An LTL pallet shares a trailer with other shippers’ freight and moves through carrier terminals on the way to its destination. Old Dominion puts it at eight to 10 handlings on average between your dock and the final destination. Every one of those is a forklift, a pallet jack or a crossdock move, and the pallet has to survive all of them in the shape you built it.
This guide covers what a shipper controls before pickup: the pallet itself, the stack, the strapping and wrap, the labels and the paperwork. Then it covers what happens when one of them is wrong. If you are still deciding whether LTL is the right mode, start with how LTL freight shipping works.
Start with the pallet
The pallet is what the forklift touches, so it takes the first and hardest load. ABF Freight’s LTL packaging guide sets out four points for the pallet:
- A bottom deck. Without one, the pallet can collapse under fork tine pressure.
- Room for a pallet jack. At least three inches of clearance for pallet jack access from the side.
- Access on every side for long pallets. Long pallets should be built so a jack or forklift can enter from all sides.
- Runner spacing. Chamfered runner boards at least 28 inches apart, so a pallet jack fits between them.
Then fit the freight to the pallet. Nothing should hang over the edge. Old Dominion’s first tip is about overhang: you are charged for the extra space, and anything outside the pallet is exposed to damage. If cartons reach the edges or the freight is an odd shape, it recommends edge protectors.
Stack it square, heavy at the bottom
Cartons carry weight through their corners and walls. Shift them out of line and they carry less. ABF’s guide puts numbers on it:
| How the stack is built | Loss in strength |
|---|---|
| Slight misalignment of corners | 12.5% |
| Pallet deck misalignment | 32% |
| Pallet overhang | 50% |
- Line up the corners. Stack cartons corner on corner and flush with the pallet edge, inside the deck.
- Heaviest on the bottom. Old Dominion recommends loading heavier items low so the pallet does not tip.
- Separate the layers. ABF recommends tie sheets between layers and at the top and bottom of the load to protect against abrasion and soiling, and corner boards to keep boxes aligned and take the pressure of straps and wrap.
- Watch the height. Old Dominion says a stack above 50 inches, typically, may raise the price, because the space above your freight in the trailer can no longer be used.
Pallets packed and a delivery date to hit?
Expedited LTL from 150 lbs to 15,000 lbs, with guaranteed transit options and one dispatcher from booking to delivery. Send the ZIP codes, weight, pallet count and dimensions.
Strap it, then wrap it
Strapping holds the load to the pallet. Wrap holds the cartons together. A pallet needs both.
Strapping. Old Dominion recommends banding freight to the pallet, especially top heavy loads and partial pallets. ABF adds three details: strap and chock freight so it cannot shift, put strap protectors between the straps and the packaging, and keep straps away from the spots where forklift tines or pallet jack wheels will touch them.
Stretch film. ABF recommends a stretch wrapping machine and stretching the film to at least 80 percent of its recommended stretch, and it recommends a double wrap:
- Start at the bottom and move up, overlapping each layer.
- Wrap around the top three times, letting two to six inches of film go over the top of the load.
- Move back down, covering the load again.
- Wrap the bottom of the pallet two times.
The last step matters. Old Dominion’s advice is the same: wrap from top to bottom and include the pallet in the wrap. Film that stops at the bottom carton holds the cartons together but does not tie them to the pallet.
Where film is not enough. ABF’s guide says stretch film is not designed to prevent damage to fragile or painted surfaces or to protect against abrasion. For that kind of freight, consider a crate, and a crate has to meet the NMFC definition to count as one. Old Dominion’s claims director points to NMFC Item 245, which sets out how a crate should be built: if it falls short, it may not qualify as a crate, and that alone can get a claim denied. ABF’s guide calls for three way locking corners, blocking, bracing and cushioning inside, and on skeletal crates, diagonal boards angled between 30 and 60 degrees.
Label every handling unit
ABF’s guide calls proper labeling the best way to prevent separation, loss and damage. Its checklist before pickup:
- Address labels and PRO numbers on every fork tine entry face, where the forklift driver can see them.
