Trucking dictionary
Partial truckload
Partial truckload: A partial truckload is a shipment too large for LTL but not large enough to fill a whole trailer, often a few pallets up to around half a trailer. It moves directly from shipper to receiver without being sorted through LTL terminals, sometimes sharing the truck with other partials. Partials are priced by space, weight and miles.
Who hauls partials
Partials suit trucks that can't or don't want to take full truckloads, and carriers who combine shipments:
- 26 ft box trucks: a few pallets for a retailer or distributor, often local or regional; see box truck loads.
- Hotshots: partial flatbed loads such as machinery or building materials; see hotshot trucking.
- Full-size vans and flatbeds carrying two or three partials on the same route.
- Pallets
- 6 of 12 box-truck positions
- Weight
- 5,800 lb
- Miles
- 310
- Rate offered
- $725
- Rate per mile
- $2.34
- Room left for
- Another partial on the route
EXAMPLE values. Space, weight, liftgate and dock needs change the rate.
Partial vs LTL vs full truckload
| Partial | LTL | Full truckload | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Several pallets to part of a trailer | A pallet or a few | The whole trailer |
| Handling | Direct, no terminal sorting | Through terminals | Direct |
| Priced by | Space, weight, miles | Freight class, weight, distance | The load and miles |
More on terminals in LTL freight.
Do partials pay less?
Per load, yes, because there's less freight. Per mile and per hour, a well-planned partial, or two on one trip, can pay as well as a full load. Watch for loads that need a liftgate or inside delivery and price them accordingly.
Can a 26 ft box truck haul partials from load boards?
Yes, and they're a big part of box truck freight. Filter for your length, weight, dock height and liftgate. We dispatch 26 ft box trucks only; shorter box trucks aren't part of our service. See box truck dispatch.
Steve Woods · Lead Dispatcher, TruckSprint
Steve Woods leads the TruckSprint dispatch desk and reviews every guide we publish. How we research and update guides.
Updated October 2026