Where this fits next to our FTL vs LTL guide
Our FTL vs LTL guide already introduces partial truckload and gives a rule of thumb for pallet count and weight. This page is the closer look: how a partial actually moves, when it tends to work, when it does not, and what we need in order to quote one. If you are still deciding whether you have “a few pallets” or “a trailer,” start there, then come back here if you are in the middle.
We do not treat partial as a default mode on the form. There is no separate “PTL” button. The reason is practical: a partial depends on the lane, the date, and whether the freight can share a trailer without breaking either schedule. It is a conversation, not a self-serve product.
What a partial is
On a partial, you are buying a portion of a dedicated or semi-dedicated trailer rather than a classic LTL move through a terminal network, and rather than the entire truck. Your freight is typically loaded and unloaded as a block, without the repeated handling that LTL can involve at hubs. You are also not paying for a full trailer you will not fill.
That sounds simple, and on the right lane it can be. It requires either another shipment that can share the truck and still meet both appointments, or a carrier willing to take a shorter fill at a partial price. Those conditions are not present every day on every corridor. When they are not, the honest answer is to quote full truckload and LTL instead.
When a partial is worth asking for
A partial is often worth a look when:
- You have more than a handful of pallets, but you are clearly short of a full 53-foot trailer
- The freight should not be handled at intermediate LTL terminals — for example, better-packaged food, fragile product, or a tight quality standard
- You have a recurring mid-size release on a familiar lane, which makes planning a share or a shorter fill more realistic
- Transit matters more than it would on a multi-terminal LTL route, but the full-truckload price feels like paying for empty space
It is less useful when the delivery appointment is very tight, when the origin or destination is hard to combine with other freight, or when you already have enough volume to justify a dedicated trailer. Temperature-controlled partials are possible on some lanes and narrower on others; if the product needs a set point, say so up front so we do not plan a dry share.
How transit and handling compare
A well-planned partial should transit more like a truckload than like LTL, because the trailer is not being broken down at a series of terminals. It can still make more than one stop, which is why appointment flexibility helps. LTL remains the more economical starting point for a small pallet count, especially over a long distance. Full truckload remains the cleaner plan when you want the trailer to yourself, a hard delivery window, or a reefer set point that should not be shared.
We will not invent a transit promise for a partial that does not have a real plan behind it. If you have a required delivery date, put it in the notes and we will tell you whether a partial can support it.
What to send
- Origin and destination city or ZIP
- Pallet count, dimensions if you have them, stackability, and gross weight
- Commodity, and a set point if the freight is temperature controlled
- Ship date and any delivery window, including how much the window can move
- A note that you are open to a partial, and whether you also want FTL and LTL compared
Choose the equipment that fits the product — Dry Van, Reefer, LTL, or “Not sure” — and use the notes for the partial request. Our team replies shortly.