- Old PRO numbers and address labels removed or covered.
- A label on each handling unit, numbered 1 of 3, 2 of 3 and so on.
- Freight longer than 96 inches labeled on or near both ends.
- DOT hazardous materials labels on hazardous freight.
Labels do not need to go on top of the freight unless they will not fit on the side. Tape can lose its grip with temperature changes, so ABF suggests a layer of shrink wrap over the labels, and a metal or paint marker for metal freight in case labels come off.
Handling labels go on where they apply: fragile, this way up, keep dry, top heavy, protect from freezing, strap to wall, do not fork. ABF notes that a do not fork label may bring extra charges.
Make the paperwork match the pallet
ABF’s guide says a bill of lading is required for every LTL shipment. On it: the number of pallets or pieces, the description and dimensions of each unit, the NMFC number, and the weight including packaging and pallets.
Weigh the pallet after it is wrapped, not before. Old Dominion notes that part of the charge is based on weight, and if a shipment is reweighed at the service center, the freight bill is adjusted. Measure it after wrapping too, so the dimensions on the bill include the wrap and the pallet. How weight, dimensions and class turn into a price is covered in LTL freight rates.
What happens when a pallet is not ready
There is no single rule that a badly packed pallet gets turned away at the dock. What the carrier sources we checked describe is a set of costs that land on the shipper:
| What went wrong | What can happen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Freight hangs over the pallet | Charged for the extra space; freight outside the pallet is exposed to damage | Old Dominion |
| Stack taller than about 50 inches | The price may be higher | Old Dominion |
| Weight on the bill of lading is wrong | Reweighed at the service center and the freight bill adjusted | Old Dominion |
| Do not fork freight | Extra charges may apply | ABF |
| Packaging below NMFC requirements | A damage claim can be denied | Old Dominion |
| Freight arrives damaged | The consignee can refuse the delivery | Old Dominion |
The claim line is the expensive one. Old Dominion’s claims director calls improperly packaged freight “our number one issue” and describes an HVAC manufacturer whose two strap packaging stopped passing after the NMFC began requiring three straps on overlength items. The result was a $16,000 claim that could not be honored. Packaging that passed last year may not pass now, so check the current requirement with your carrier. If freight does arrive damaged, the steps for a claim are in our guide to freight claims under the Carmack Amendment.
Before the truck arrives
- Pallet has a bottom deck and room for a pallet jack.
- No overhang, corners aligned, heaviest cartons low.
- Strapped to the pallet, with protectors, away from fork and wheel contact points.
- Double wrapped, with the pallet itself wrapped in.
- Each unit labeled X of X on the fork entry faces, old labels gone.
- Bill of lading shows the count, dimensions and weight measured after wrapping.
Frequently asked questions
How high can I stack an LTL pallet?
There is no one number for every carrier. Old Dominion says stacking above 50 inches, typically, may raise the price, because the space above the pallet cannot be used. Ask your carrier for its limit before you build the load.
Is shrink wrap enough to protect my freight?
Not on its own. ABF’s guide says stretch film is not designed to prevent damage to fragile or painted surfaces or to protect against abrasion. Use corner boards, tie sheets and strapping on the pallet, and crate freight that film cannot protect.
Do labels need to go on top of the pallet?
ABF says no, unless they will not fit on the side. Put them on every fork tine entry face, number each unit, and label freight longer than 96 inches near both ends.
What are NMFC packaging requirements?
The National Motor Freight Classification sets minimum packaging requirements by item, so the freight can withstand normal LTL handling. ABF’s guide tells shippers to meet or exceed them, and Old Dominion’s example shows the requirements change over time.
Does StarBriges move LTL pallets?
Yes. StarBriges’ LTL service covers 150 lbs to about 15,000 lbs and 1 to 6 pallet positions, with expedited and guaranteed transit options and a dedicated dispatcher from booking to delivery. To quote, we need origin and destination ZIP codes, weight, pallet count and dimensions. See LTL freight with StarBriges.