Load factor

The load factor reflects the degree of loading of a transport vehicle (truck). The load factor is the ratio between the load capacity of a vehicle and the actual amount of goods being transported. Load factor is generally expressed in kilograms or cubic metres. Each distribution vehicle has a maximum permissible weight and maximum load volume, depending of course on the type of vehicle. If this maximum weight or load volume is approached, it is a high load factor. As high as possible pallets, a vehicle with as many pallets as possible is a maximisation of volume. As high pallets as possible means a high load factor.

A higher load factor leads to fewer trolleys on the road. Fewer cars on the road means a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions, costs and congestion.

A high load factor does not always equate to a high yield. Some goods are quite impractical to transport, for example due to a very high weight. This makes the load factor high, but due to the small number of goods that can be transported, the yield is limited. As a result, calculating the load factor is not always valuable.

How do we increase the load factor?

• Cooperation of logistics service providers
• Cooperation of shippers
• Longer lead times allowing shipments to be combined
• Better packaging of goods/ shipments so that better stacking is possible

FTL

A Full Truck Load (FTL) refers to a complete load in a truck. Either the truck is completely loaded with pallets from (only) one shipment or transport. As a result, the truck in question (almost without exception) has only one loading location and one unloading location. No pallets need to be added or unloaded en route.

When there is a smaller shipment size, or a transport that is smaller than a complete load, we speak of Less than Truck Load (LTL). A truck then carries multiple shipments/transports from different clients. Shipments are then loaded and unloaded at different locations. Shipments of up to 5 pallets are also referred to as groupage shipments.

With an FTL, a truck is maximally loaded and optimum use is made of the loading capacity of a truck combination. This leads to efficiency and sustainability. Above all, the risk of any damage is minimised now that a shipment does not have to be reloaded and there are no intermediate stops.

When a shipment is shipped in a container, the term Full Container Load (FCL) is used for a complete container and LCL (Less than Container Load) for a smaller shipment.

Pallet load

A pallet load are goods stacked on a (euro or block) pallet. These are usually stacked in a certain pattern for optimal filling and distribution in terms of height and weight. A pallet load is the most common form of transport and storage of all kinds of goods in logistics.