Partial truckload quotes in 10 seconds. 8 to 26 pallets, priced instantly.
Warp prices the shipments most freight sites refuse to quote online. Enter your lane and pallet count and get an instant partial truckload rate with no signup, no phone call, and no waiting for a broker to call back. Partial truckload covers the 8 to 26 pallet band where LTL per pallet handling fees stack up but a full 53 foot trailer is more truck than you need. Your freight rides direct on a 26 foot straight truck or shares a 53 foot trailer, with fewer touches than terminal LTL and a lower price than booking the whole truck.
Instant rates · $0 liftgate fee · 2,000+ shippers · 98.2% on-time
Live all-inclusive rates
Warp customers
What partial truckload is and when it wins
Partial truckload, often shortened to PTL, moves shipments that are too big for economical LTL but too small to justify a full trailer.
The freight shares trailer space with one or two other shipments and rides from origin to destination without routing through a terminal network.
Fewer touches means less handling damage and more predictable transit. The band where partial truckload usually wins is 8 to 26 pallets or roughly 7,000 to 43,000 pounds.
Below that, LTL is usually cheaper. Above it, book the full truck.
The break even math by pallet count
Two zones decide the mode.
The LTL to PTL break even sits around 8 to 12 pallets: below 8, LTL almost always wins; between 8 and 12, run both quotes because lane density and freight class drive the answer.
The PTL to FTL break even sits around 22 to 26 pallets: past that point a dedicated 53 foot trailer stops costing more than the partial.
Warp returns the rates side by side, so you never have to guess which zone your shipment lands in. If your 10 pallet shipment prices better as a full straight truck, you see that number too.
26 foot straight trucks and 53 foot trailers
Warp runs partial truckload on two equipment types.
A 26 foot straight truck carries up to about 12 pallets and delivers direct with a liftgate as standard, which matters for job sites, storefronts, and warehouses without a dock.
A 53 foot dry van covers the larger partials and full loads.
Real examples from the Warp network: a New Jersey cabinet shop ships 8 to 22 pallets to the Midwest, starting on a straight truck and stepping up to a 53 foot trailer as volume grew.
A California fabricator splits a 27 pallet order into a 24 pallet trailer and a 3 pallet LTL topper on the same day. The quote flow prices both shapes.
Booked today, picked up as soon as today
Most Warp partial truckload shippers book with zero to one days of lead time. The quote is live capacity, not an estimate that a dispatcher confirms later.
Book in the morning and same day pickup is often available; book in the afternoon and pickup is typically next morning.
Shippers running weekly production schedules batch their orders on a ship day and enter them back to back.
The portal keeps your addresses and freight profiles, so the tenth order takes under a minute.
Liftgate and no dock delivery included
Partial truckload freight often delivers to places a 53 foot trailer cannot serve: cabinet installs, retail backrooms, clinics, self storage, residential garages.
Every 26 foot straight truck in the Warp network carries a liftgate as standard and there is no liftgate surcharge on the rate. Traditional carriers add $75 to $150 per stop for the same service.
If the destination has no dock and no forklift, the quote you see still covers the delivery.
Why PTL beats LTL on volume freight
LTL pricing charges for every terminal touch.
On a 10 pallet shipment, per pallet cross dock handling, reweigh exposure, and accessorial stacking inflate the invoice fast, and transit stretches because the freight waits for space on each linehaul leg.
Partial truckload skips the terminal network entirely. The freight loads once, rides direct, and unloads once.
That is why the 8 to 26 pallet band prices better as PTL on most lanes: you pay for trailer space, not for handling events. It is also why PTL damage rates run lower.
Heavy shipments belong on a truck, not on an LTL invoice
A shipment over roughly 20,000 pounds or 13 pallets should always be compared against a truckload rate before it books as LTL.
Warp has watched shippers book 43,000 pound loads as LTL because a form allowed it, and nobody wins that invoice.
The Warp quote flow prices big LTL requests against the truckload option so the comparison is in front of you at booking time.
If you move freight in this band every week, the difference compounds into real money every month.
How to book a partial truckload with Warp
Click get partial truckload rates, enter origin and destination zips, set your pallet count and weight, and the rates come back in about 10 seconds.
Book with a credit card on the spot or apply for credit terms if you ship weekly.
Every shipment includes live GPS tracking, proof of delivery photos, and an e signature from the receiver through the Warp driver app.
No account is required to see rates, and there is no volume commitment. Bring one 10 pallet shipment and leave with a number.
Frequently asked questions
What is partial truckload shipping?
Partial truckload, or PTL, is freight that shares a trailer with one or two other shipments and rides direct from origin to destination without terminal handling.
It covers the 8 to 26 pallet band between LTL and full truckload, typically 7,000 to 43,000 pounds.
How many pallets is a partial truckload?
Roughly 8 to 26 pallets. Below 8 pallets LTL usually prices better. Above 26 pallets the shipment fills a 53 foot trailer and books as full truckload.
Between 8 and 12 pallets, compare both quotes because lane density decides the winner.
Is partial truckload cheaper than LTL?
For 8 or more pallets, usually yes. LTL charges for every terminal touch, so per pallet handling fees stack up on volume freight.
Partial truckload loads once and rides direct, so you pay for trailer space instead of handling events. It is also gentler on the freight.
What is the cheapest way to ship 10 pallets?
On most lanes, 10 pallets prices best as partial truckload or as a 26 foot straight truck move.
Warp returns instant rates for the shipment across modes so the cheapest workable option is visible before booking. Enter the lane and pallet count and rates come back in about 10 seconds.
Can a 20,000 pound shipment go LTL?
It can, but it usually should not. At 20,000 pounds or roughly 13 or more pallets, a truckload rate is often lower than the LTL invoice once handling and reweigh exposure land.
