The crisis turns full loads (FTL) into partial loads (LTL)

During the first semester of 2013 there has been an increase of the 2.59%, compared to the 2011 average, placing the percentage of partial loads (Less than truckload LTL), with respect to full loads (Full Truckload FTL) in a 40,34% in Europe. This means that out of 10 loads offered in the Wtransnet exchange, 4 are partial loads and 6 full loads.
The opinion of the industry is that with the crisis customers no longer buy full trailers for the loads but inferior loads that fail to complete a truck. These intermediate freights, greater than one or two pallets, or sometimes half truck are the ones you cannot send with parcel carriers, but they are not enough for filling a full truck, neither.

This makes the work of the carriers more difficult because they have to search for a freight matching with the date and the route but also matching with the available meters of the truck.
Moreover, there is the client’s demand for receiving the goods with the same punctuality as that of a full truck.

Evolution of partial loads (LTL) with respect to full freights (FTL)

200.000 trucks per month, offered for partial loads (LTL)

The number of trucks offered in Wtransnet with partial loads to be completed and for European routes has an average of 200.000 per month.
The percentage of trucks offered for partial loads in Spain is bigger than the rest of Europe. In Spain a 37% of the trucks are available for carrying partial loads facing a 32,41% of the European trips, according to the data of May 2013.

% of partial trucks (LTL) against full trucks (FTL) in Europe (January 2012-May 2013)

Countries of destination of partial loads (LTL) with origin Spain.
In the first five months of 2013, the number of partial loads in the National Spain has decreased in 0,85% but the export has grown. Export freights have as destination different points of France which ranks first with 38%, followed by Portugal with 27%. Germany and Italy account for 10% each.
Noteworthy is the increase of export in Portugal, a country with the highest growth compared to 2012, and secondly,  Germany and Italy have also increased but to a lesser extent. Decrease slightly,  partial loads to France, Netherlands and UK.

Graphic: % partial loads (LTL) with origin Spain and destination Europe

Wtrasnet contribution to the problem of partial loads.
The market of partial loads is of great importance to Wtransnet, not only by the volume involved (40% of the total), but by the degree of users’ satisfaction in the results obtained.
Since its very beginnings in 1997, Wtransnet created a different exchange called  “ Groupage exchange” to solve this problem:  For companies moving freights because they can give a quick answer to the client finding the right truck as soon as possible and for hauliers to complete the free meters of truck. Loading a partial freight can sometimes make the difference between being the trip profitable or lose money.
If it is difficult to find a full freight or a full truck for a specific trip or date, even more if we have to find who has half truck with the free space that we need.
Wtransnet move each month 118.000 partial loads and more than 200.000 trucks offered with free space in the Groupage exchange, in all Europe.
Besides the main countries mentioned: France, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, UK, there are also freights for the following destinations: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Byelorussia, Bosnia-Herzeg, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Morocco, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine.