LTL Freight Rate Shopped Across 35+ Carriers Before You Book
We cover the first mile, middle mile and final mile. But we go the extra mile. Every LTL freight shipping quote is run across 35+ carriers for your lane, and the delivery appointment is booked before the truck leaves.
AMZ Prep moves 1 to 12 pallets at a time across 35+ LTL carriers, with a quote back in 24 hours. Domestic US, US and Canada cross-border, and inbound to Amazon FBA and Vendor Central, Walmart, Target, Costco, Nordstrom and TikTok Shop warehouses, or your own DTC warehouse.
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What is LTL freight shipping, and when is it the right mode?
LTL stands for less than truckload. It is the standard freight method for brands shipping 1 to 12 pallets at a time, whether that is a replenishment into Amazon, a purchase order going to a Walmart or Target DC, or stock moving to your own warehouse. Instead of paying for an entire 53-foot trailer, you pay for the space your pallets occupy.
The trade-off is handling. An LTL pallet is loaded and unloaded at carrier terminals along the way, which is where damage, delays, and missed delivery windows happen. That is why the quote is only half the job. AMZ Prep quotes every shipment across 35+ carriers and picks the winner on cost, transit time, and the carrier's record on that lane, then books the delivery appointment before pickup.
LTL freight rates are calculated by freight class, weight, distance, and accessorial requirements. AMZ Prep's volume across 5,000+ brands buys carrier rates that a single shipper booking a few pallets a month does not get on their own.
- LTL is the right mode for 1 to 12 pallets (150 to 15,000 lb); above that, compare against FTL
- Every shipment is rate shopped across 35+ carriers and quoted within 24 hours
- Delivery appointments are booked before pickup for Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco and other retail DCs
- FBA inbound LTL runs through Middle Mile: $0 placement fees and 2 to 4 day check-in
- US and Canada cross-border includes customs brokerage, PARS/PAPS pre-clearance and duty calculation
- Every shipment is tracked in Relay, with exceptions flagged before they hit your inventory plan
How does AMZ Prep LTL freight work from quote to delivery?
Four steps, handled by the same freight team that answers the phone when something goes sideways in transit.
Request a Quote
Share your shipment details: origin, destination, weight, dimensions, and freight class. AMZ Prep returns an LTL freight quote within 24 hours, with accessorials identified up front so the invoice matches.
Rate Shop 35+ Carriers
AMZ Prep compares rates from 35+ LTL carriers for your specific lane, weight, and timeline. The winner is picked on cost and on how that carrier performs to that destination. When evaluating an unfamiliar motor carrier, use our DOT number lookup tool to review its published registration details.
Book Pickup and the Delivery Appointment
AMZ Prep books the winning carrier, schedules pickup at your origin, and books the delivery appointment where the destination requires one (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco DCs). BOL and labels are generated for you.
Tracked in Relay to Delivery
Track your LTL freight shipment in Relay from pickup to delivery. AMZ Prep monitors transit and flags exceptions before they affect your inventory plan.
Why do brands move LTL freight through AMZ Prep instead of a broker?
AMZ Prep runs its own warehouses and its own inbound lanes into Amazon, so the freight team is judged on whether the pallets check in, not on whether the quote was accepted.
35+ Carrier Rate Shopping
Every shipment is quoted across 35+ carriers. The winning rate is selected for your specific lane, weight, and timeline, and the quote is back within 24 hours.
Volume Buying Power
AMZ Prep ships for 5,000+ brands. That aggregate volume buys carrier pricing a brand shipping a few pallets a month does not see.
Every Marketplace Destination
LTL into Amazon FBA and Vendor Central, Walmart WFS and DCs, Target, Costco, Nordstrom, TikTok Shop warehouses, and your own DTC warehouse. Routing guides and appointments handled per destination.
Cross-Border US and Canada
AMZ Prep ships LTL freight between the US and Canada. Customs brokerage, PARS/PAPS pre-clearance, CUSMA qualification, and duty calculation included.
Temperature Controlled
Reefer LTL into AMZ Prep's own cold storage in Toronto, Salt Lake City, and Dothan, Alabama: 210,000+ sq ft across frozen, refrigerated, and ambient. See reefer freight.
What affects LTL freight rates?
LTL freight cost comes down to six factors. Get the class and the accessorials right at quoting and the invoice stops surprising you.
