| There are several differences between shipping | | | | but can be very helpful in a time of need. |
| items with an Air freight company and shipping with | | | | One other difference between LTL freight and air |
| an LTL carrier. As you may guess, the main | | | | freight is how a customer's price is calculated. LTL |
| difference is the mode of transportation that is used | | | | carriers take into account the origin and destination |
| to move product from the origin point to the final | | | | zip codes, the products total weight and freight class. |
| destination. LTL carriers use a network of trucks | | | | Air carriers calculate rates based on the origin zip |
| consolidating freight along the way through their | | | | code, destination zip code, and the products total |
| break bulk points before the product is finally | | | | weight and dimensions. Freight class is not used to |
| delivered. Air carriers use a group of local trucks to | | | | calculate air freight. Air freight rate shipments based |
| pick up and deliver the freight, but utilize a network | | | | on a per pound rate based on the greater of either |
| of airlines (both commercial and cargo) to do the bulk | | | | the shipments actual weight or the dimensional |
| of the freights movement. By comparing the basic | | | | weight. |
| transportation difference, you can probably also | | | | To calculate a products dimensional weight, you will |
| determine the next main difference in shipping with | | | | multiply the shipments length, width and height (in |
| an LTL carrier vs. shipping through an Air carrier; that | | | | inches) and then divide the total by 194. You then |
| would be transit time. | | | | would compare that number against the shipments |
| Air carriers can also offer something the LTL carriers | | | | actual weight. The greater amount of the two is |
| cannot, which is next day or 2nd day services from | | | | what you would use to calculate the total cost. |
| any origin point in the US to any US destination point. | | | | Dimensional weight example: A customer has a |
| Due to the way LTL carriers network their | | | | shipment that weighs 1000 lbs and is 48" long X 58" |
| equipment, it would be very difficult for an LTL | | | | wide X 72" high. To find out which is greater, the |
| carrier to provide next day or 2ND day services for | | | | dimensional weight or the actual weight, you would |
| shipments moving over 500 miles. Also, air carriers | | | | use the below equation: |
| can provide guaranteed delivery dates for next day | | | | (L) 48 * (W) 58 * (H) 72 = 200,488 |
| and 2nd day shipments. This is a very good service | | | | 200,488/194 = 1033 dim weight |
| that fits a customer's need to get product to the | | | | In this example, the product's dimensional weight is |
| final destination quickly and on time. This type of | | | | greater than the products actual weight. One thing |
| service does introduce us to the third main difference | | | | that LTL carriers and Air carriers have in common is |
| in shipping LTL vs. air and that is price. | | | | the fact that they are renting out container space on |
| Air carriers will provide very quick transit times and | | | | the vehicle they are moving the product with. If a |
| can easily guarantee delivery dates, but in comparison | | | | product has a dimensional weight that is greater than |
| to the cost of shipping a product LTL, shipping via air | | | | the actual weight, the carrier must be able to make |
| freight can be very expensive. This type of service is | | | | up for potential lost revenue. |
| not something a customer will use on a regular basis | | | | |