In today's increasingly competitive transportation marketplace, 商业托运人总是在寻找创造性的方法来节省运费. 然而, with so many factors that go into calculating rates, it can be a challenge to determine the best freight shipping and transportation options for your bottom line.
With so many contributing factors, less-than-truckload shipping rates can be especially unpredictable. 幸运的是, 影响LTL运费定价的众多变量也为您提供了更多方法来调整和优化您的运输策略，以确定最具成本效益的解决方案. But before you can control your freight costs, you'll need to understand how each factor impacts your final rate.
What is LTL shipping?
Less-than-truckload shipping 对于货物太大而不能作为包裹发送，又太小而不能装满一整卡车的货物，这是完美的解决方案吗. With LTL freight shipping, 承运人从多个托运人那里收集托盘，然后将货物合并到拖车上进行直线运输. By consolidating multiple freight shipments onto one truck, 你可以通过只支付你在卡车上占用的空间来最小化你的运输成本.
Factors That Determine LTL Freight Rates
Freight pricing can be very confusing, 由于决定最终成本的所有因素. 由于缺少或不正确的货运信息会导致运费上涨, 重要的是，你要从一开始就了解LTL定价的具体内容，从而控制运输成本。
1. 基本运费率
要开始计算LTL运输价格，您必须查看运营商的基本费率. Base rates determine the carrier's starting rate per 100 pounds, which is then adjusted based on the shipment's volume, freight classification, origin and destination. 你会经常听到这种计算被称为百分重(CWT)或英担.
Since every carrier establishes their own starting rates, 基本费率因运营商而异，并可能根据每个运营商当前的容量定期修改. It's important to note that base rates can also differ lane to lane, according to the carrier's availability.
2. Negotiated freight rates
幸运的是, shippers are not relegated simply to a carrier's base rates. LTL运营商通常根据其服务区域提供某些关税折扣. 例如, national carriers may offer better rates for long-haul, cross-country shipping lanes, 而地区性航空公司可能会在当地的短途航线上提供更好的价格.
如果你有一个很好的了解你的货运活动的车道, 你可以和你的运营商协商，以获得不同线路的不同费率. 通过平衡你最有效的路线和那些可能对承运人不太有吸引力的路线, 你可以得到最好的低于卡车满载的价格，并确保你不会在桌子上留下任何钱.
3. Less-than-truckload weight limits
LTL shipments typically weigh between 150 and 20,000 pounds. 一般来说，你方货物重量越大，运费就越高. 然而，当你的运费在重量组中上升时，承运人通常会应用“重量中断”折扣. This is essentially a bulk discount, meaning the more you ship, the less you pay (per hundred pounds). Be aware of your carrier's rates per weight group, 特别是如果你的货物接近下一个最高组的重量范围.
4. Freight classification
货物的货运分类(或“类别”)用于帮助简化整个行业的LTL运输费率. 由 National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), 根据货物的密度，货物被分为18个运费等级, 易装性, handling and liability. 这些类从50(最便宜的)到500(最贵的)不等。. 根据货物的运费分类，LTL运费率可能会有很大差异, which is why it's important to understand how to determine the correct freight class for your shipments. A simple mistake could lead to a frustrating reclassification fee 在路上.
5. 各类运费
If your shipment is made up of goods from multiple freight classes, 你可以和承运人协商一个叫“各种货运”的安排。. 这允许您的产品以相同的货运等级运输和计费-节省您的文书工作时间以及运费成本. 例如, if you need to ship multiple commodities ranging from 50 to 100, 你可以与承运人协商FAK，将所有物品的等级定为70级(减少你为更高等级的货物支付的金额)。.
6. 计算密度
您的LTL率还受到您的货物密度(或货物相对于其大小的重量)的影响。. 通常，较低的货运密度等同于较高的货运等级(和成本)。. That's because the lower your shipment's density, the more space it will take up on the carrier's truck.
In order to get an accurate quote, it's important to know the right way to calculate a shipment's density. You can find a freight density calculator online, 或者简单地用货物的总重量(单位:磅)除以总体积(单位:立方英尺). If your shipment is palletized, 重量和长度测量应包括托盘和任何额外的包装.
7. 运输距离
一般来说, the further your freight needs to travel, the higher your less-than-truckload rates will be. This helps cover carrier costs — such as fuel, equipment maintenance and driver pay — that increase with longer hauls. 您的运费运输成本也可能受到您的货物的原产地和目的地的影响, since it typically costs more to ship to rural, less-populated areas.
了解你的运营商所在的邮政编码是很重要的, since many LTL carriers operate within specific regions. 如果您的货物的目的地是承运人的服务区域以外, 他们可能会将其转移到另一家航空公司进行最终交付——这种做法被称为“衬里”——这可能会导致更高的成本.
8. 最低收费
Every carrier has an absolute minimum charge (AMC), which is the lowest price they will offer a customer. 无论你需要运送多远或多少货物，你的成本永远不会低于运营商的AMC. LTL载波最小值往往会随着时间的推移而增加，尤其是在容量有限的情况下.
9. 补助费用
如果您的LTL货运需要额外的服务，超出承运人的标准取件和交付服务, you will likely incur additional fees (or "accessorials"). Common examples of these service upcharges include liftgate service, residential pick-up or delivery, inside delivery and limited access locations (i.e., schools, storage units, etc.). 如果您没有事先与运营商清楚地沟通您的服务需求, 这些费用不会包括在你的原始报价，将是一个不愉快的惊喜在你的最终发票.
10. Negotiated freight shipping rate discounts
如果能增加业务，许多LTL运营商愿意从基本费率中额外削减一定比例. While shippers can negotiate account-specific discounts with carriers, you are more likely to benefit from the negotiating power of a respected third-party logistics (3PL) provider. 这些公司利用客户发货的总数量和购买力——更不用说他们深厚的行业关系——来谈判获得比你自己可能获得的更高折扣.
Get Help Managing Your LTL Freight Shipping Costs
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