Freight Class
NMFC classification from 50 to 500 based on density, handling, stowability, and liability. Lower freight classes cost less per pound, and a misdeclared class gets re-billed after the fact. Use AMZ Prep's freight class calculator to determine yours.
Weight and Density
Total shipment weight and dimensional density determine the base rate. Higher density shipments (more weight per cubic foot) receive lower freight classes and lower rates. Check yours with the density calculator.
Distance and Lanes
Longer hauls cost more. High traffic lanes like LA to Dallas or Chicago to Atlanta offer lower rates. More carrier capacity on popular routes drives pricing down.
Accessorial Charges
Liftgate, residential delivery, inside delivery, limited access, and appointment scheduling each add a fee. AMZ Prep identifies which apply at quoting so the invoice matches the quote.
Seasonal Demand
LTL rates rise during peak season (September through January) and produce season, and carriers add peak surcharges on top. With 35+ carriers in the rate shop, a surcharge from one carrier moves the booking to another rather than onto your invoice.
Pickup and Delivery Type
Commercial dock pickups cost less than residential or limited access locations. Shipping from an AMZ Prep warehouse gives you a commercial dock origin with daily carrier pickups already scheduled.
How does AMZ Prep compare with a standard LTL freight broker?
A good LTL freight broker will find you a rate. The difference with AMZ Prep is what happens after the booking: the appointment, the routing guide, the check-in into Amazon, and the person who answers when the truck is late.
| Feature | AMZ Prep Recommended | Standard LTL Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier Count | 35+ carriers rate shopped per shipment | 3 to 5 preferred carriers |
| Pricing Model | Volume pricing from 5,000+ brand network | Markup on individual carrier rate |
| Ecommerce Focus | Amazon FBA and Vendor Central, Walmart, Target, Costco, TikTok Shop, DTC | General B2B freight |
| Delivery Appointments | Booked before pickup for retail and Amazon DCs | Shipper books separately |
| Cross-Border | US and Canada with customs brokerage included | Separate broker and brokerage contract |
| FBA Inbound | Direct to Amazon FCs via Middle Mile | No FBA integration |
| Placement Fees | $0 through 5-way split routing | Not addressed |
| Temperature Control | Own cold storage in Toronto, Salt Lake City, Dothan | Subcontracted, limited visibility |
| Transit Visibility | Tracked in Relay, exceptions flagged | PRO number tracking only |
Where does AMZ Prep LTL freight go?
Amazon is the highest-volume lane, not the only one. The same rate shop and appointment process runs for every destination below.
FBA Inbound
LTL freight to Amazon fulfillment centers via AMZ Prep Middle Mile. 5-way split routing eliminates placement fees. Inventory checks in within 2 to 4 days, against a 7 to 10 day industry average.
Vendor Central PO Deliveries
LTL against Amazon 1P purchase orders: carrier appointment requested in Vendor Central, ASN and labels per the routing guide, delivered inside the window so the PO is not short-paid or charged back.
Retail and Marketplace DCs
LTL freight to Walmart, Target, Costco, Nordstrom and TikTok Shop distribution centers. AMZ Prep handles the routing guide, EDI, and appointment for each retail account.
Cross-Border Canada and US
LTL freight between the US and Canada with customs brokerage and PARS/PAPS pre-clearance included. One provider from origin to destination across the border.
Temperature Controlled
Reefer and climate controlled LTL for meltable, perishable, and CPG products, into AMZ Prep's own cold storage in Toronto, Salt Lake City, and Dothan, Alabama.
Your Own DTC Warehouse
Pallets to your own warehouse or another 3PL. AMZ Prep provides the LTL rate and tracking without requiring a fulfillment contract.
How does LTL freight get into Amazon without placement fees?
Sending a few pallets to Amazon on a standard LTL quote means your freight waits in the carrier's appointment queue with everyone else's, and a missed window at the FC pushes check-in out by a week. Middle Mile removes that queue. The lanes run daily, the appointments are already held, and the same lanes carry Vendor Central purchase-order freight for 1P brands.
For brands that are both 3P and 1P on Amazon, this matters twice: FBA replenishment and Vendor Central POs ride the same trucks, so one booking covers both. Read how it works on the Middle Mile page, or see what the placement fee is costing you on the inbound placement fee guide.
