Freight Glossary
Point-to-Point Freight
Point-to-point freight is a direct shipping model where a single truck moves freight from one origin to one destination without intermediate stops, transfers, or terminal handling. It is the fundamental structure of full truckload (FTL) shipping. A manufacturer shipping 24 pallets from a plant in Memphis directly to a DC in Atlanta is a classic point to point move.
Why it matters
Point-to-point moves offer the fastest transit, least handling, and lowest damage risk of any freight mode. But they require sufficient volume to justify the full trailer cost, making them expensive for smaller shipments. Shipping a half empty trailer point to point can cost 40 to 60 percent more per pallet than consolidating through an LTL network.
When to use it
Choose point-to-point FTL when your shipment fills or nearly fills a trailer, when product is high-value or fragile, or when transit speed is critical and LTL terminal handling is unacceptable. If your product has a damage rate above 2 percent on LTL, switching to point to point FTL on high volume lanes often pays for itself through reduced claims.
How Warp thinks about it
Warp offers FTL services for shippers who need point-to-point moves, alongside its LTL and cross-dock network, giving shippers the flexibility to use the right mode for each lane. With 20,000+ carrier partners, Warp sources FTL capacity quickly on both contract and ad hoc lanes across the country.