What is LTL freight for a small move?
Quick Answer
LTL (Less Than Truckload) freight lets you ship a partial load on a freight truck. It costs $500 to $2,000 for a small shipment (under 2,000 lbs) going long distance. Good for studio moves, single pieces of furniture, or supplementing a smaller truck rental.
LTL freight is a logistics industry term that means your shipment shares truck space with other cargo. It is an unconventional but cost-effective option for small long-distance moves.
How it works: your items are palletized or crated, loaded onto a freight truck with other commercial shipments, transported to a terminal near your destination, and then delivered to your home (or you pick up at the terminal for a lower price).
Best for: studio apartments or single rooms of furniture, supplementing a smaller rental truck (ship heavy items via freight, drive everything else), college students moving dorm rooms across the country, and shipping individual large items (sofa, mattress, dresser).
Cost factors: weight and dimensions of the shipment, distance, freight class (density-based classification), and whether you need residential pickup/delivery (adds $50-$100 each end). Typical costs: 500 lbs going 1,000 miles: $400-$800. 1,000 lbs going 1,000 miles: $600-$1,200. 2,000 lbs going 2,000 miles: $1,000-$2,000.
Providers: uShip (marketplace for freight bids - often cheapest), FreightCenter and Freightquote (freight brokers), ABF U-Pack (consumer-friendly freight option), and direct carriers (YRC, Old Dominion, etc.).
Pros: significantly cheaper than a full moving truck for small loads, professional handling of heavy items, and shipments are tracked.
Cons: slower transit (7-14 days), items must be properly palletized or crated, multiple handling points increase damage risk, residential delivery may require a liftgate (additional cost), and you may need to coordinate pickup at a freight terminal.
Tip: get quotes from uShip where carriers bid against each other. Compare to the cost of shipping via a moving container or renting a small truck. For loads under 500 pounds, shipping individual boxes via UPS or FedEx may actually be cheaper.