LTL vs. Full Truckload: Understanding the True Cost of Shipping EPS

When purchasing expanded polystyrene (EPS) products, freight can represent a significant portion of the delivered cost. Because EPS is extremely lightweight but takes up a considerable amount of space, determining the most economical way to ship it isn’t always as simple as comparing the price of an LTL shipment to the price of a full truckload.

In fact, there is no single point at which one shipping method is always less expensive than another.

At Armstrong Brands, we evaluate each shipment individually and work with trusted freight brokers specializing in both less-than-truckload (LTL) and full truckload transportation to find the most practical and cost-effective option.

Why Shipping EPS Is Different

EPS has an extremely high volume-to-weight ratio. A trailer can be completely filled with EPS products while carrying only a fraction of the weight it could legally transport.

For this reason, freight costs for EPS are often driven more by how much trailer space the shipment occupies than by its actual weight.

This makes maximizing the number of products shipped within the available space particularly important. A transportation option that appears less expensive based solely on the freight charge may actually have a higher shipping cost per unit.

LTL vs. Full Truckload

Less-than-truckload shipping allows multiple customers’ freight to share space on the same trailer. It can be an economical solution for smaller shipments because the customer only pays for the portion of the trailer being used.

However, there is no defined “full” LTL shipment.

An LTL shipment can range from a single pallet to several pallets. As the amount of trailer space required increases, LTL pricing can rise considerably. Eventually, the cost of moving a larger LTL shipment may approach or even exceed the cost of using a dedicated truck.

A full truckload operates differently. The customer is essentially purchasing the use of the trailer, allowing the available space to be maximized for their products.

For lightweight, bulky products such as EPS, this can result in a significantly lower freight cost per unit when the trailer is filled efficiently.

Freight Rates Aren’t Fixed

Another important consideration is that freight rates are market-driven and can fluctuate daily.

Rates can be affected by:

• Shipment size and dimensions
• Total weight
• Freight class
• Origin and destination
• Available carrier capacity
• Fuel costs
• Current freight market conditions

Because these factors are constantly changing, a freight rate from a previous order may not accurately represent what the same shipment will cost today.

This is one reason Armstrong Brands obtains competitive freight pricing based on the actual shipment rather than relying on a predetermined freight schedule.

LTL Accessorial Charges Can Make a Big Difference

The delivery location also plays an important role in LTL pricing.

The most straightforward freight deliveries are generally commercial locations with adequate truck access, a loading dock, and personnel available to receive the shipment.

Additional services or special delivery conditions can increase the freight cost. These are commonly referred to as accessorial charges and may include:

• Residential delivery
• Liftgate service
• Limited-access locations
• Inside delivery
• Delivery appointments
• Locations without a loading dock
• Additional handling requirements

Residential deliveries can be particularly challenging. Many freight carriers are primarily structured around business-to-business transportation, where a tractor-trailer can easily access a facility and freight can be unloaded directly at a dock.

A residential or difficult-to-access location may require additional equipment, scheduling, handling, or even a different carrier altogether.

In some cases, limited truck access or the absence of an appropriate unloading area can significantly reduce the number of carriers willing to service a location.

Why More Pallets Doesn’t Always Mean a Proportional Freight Increase

One of the most common misconceptions about LTL freight is that adding another pallet simply adds a predictable amount to the shipping cost.

It doesn’t necessarily work that way.

A two-pallet shipment isn’t automatically twice the cost of one pallet, and a six-pallet shipment isn’t necessarily three times the cost of two pallets.

Carrier pricing considers the amount of trailer space being consumed along with numerous other factors. As an LTL shipment gets larger, there can be a point where the economics change considerably.

That’s why comparing shipping methods requires knowing the actual order quantity and shipment configuration.

The Most Important Number: Freight Cost Per Unit

The lowest freight quote isn’t necessarily the least expensive option.

Consider two hypothetical shipping options:

Option A: A smaller shipment has a lower total freight charge but carries fewer products.

Option B: A larger dedicated shipment has a higher total freight charge but carries substantially more products.

Option B may have the higher freight bill while still producing a much lower transportation cost per cooler, insert, panel, or other EPS component.

For customers with predictable usage and adequate storage space, increasing the quantity shipped at one time can sometimes provide meaningful freight savings on a per-unit basis.

However, larger shipments aren’t automatically better. Inventory requirements, storage space, product mix, and order frequency all need to be considered.

There Is No Universal LTL-to-Truckload Breakpoint

Customers sometimes ask how many pallets they should order before switching from LTL to a full truckload.

Unfortunately, there isn’t one universal answer.

The crossover point depends on the specific products being shipped, pallet dimensions, total shipment volume, destination, carrier availability, and current freight rates.

For one shipment, LTL may make perfect sense. For another shipment going to the same customer, a dedicated truck may provide better economics.

This is why freight should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis rather than by using a fixed pallet threshold.

How Armstrong Brands Approaches Freight

Regardless of the quantity being ordered, Armstrong Brands works to identify the most appropriate transportation option for the shipment.

We work with trusted freight brokers that specialize in LTL and full truckload transportation and compare available options based on the actual order.

Our goal isn’t simply to find the lowest freight quote. It’s to find a reliable transportation solution that provides the best overall value while considering shipment size, delivery requirements, carrier reliability, and freight cost per unit.

For customers trying to determine whether increasing or decreasing an order quantity could improve freight efficiency, we can also evaluate different shipment sizes and compare the available transportation options.

Planning Your Next EPS Shipment

If you’re trying to determine the most economical quantity to order, start with your expected product requirements rather than a predetermined shipping method.

Provide the products and quantities you’re considering, along with any special delivery requirements. From there, the shipment can be evaluated based on its actual size and the transportation options available at that time.

With lightweight, high-volume products like EPS, shipping smarter can be just as important as the freight rate itself.