Amazon expands less-than-truckload freight service across U.S. to new delivery destinations

Amazon is expanding its less-than-truckload (LTL) freight service in the United States, extending it beyond inbound shipments into its own network to include deliveries to third-party warehouses, distribution centres and retail partners.

The service, part of Amazon Supply Chain Services, allows businesses to ship palletized freight by sharing trailer space rather than booking full truckloads. Shipments typically range from one to six pallets, or 150 to 15,000 pounds.

Amazon said the expansion builds on existing demand, noting the service has supported tens of thousands of selling partners and vendors since 2019 and moved millions of pallets across its U.S. network last year.

“We started using Amazon for full truckload shipping four years ago because we needed a provider that could keep up with our growth,” said Zech Hintz, vice-president of global supply chain at Pattern, a global ecommerce accelerator. “LTL has been the same story. In the past year, we’ve seen faster transit times and lower costs compared to traditional LTL services. It’s rare to get both, and that’s what makes this service stand out.”

The expanded service includes flexible pickup options such as next-day live pickup for orders placed by 5 p.m., same-day pickup through drop trailer capacity and scheduled daily pickups for high-volume shippers.

Additional features include real-time GPS shipment tracking, automated appointment scheduling, electronic proof of delivery and EDI integrations for automated order and billing processes. Amazon also said its fleet includes sensor-equipped trailers with cargo cameras and door sensors to improve freight security and visibility.

“The feedback from Amazon selling partners using our LTL service was clear: the technology, visibility, and reliability were exactly what they needed—and they wanted to use it more broadly,” said Jim Ruiz, director of Amazon Freight. “Now Amazon LTL can move your freight wherever it needs to go, servicing destinations nationwide for businesses of all sizes. With LTL, shippers get cost-effective freight shipping while still benefiting from the real-time tracking and dependability they expect from Amazon.”

Amazon Supply Chain Services said the LTL expansion is part of a broader logistics portfolio that includes full truckload, intermodal rail services and freight infrastructure supported by more than 80,000 trailers and 24,000 intermodal containers across the U.S.