Partial truckload fills the gap between roughly six and eighteen pallets, or about 5,000 to 27,000 pounds. Below that, LTL class rating is usually cheaper; above it, a dedicated truckload is.
Because partials skip the LTL terminal network, they move faster and with less handling damage than LTL, and they are not rated on freight class — pricing is based on the linear feet of trailer space and the weight used.
A partial shipper accepts that the truck may make one or two other stops, which adds some transit time compared with a dedicated load but far less than an LTL routing through two terminals.
Example
A shipper has ten pallets, 12,000 pounds, of industrial parts. An LTL quote comes back high because the freight class is unfavorable. A partial-truckload carrier prices it on about 12 feet of trailer space, picks it up alongside one other partial, and delivers direct two days later at a lower total cost.
Why it matters
Shippers who only think in “LTL or full truckload” overpay on mid-size freight. Carriers that can combine two or three partials on a trailer capture margin an all-or-nothing operation leaves behind.