Warp shows the truckload comparison alongside big LTL requests so the better mode is visible at booking time.
Does a partial truckload rate include liftgate delivery?
Yes. Every 26 foot straight truck in the Warp network carries a liftgate as standard and Warp does not charge a liftgate accessorial.
Deliveries to job sites, storefronts, and other no dock locations are covered by the quoted rate.
How fast can a partial truckload be picked up?
Same day pickup is often available for morning bookings, and next day pickup is standard. Most Warp partial truckload shippers book with zero to one days of lead time.
The rate you see reflects live capacity.
Do I need an account to get a partial truckload quote?
No. Rates are public and instant. Enter the lane and shipment details and see the number in about 10 seconds. An account is only created when you book, and weekly shippers can apply for credit terms.
About the Warp freight network
More about the Warp freight network
Warp is a technology-driven freight network that combines cargo van, box truck, LTL, and FTL capacity under one operating system. Shippers get instant rates, real-time tracking, and access to 70+ cross-dock facilities and 14,000+ cargo vans and box trucks — with 80%+ US LTL zip-to-zip coverage and nationwide FTL, box truck, and cargo van.
The network is supported by 24,000+ vetted FTL carriers.
Unlike traditional brokers, Warp uses AI to match the right vehicle to every load based on weight, dimensions, urgency, and cost targets. Cross-dock operations reduce transit time by eliminating unnecessary terminal transfers.
Pool distribution and zone-skipping programs help enterprise shippers lower per-unit delivery costs while maintaining tight appointment windows.
Self-serve shippers can quote, compare, and book freight online in under two minutes. Enterprise accounts get dedicated capacity planning, committed rate programs, and a named operations team. Every shipment includes scan-level visibility from pickup through final delivery.
Warp operates across the contiguous United States with regional density in the Southeast, Texas, Midwest, and Northeast corridors.
Cross-dock facilities in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Savannah, Orlando, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Columbus, Denver, New Orleans, and Milwaukee support faster transfers and fewer touches on recurring lanes.
Freight modes and vehicle types
| Mode | Max payload | Max cube | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | 3,500 lbs | 400 cu ft | Time-sensitive, last-mile, light pallets |
| Box truck | 10,000 lbs | 1,500 cu ft | Regional distribution, no dock required |
| LTL | Per-pallet | Shared trailer | Lower per-pallet cost via cross-dock routing |
| Dry van / FTL | 42,000+ lbs | Full 53-ft trailer | High-volume lanes, recurring programs |
Cargo vans handle loads up to 3,500 pounds and 400 cubic feet, ideal for time-sensitive deliveries, last-mile retail replenishment, and lightweight palletized freight.
Box trucks carry up to 10,000 pounds and 1,500 cubic feet, fitting most regional distribution and store delivery needs without requiring a loading dock.
Dry vans and full truckloads move 42,000+ pounds for high-volume lanes and recurring programs. LTL shipments share trailer space on optimized routes through Warp cross-docks, reducing per-pallet cost by consolidating multiple shippers on the same vehicle.
Warp does not default every shipment to a 53-foot trailer. The AI engine evaluates load weight, cube, delivery window, and cost to recommend the right vehicle. Shippers see all available mode options with live pricing in one comparison screen before booking.
Cross-dock operations
Cross-docking at Warp facilities eliminates warehouse storage. Inbound freight is sorted and transferred directly to outbound vehicles, typically within hours.
This reduces dwell time, lowers damage risk, and compresses delivery windows. Warp cross-docks support pallet-in, pallet-out operations with scan-level tracking at every handoff point.
- Atlanta — Southeast retail flow
- Chicago — Midwest manufacturing and replenishment
- Houston — Texas industrial distribution
- New York — dense Northeast delivery
Facility locations are selected for corridor density: Atlanta handles Southeast retail flow, Chicago serves Midwest manufacturing and replenishment, Houston covers Texas industrial distribution, and New York supports dense Northeast delivery. Each facility operates on appointment-based scheduling to prevent congestion and maintain throughput consistency.
Enterprise freight programs
Enterprise shippers get committed rate programs, dedicated account management, and custom SLA design. Warp builds lane-by-lane rate structures that account for volume commitments, seasonal variation, and mode flexibility. Operations teams monitor shipment execution daily and intervene proactively when exceptions occur.
Self-serve freight quoting
Shippers enter origin and destination, load details, and delivery requirements to see live rates across all available modes. Quotes include estimated transit time, vehicle type, and total cost.
Booking takes one click. After booking, shippers track every shipment with real-time GPS location, milestone updates, and proof of delivery documentation.
Industries and use cases
Retail shippers use Warp for store replenishment programs that deliver to hundreds of locations per week on tight appointment windows. Apparel brands use zone skipping to bypass regional parcel sortation and reduce per-unit delivery cost.
Food and beverage companies rely on time-definite delivery for perishable goods. Manufacturing operations use Warp for inbound vendor consolidation, combining multiple supplier shipments into fewer, fuller loads through cross-dock facilities.
Distribution companies use pool distribution to serve multiple delivery points from a single origin, splitting full truckloads at cross-docks into smaller last-mile vehicles.
Urgent freight recovery covers emergency capacity needs when primary carriers fail or demand spikes unexpectedly. Middle-mile optimization reduces cost and transit time on the longest segment of multi-leg shipments.
Price your partial truckload right now.
8 to 26 pallets, quoted in 10 seconds. No signup, no phone call, no liftgate surcharge. Bring a lane and leave with a number.
Instant rates · $0 liftgate fee · 2,000+ shippers · 98.2% on-time
Performance figures are computed from Warp network data. See our methodology.