Find Your Full Truckload Service Rate

Full truckload (FTL) service rates are influenced by the freight industry market. While it’s ever-changing, we at USA Truckload Shipping have a firm grasp on all things truckload, including how to find your FTL rate for the services you need. No matter what you’re shipping or where, we’ll show you how to calculate your FTL service rate to get moving.

Key Takeaways:

• Factors like fuel and dry van rates affect the overall price to ship a full truckload (FTL). The easiest way to determine your truckload rate is to fill out a quote specified to your shipment needs.
• FTL services include hazmat shipping, expedited shipping, and white glove delivery. These speciality services better protect cargo and improve customer service.
• Most carriers use the rate-per-mile formula to calculate your FTL shipping costs. This includes the truckload’s total mileage and expenses.

Looking to learn the simplest route to ship your freight? You’re in the right place.

How To Find Your Truckload Rate

Carriers prepare quotes specified to your freight to determine your total truckload rate. These specifics include:

• Bill of Lading (BoL): The contract between the shipper, freight broker, and carrier that also acts as a receipt of services. The shipper is required to keep a copy of the BOL for at least one year.
• Freight Capacity: The weight, size, and density of your freight. FTL shipments fill an entire trailer and aren’t consolidated with other shippers.
• Distance: The amount of time and mileage your shipment needs from pickup to delivery.

There are multiple types of bills of lading to define FTL services. For example, the most standard BoL for FTL is a straight BoL. This is because FTL shipments are transported directly from the shipper by the carrier who drives it to its final destination.

Related: What is a Bill of Lading (BoL) in Freight Shipping?

To complete your quote and start shipping, carriers require information like your shipment date and freight description. While the paperwork can be tedious, rest assured our quote is easy and quick to fill out.

Services Included with FTL Shipping

FTL shipments are transported from point-to-point, making for a direct transit. They also spend less time on the road than less-than-truckload shipments. 

Here are a few full truckload services you can take advantage of when your freight requires it.

Hazmat Shipping

When you hear the term “hazardous materials” (aka hazmat), you may think of oil, gas, or chemicals. 

According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), everyday items like batteries, essential oils, and hairsprays are also considered hazardous materials and require speciality shipping.

With a certified carrier and driver, you can use FTLs to safely ship hazmat goods to their destination.

Expedited Shipping

A standard FTL shipment can take up to seven days or longer depending on the distance. However, expedited shipping speeds up the process for time-sensitive freight, making the trip between one and three days.

Applying expedited shipping to your FTL doesn’t change the freight process but, instead, increases the speed at which the carrier processes and moves the freight.

Expedited shipping works best for the medicine and e-commerce industries, or any freight with a critical deadline.

White Glove Delivery

We think going the extra mile for customer satisfaction is always a great idea. It’s why FTL services like white glove delivery exist: To provide a special touch to special freight.

By special freight, we mean large, bulky, or high-value cargo like heavy appliances, bulky furniture, or fine art. When you order white glove delivery for your shipment, the carrier sends a trained driver to handle your cargo and assemble it if need be.

USA Truckload Shipping provides each of these services and manages your freight with the care it deserves from pickup to dropoff. We also offer drayage services to quickly move your goods out of busy ports and keep your supply chain uninterrupted.

How Much Does FTL Shipping Cost?

To find out your full truckload service rate, you’ll need to consider factors like your freight’s capacity, trailer type, specialty options like hazmat shipping, and accessorial charges. 

There’s not a standard FTL shipping cost because these rates can fluctuate depending on your state and carrier. However, every FTL needs an appropriate trailer to fit the haul.

The three most common types of trailers are:

• Dry Van: Used for cargo like clothes, appliances, and dry goods
• Reefer (Refrigerated) Van: Used for temperature-controlled cargo like frozen foods or electronics
• Flatbed: Used for large, bulky cargo like mobile homes or cars

Keep in mind that trailer rates, like other factors, vary across the US. Check out our Dry Van Rates to keep an eye on the average price near you. 

How FTL Rates Are Calculated

FTL rates are typically calculated on a rate-per-mile basis. Rates-per-mile are calculated using the total mileage and expenses.

To calculate your rate-per-mile, a general formula to follow is:

Total expenses are the carrier’s monthly expenses. This includes fuel and permits, driver pay, overhead costs, and their mileage for the month.

For example, if a carrier’s total monthly expenses are $2,700 and they drove a total of 900 miles that month, their rate-per-mile is $3.00. We’ve provided a graphic to better illustrate this calculation. 

While carriers use this method to calculate their truckload rates, they could be open to negotiating rates that better fit your budget when you build a good relationship with them.
Related: How to Calculate Full Truckload Freight Shipping Costs

Reliable Truckload Rates with USA Truckload Shipping

Looking for simple truckload rates to take the guesswork out of shipping? USA Truckload Shipping is at your service.

Call our expert freight brokers at (866)-353-7178 or request your proposal today to get started.