Who is this for?
Brands sending 1 to 12 pallets a week into Amazon who are paying placement fees or losing days to check-in. If you ship full truckloads into Amazon, see FTL freight and Middle Mile Plus instead.
How does LTL freight move between the US and Canada?
AMZ Prep ships LTL freight cross-border between the United States and Canada in both directions. Customs brokerage, PARS/PAPS pre-clearance, duty calculation, and all border documentation are included in the freight service.
The customs entry is filed before the truck reaches the border, so the shipment clears on arrival rather than sitting at the crossing. Goods that qualify under CUSMA move at preferential duty rates. Duty, GST and HST are calculated before the shipment crosses, so there are no surprise charges at destination.
Brands selling on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com use AMZ Prep cross-border LTL to position inventory in both countries from one supply chain. Canadian brands ship into US FBA, Vendor Central, and retail DCs from AMZ Prep's Toronto facility; US brands ship into Canadian FCs and DCs the same way in reverse.
Customs Brokerage Included
Licensed customs brokers file the entry and PARS/PAPS pre-clearance. No separate brokerage contract or per-entry fees required.
Duty and Tax Calculation
AMZ Prep calculates duties, GST, HST, and applicable tariffs before the shipment crosses. No surprise charges at destination.
Canada to US, Into FBA and 1P
Canadian brands like Mid Day Squares ship LTL from Toronto straight into US Amazon fulfillment centers and retail DCs, with the entry filed before the truck reaches the border.
Brands that ship LTL freight with AMZ Prep
Eight Sleep
Premium sleep brand moving pallet freight across the AMZ Prep network, with retail and marketplace deliveries appointment-booked before pickup.
Beekeeper's Naturals
Health and wellness brand ships weekly LTL and partial truckload freight through AMZ Prep's carrier network across the US and Canada, into Amazon via Middle Mile.
Mid Day Squares
Temperature controlled cross-border freight for a meltable CPG brand. AMZ Prep manages reefer LTL from Canada to US fulfillment centers.
LTL freight questions, answered
LTL freight shipping moves palletized cargo that does not fill an entire truck trailer. Multiple shippers share trailer space on the same truck and each pays for the space they use. Shipments between 150 and 15,000 pounds, or 1 to 12 pallets, qualify for LTL rates.
LTL freight cost depends on freight class, weight, distance, accessorials, and season. AMZ Prep rate shops 35+ carriers per shipment and quotes within 24 hours, with accessorials identified up front so the invoice matches the quote. Run a number on the freight rate calculator.
LTL shares truck space with other shippers for 1 to 12 pallets or under 15,000 pounds. FTL books the entire trailer for one shipper. Above 12 pallets or roughly 10,000 pounds, FTL usually costs less per pallet and avoids the extra handling at carrier terminals.
Standard LTL freight delivers in 1 to 5 business days depending on distance and lane. AMZ Prep provides estimated transit times at booking and tracks every shipment in Relay. For faster delivery, expedited freight runs 1 to 3 days.
Freight class is an NMFC classification from 50 to 500 based on density, handling, stowability, and liability. Lower classes cost less. Use AMZ Prep's freight class calculator to find yours.
Yes. AMZ Prep routes LTL freight directly to Amazon fulfillment centers via its Middle Mile network. 5-way split routing eliminates placement fees. Inventory checks in within 2 to 4 days against a 7 to 10 day industry average.
Yes. AMZ Prep ships LTL freight cross-border between the US and Canada. Customs brokerage, PARS/PAPS pre-clearance, CUSMA qualification, and duty calculation are included in the freight rate. One provider handles origin to destination.
AMZ Prep LTL freight handles shipments between 150 and 15,000 pounds or 1 to 12 pallets. Shipments over 12 pallets are typically more cost effective as FTL or partial truckload.
Yes. AMZ Prep delivers LTL freight against Amazon Vendor Central purchase orders and to Walmart, Target, Costco, Nordstrom and other retailer distribution centers. The carrier appointment is booked before pickup, the ASN and labels follow each retailer's routing guide, and the delivery is tracked in Relay so chargebacks for missed windows do not happen.
Get an LTL quote in 24 hours
Send us the origin, destination, pallet count, weight and class. We rate shop 35+ carriers and come back within 24 hours, with the accessorials and the appointment already accounted for.
