Answers to common shipping questions, written for businesses that need to plan the next move. Tell us about your shipment when you are ready to compare options.
Clear answers to common freight questions, from LTL freight class to choosing full truckload or LTL and preparing a quote request. Written by the team at Logistics Worldwide, a freight brokerage in Jacksonville, Florida.
Short, practical reads on LTL and truckload shipping, freight classification, and planning your next shipment. Search by keyword or filter by topic.
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Freight class is one of the biggest drivers of an LTL rate. Review the commodity, the packaged dimensions, and the packaging before you request a quote, especially after the 2025 NMFC changes.
Read article →Use four simple questions to gather the shipment details you need to compare freight services side by side.
Read article →A quick midweek check of upcoming pickups and freight details can keep a small change from turning into a last-minute scramble.
Read article →LTL shares trailer space, while full truckload reserves a trailer for one shipment. Learn how to compare both using actual weight, dimensions, and timing.
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Accurate details lead to accurate rates and fewer billing adjustments after delivery. Gather these before you submit a request.
Choose your freight type to open the matching quote request.
Quick answers to questions shippers ask us every week.
Less-than-truckload (LTL) combines smaller shipments from several shippers on one trailer and is priced mainly on weight, dimensions, freight class, and distance. Full truckload (FTL) reserves an entire trailer for one shipment, which can make sense for larger loads, time-sensitive freight, or freight that should not be handled at terminals.
Read more in When to Ship Full Truckload Over LTL.
The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) assigns LTL freight one of 18 classes, from 50 to 500, based on density, stowability, handling, and liability. NMFC changes that took effect in 2025 moved many commodities to density-based classes, so accurate packaged dimensions and weight matter more than ever.
See Freight Class Explanations for details.
Have the pickup and delivery ZIP codes, a commodity description, the number and type of handling units, packaged dimensions and weight, the ready date, and any special requirements such as a liftgate or residential delivery. For LTL, include the freight class if you know it.
When you are ready, request a freight quote.
Logistics Worldwide arranges full truckload, LTL and volume, flatbed and step deck, refrigerated and frozen, specialized (oversized and overweight), expedited, intermodal and rail, and drayage and port shipments. Visit Services for details on each.
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Send us your shipment details and our team will compare the available options for you.
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Monday, November 2, 2026
Truckload freight volumes have eased since summer, but capacity has not loosened. Carriers were rejecting roughly one in seven contracted truckload tenders in October, about 13.9% as of October 20, according to FreightWaves SONAR data. That rate has held between 13% and 14% since August. A year earlier, the market entered peak season with rejections under 6%. Analysts describe this as a supply-led market: fewer available trucks and drivers, rather than a surge in freight.
The spot market tells the same story. DAT reported a national dry van spot rate of $2.24 per mile (linehaul, excluding fuel) for the week ending October 24, up about 33% from a year earlier, with 9.51 van loads posted for every available truck compared with 6.03 a year ago.
Fuel adds to the pressure. The U.S. Energy Information Administration put the national average on-highway diesel price at $6.352 per gallon for the week of October 26, up $2.634 from a year earlier.
With Thanksgiving on November 26 and December shipping close behind, here is what shippers can do now.
Industry reporting points to several factors at once: stricter enforcement of driver qualification rules, including English-language proficiency and non-domiciled CDL requirements; a cleanup of FMCSA's driver Training Provider Registry, which the agency's chief safety officer said has removed more than 10,000 providers since December 2025; carrier exits; and high fuel costs. The TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index projects fourth-quarter truckload rates per mile at their highest level since early 2022, and LTL rates per pound at a new high.
FreightWaves reported contract tender lead times of about three and a half to four days in mid-October. Give carriers more notice than usual, especially for the weeks around Thanksgiving and the run-up to Christmas. Share volume forecasts with your transportation provider so capacity can be planned rather than found at the last minute.
Tight appointment windows make a load harder to cover. Where possible, offer wider receiving windows, confirm holiday receiving hours at both ends, and avoid scheduling pickups on the day before or after a holiday.
Diesel prices change weekly. Ask which published diesel price a quote uses, which week it applies to, and how the fuel surcharge is calculated. Our fuel-surcharge guide walks through what to confirm.
When truckload capacity is tight, compare options. Several LTL shipments to the same region may move better as a volume or full truckload shipment, and a small load may fit LTL. Our guide on when to ship full truckload over LTL explains the trade-offs. For longer lanes with flexible timing, ask whether intermodal is an option.
Tight markets attract freight fraud. Federal regulators have stepped up action against fraudulent carriers and registrations. Confirm active operating authority and insurance for every carrier, or work with a provider that checks them for you, and be cautious with unexpected changes to carrier contact or payment details.
Ready to plan your holiday freight? Share your lanes, volumes, and delivery dates with our team:
For recurring shipments, request a shipping account.
Sources
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (week of Oct 26, 2026)
FreightWaves, “Reefer Truckload Rejections Soar: 1 in 5 Loads Rejected Nationally” (Oct 20, 2026)
FreightWaves, “No signs of truckload capacity recovering” (Oct 17, 2026)
FreightWaves, “Freight Market Alert: Why October's Tender Rejections Hit 14% Unexpectedly” (Oct 14, 2026)
DAT, “Dry Van Report: Spot rates slip as load posts cool, but tight capacity holds them up” (Oct 26, 2026)
FreightWaves, “LTL rates hit new high in Q3, moving higher in Q4” (TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index; Oct 14, 2026)
FreightWaves, “FMCSA removes 10,000-plus driver training providers amid safety push” (Oct 28, 2026)
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