Too big for LTL, too small for a truckload.
There is a gap between six pallets and a full trailer where both of the standard answers cost you money. Partial truckload fills it: your freight rides with one or two other shipments on a truck already going your way, without ever passing through a terminal.
Illustrative photography — not Prime Trans equipment.What is partial truckload freight?
Partial truckload moves shipments of roughly six to eighteen pallets on a truck shared with one or two other loads. Unlike LTL, the freight is never unloaded at a terminal, so it moves faster and gets handled less. Unlike full truckload, you pay only for the space you use.
Pick by handling, not just by price.
| LTL | Partial truckload | Full truckload | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical size | 1 to 6 pallets | 6 to 18 pallets | Fills the trailer |
| Terminal handling | Several transfers | None | None |
| Damage exposure | Highest — every transfer is a chance | Low | Lowest |
| Transit | Slowest, hub routed | Direct | Direct and fastest |
| Freight class needed | Yes, NMFC class matters | No | No |
| Best for | Small, dense, well-packaged freight | Bulky, fragile, or awkward freight | Volume and time-critical freight |
The rule of thumb: if your freight is fragile, oddly shaped, or classed badly by the NMFC system, partial almost always wins even when the LTL quote looks cheaper. Every terminal transfer is a chance for a forklift to find your pallet.
On the lanes we already run.
- Carolinas to TexasDallas and Houston, three to four times a week, both directions.
- Carolinas to the Upper MidwestMinneapolis twice a week, both directions, through Louisville and Chicago.
- The I-85 corridorAtlanta and Charlotte, most days, which makes short partials genuinely cheap.
- Backhaul spaceThe return leg on both long lanes is the cheapest capacity we sell, and partial is the easiest way to buy it.
Priced on space, not on class.
| What we need to quote | Number of pallets or pieces, dimensions, weight, whether it stacks, and both ends with dock or no-dock noted |
|---|---|
| Rate basis | Linear feet of trailer plus weight, plus fuel. No freight class, no NMFC code, no reclass surprise on the invoice |
| Handling | Loaded once, unloaded once. Your freight does not visit a terminal |
| Equipment | 53-foot dry van, air ride, liftgate on request; open deck when the freight is not dock-friendly |
| Insurance | Auto liability $1,000,000 · Cargo $1,000,000 · General liability $1,000,000 |
Honest scope: partial capacity exists when a scheduled truck has room. That means it is genuinely cheap and it is not always available on the day you want. If your freight has to move today regardless, buy a Hotshot or a dedicated truck instead.
Straight answers
Is partial truckload cheaper than LTL?
Often yes, once the shipment passes about six pallets or the freight classes badly. Below that LTL usually wins on price. Send the dimensions and the weight and we will tell you honestly which one to buy, including when the answer is not us.
Do I need a freight class for a partial load?
No. Partial truckload is priced on the space and weight it occupies, so there is no NMFC class and no reclassification charge appearing on the invoice three weeks later.
How many pallets fit on a 53-foot trailer?
Twenty-six standard forty-eight by forty inch pallets on the floor, or up to fifty-two double-stacked if the freight will take the weight. A partial is usually anything from six to eighteen of those positions.
Will my freight be transferred between trucks?
No. That is the entire point of partial. It is loaded at your dock and unloaded at the destination on the same trailer, which is why it is handled less and damaged less than LTL.
Where to go next
Dry van
Dry van capacity on our scheduled lanes to Texas and the Upper Midwest, and on dedicated shuttles around BMW Spartanburg, Michelin and Inland Port Greer.
Read onDedicated lanes
Put Prime Trans on a lane: committed trucks, backup capacity, a 12-month rate with a fuel-surcharge table, and quarterly reviews.
Read onHotshot
Hotshot and urgent small-load capacity out of Spartanburg for parts, machinery and single units that cannot wait for a full truck, with a straight answer about when a hotshot is the wrong tool.
Read onLanes
Daily density on I-85 and I-26 in the Upstate, the Carolinas to Dallas and Houston three to four times a week, and the Carolinas to Minneapolis twice a week.
Read onA unit on the lot costs you every day it sits there.
Tell us the origin, destination, units per week and first pickup date. A written quote comes back the same business day.