose cargos are made up of fewer items and cannot fill up a trailer.
  • FTL shipping service, on the other hand, is known to be availed by customers that have large quantities and sizes of cargos. This would mean that all the items will take up all the space inside the trailer.

Cost to ship the cargo

  • Naturally, it would cost more to ship items using an FTL shipping service. This is because you are going to pay for using up all of the space inside a trailer. So the shipping company will be dedicating the services of one or more trucks to accommodate your transaction. This can be considered cost-effective whenever you are able to fill up the trailer. However, customers may still opt to avail of an FTL shipping service even if their cargos will not take up all the space inside the trailer. This may be uneconomical, but depending on the situation, it may still be needed. Whenever the cargos that need to be shipped have time-constraints or may need special handling during the whole shipping process.
  • The cost incurred when you avail of a LTL shipping service depends on how much space your items use up inside the trailer. Compared to FTL shipping, you will be sharing the services of a trailer with other customers in this method.

The shipping process

  • An FTL shipping service involves a fairly straight-through process. There is a direct route from the pickup point up to the destination of the cargo. The strict route ensures that the delivery would be completed as quickly as possible. The process also involves very few handling times of the items that need to be shipped. Usually, handling would only happen during the loading from the pickup point and during unloading at the destination.
  • The process for a LTL shipping service is very different compared to an FTL shipping service. This shipping method follows a hub and spoke model. A shipping company sets up a main distribution center and multiple local terminals. Customers would need to first go to a local terminal to create a shipping request. The items to be shipped can either be dropped off at the terminal or customers may opt to avail of a pickup service offered by the shipping company to make things easier for them. After all the items have been gathered, they will all be brought to the main distribution center where they will be segregated depending on the area of delivery. The processes of sorting, loading, and unloading of the items are very crucial at this stage since transport to their respective destinations will then follow.

Delivery time

  • LTL shipping service is known to take a longer time as compared to FTL shipping. Since there is a chance that the destination of your cargo will be set as the last stop on the assigned route given to the delivery truck, your items may take longer than the other customers whose items were grouped with yours.
  • Delivery time for an FTL shipping service takes the least possible time for the items to be delivered. Depending on the distance between the pickup point and the destination of the cargos, a shipping company may employ multiple drivers to handle the truck assigned for the delivery. This is being done to avoid long stoppages along the way. The drivers will be able to take turns driving the truck until the destination is reached. The use of the additional driver would add to the costs to ship the cargos.

Cargo safety

  • Having the least amount of handling of cargos, items are safer when being transported using an FTL shipping service. Unless there have been unavoidable stoppages or accidents along the way, there is little to no chance of any of the items getting lost or damaged along the way.
  • For a LTL shipping service, there may be lesser cargo safety or security as compared to FTL shipping. This is because items will undergo handling multiple times before they arrive at the destination. Other than the handling of cargos being done in the local terminals and the main distribution center, there may be the possibility of unloading and loading at different destinations especially, if your cargos are blocking the items that need to be delivered first.
FTL shipping service

Average Pricing for Full-Truckload Shipping

The average pricing of FTL shipping in Ontario will depend on a couple of variables. There is a need to consider factors like the base rate and the distance between the pickup point and the destination. It is highly recommended that customers get in contact with a trustworthy shipping service to ensure that the quotation will be fair and the items will be handled properly. For those who wish to look at the rough estimate for an FTL shipping service in Ontario, you may refer to the following:

  • Distance from Vaughan, Ontario to Ottawa, Ontario: 245 miles
  • Method of shipping: Full-truckload (FTL)
  • Items to be shipped: 25 units of washing machines that weigh around 73 kg each
  • Average shipping expenses per mile: CAD 47.50 (includes Ontario harmonized sales tax, base rate, fuel surcharge, and other variable expenses)

To compute the total FTL shipping cost, you just have to multiply the total distance between Vaughan and Ottawa to the average shipping expenses per mile, which already includes all other possible fees. So by multiplying 245 miles to the shipping expense per mile of CAD 47.50, the total cost to ship the 25 units of washing machines would be CAD 11,637.50.

Reasons Why Customers Need to Avail FTL Shipping Services

When it comes to choosing a shipping method, one has to consider various factors that may help in forming an educated decision. It is not always about incurring the lowest possible expense that would make it the correct choice. By referring to the following list, you will be able to understand some common factors that might force you to avail of FTL services instead:

Items with time constraints

FTL shipping might be needed in this situation since the cargo cannot afford to go through the processes of the hub and spoke distribution model. Time constraints can be due to the need for the items to be used at the destination as soon as possible.

Destinations that rarely receive delivery   

Having to ship cargos to destinations that are not well-known may become an issue for LTL shipping. You may have to wait for an unspecified duration before the items arrive at their destinations.

Different drop-off points

For businesses that need to ship products to different customers, they may need to avail of FLT shipping services so that there would only be one truck to handle all the deliveries. In addition, doing this would ensure that the products would not get lost along the way, preventing any situation in which their customers will not receive their items.

Shipping items that need special handling

Items that need special handling usually mean that these items may have a fragile build and would need special care during transit. Paying to have a truck dedicated to transport fragile items is a good way to ensure that there is a lesser chance for the items to get damaged before they arrive at their destination. You are avoiding any unnecessary handling of your products while they are still being shipped.

FTL Shipping is Safer and Cost-Efficient in Specific Situations

Depending on the situation at hand, LTL shipping will not be the only cost-effective solution when it comes to shipping your cargo. An FTL shipping service has its reasons that will sway your decision to avail of it even if your cargo may not be able to use up all the space inside a trailer. It is highly advised that you avail of an FTL shipping service from a reputable shipping company within your area. If you are currently located in one of the provinces of Ontario, then you should contact Ontario Container Transport at 416 (905) 695 1501. We are always ready to serve any of your shipping needs.

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