Full Truckload Carriers & Transport Service

If you need to move freight from Point A to Point B via dry van, flatbed, or refrigerated trucking, East Coast Transport can help.

  • More than half of all trucking in the continental United States is done via full truckload (FTL) transport service. 
  • FTL requires that a single client has enough freight to fill an entire semi-trailer or intermodal container.
  • Freight is never handled after it is loaded until it is delivered at the end of its route.

Advantages of Full Truckload Transport

More economical when transporting a high volume of freight because carriers offer better rates. This is also true for high-weight freight. A full truckload is best for large shipments, generally over 20,000 pounds.

Perfect for High-risk and Delicate Shipments where goods are not disturbed or unloaded during transport. For this reason, a Full Truckload reduces the risk to perishable goods.

Quicker than LTL since the freight does not change hands or require additional planning, increasing the speed of delivery.

The chance of damage is lower because the freight is only handled during loading and unloading. Fragile cargo requires more space (full truckload).

Types of Vehicles Used for Full truckload Shipping

Get the peace of mind knowing that your freight has dedicated shipping.

for any type of cargo

Flatbed Trucking Service

Flatbed trucking is a generic term for four types of trucks that can haul a wide range of cargo, such as piping, I-beams, cable reels, steel coils, etc. They’re ideal for transporting oversized or overweight loads. Therefore, if you’re looking for a heavy machinery transport, East Coast can work with you to safely move your load to its destination.

the most common

Dry Van Trucking

Dry van trucking is the most common form of freight transportation. The term “dry van” refers to the vehicle or compartment used to haul cargo. In other words, it refers to the trailers you see hitched to trucks on the highway.

Reefer trucking

Temperature-Controlled Shipping

Reefers are the temperature-controlled shipping containers that transport food and other refrigerated goods, such as pharmaceuticals or flowers. With the FTL shipping method, refrigerated cargo is specially protected from melting.

red truck

What is

Full Truckload Shipping?

Full truckload carriers transport freight weighing greater than 20,000 pounds in 48- to 53-foot trailers. When you’re transporting large quantities, using a full truckload carrier and shipping service enables you to take advantage of economies of scale. East Coast Transport makes use of FTL transportation, in particular, for perishable food products that require top-of-the-line refrigerated trucks. We ensure that our clients can easily locate a dedicated FTL trucking partner to reduce the time spent on managing shipping and receiving.

The way East Coast Transport works with FTL loads is to contract a semi-trailer starting at the location of the shipper. Once the trailer is fully loaded with freight, and the driver has been given the bill of lading, invoice, and other paperwork, the truck is ready to leave. The driver follows a direct route to deliver the freight. Every once in a while, another driver will relieve the first driver and finish driving to the destination in order to stay on schedule. In fact, drivers have to follow regulations about how long they can continue driving, which places the biggest time constraint on freight delivery. On average, full trailers average a speed of 47 miles per hour.

Full Truckload carriers often specialize in certain types of freight because federal law determines which types of freight can be shipped together in the same load. As a full truckload carrier service, East Coast Transport has relationships with several carriers specializing in transporting perishable items, food products, metal, hazardous waste, liquids, etc. We help our clients choose the right FTL carrier at the lowest cost by accessing a network of thousands of possible full truckload providers.

What is the Difference Between FTL and LTL?

When moving freight, the type of cargo dictates the type of truck that is required. Cargo is generally shipped via full truckload (FTL) or less than truckload (LTL). With LTL shipping, carriers ship small amounts of freight from multiple customers. Although the truck gets filled, each customer occupies only a portion of the truck, and they pay for the space they occupy on the truck. A full truckload of freight takes up the entire truck and is usually composed of large or oversized freight. Refrigerated, flatbed, and dry van trucks all transport full truckloads, carrying up to 44,000 pounds and 48 pallets. Full truckloads are commonly used to transport non-perishable, refrigerated, or hazardous freight. Freight that is moved with a full truckload remains on that truck through the entire supply chain process, resulting in quicker shipment due to minimal stops and handling. Moving freight with a full truckload is more economical than less than a truckload.

Get started with East Coast Transport’s

Full Truckload Carriers and Shipping Service

By using East Coast Transport to help you find and use a dedicated full truckload carrier, your products will ship using the most reliable trucking service for freight over 20,000 pounds. East Coast Transport is on many lists of FTL companies and is referred to due to our reputation and professional services. Give us a call to discuss your full truckload transport service needs!