Part Truckload Freight: Pay Only for the Space You Use
Consolidated part-load freight across 320+ locations in 27 states, moved through 70+ owned warehouses and a 2,700+ vehicle fleet. Per-kilogram pricing, full-consignment accountability.
Part truckload (PTL) freight lets you ship consignments that do not fill a vehicle — from a few cartons to a few tonnes — and pay only for the weight and volume you actually occupy. Safe & Secure Logistics consolidates PTL cargo through 70+ owned warehouses and a fleet of 2,700+ owned vehicles, reaching 320+ locations across 27 Indian states. You share the truck; you do not share the accountability — every consignment is individually documented and tracked from pickup to proof of delivery.
What part truckload freight is — and how we run it
In a PTL (also called LTL — less than truckload) movement, several shippers’ consignments travel on one vehicle. The economics are straightforward: a dedicated truck charges you for the whole vehicle whether you fill it or not; PTL charges you per kilogram of chargeable weight, so a consignment pays its own share of the lane — not the price of a vehicle it does not fill.
The difference between good and poor PTL is who controls the consolidation. Many operators broker part loads across subcontracted fleets and rented godowns, which is where damage, delay and disputes enter. We run the opposite model. Your cargo is picked up by our vehicle, consolidated at our warehouse, sorted by destination, moved on a scheduled line-haul on our fleet, and delivered from our hub at the other end. One company, founded in 1951 and debt-free after 75 years of operation, is answerable for every stage.
Because the 70+ warehouses double as consolidation hubs and distribution points, load-building is systematic rather than opportunistic: departures run to schedule, not to whenever a truck happens to fill.
Who ships PTL with us
FMCG and consumer goods
Replenishment to distributors and modern-trade warehouses in quantities that rarely justify a dedicated vehicle — weekly part loads keep stock moving without inflating freight cost per case.
Pharmaceuticals and healthcare
Smaller, more frequent consignments to depots and stockists, with documented handling — and reefer capacity from India’s largest private temperature-controlled fleet where the product demands it.
Industrial and engineering
Spares, components and project consumables shipped as they are needed rather than batched to fill a truck. Dangerous-goods consignments are handled under our DG capability.
Automotive components
Aftermarket and line-feed parts to dealers and plants across industrial corridors, where consistency of the weekly departure matters more than the size of any single load.
Retail and e-commerce sellers
B2B movements to fulfilment centres and regional warehouses at per-kg rates, with pincode-level coverage across 320+ locations.
Chemicals and speciality goods
Regulated part loads carried with the documentation discipline of a 75-year-old operator, including tanker and DG expertise for classified cargo.
PTL vs FTL: which does your shipment need?
| Factor | Part Truckload (PTL) | Full Truckload (FTL) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical consignment | A few cartons to a few tonnes | Enough to fill, or mostly fill, a vehicle |
| Pricing basis | Per kg of chargeable weight (actual vs volumetric, whichever is higher) | Per vehicle, per lane — regardless of fill |
| Transit | Line-haul plus consolidation cut-off and destination sortation | Direct, door to door; fastest option on any lane |
| Handling | Loaded and sorted at origin and destination hubs | Loaded once, sealed, unloaded at destination |
| Cost efficiency | Best when the consignment does not come close to filling a vehicle | Best when the vehicle runs full or time is critical |
| Frequency | Ship as often as demand requires, in the quantity on hand | Usually batched until a full load accumulates |
Many of our clients run both: PTL for routine replenishment, full truckload for peak despatches and time-critical lanes. If your volumes sit at the boundary, the calculator below prices both against your actual weight and lane.
How PTL pricing works
PTL rates are built from five honest inputs, and nothing hidden behind them:
Chargeable weight. The higher of actual weight and volumetric weight. Dense cargo pays on the scale; light, bulky cargo pays on the space it occupies — this is the single largest driver of your rate.
Lane. The origin-destination pincode pair. Corridors between our hub cities price sharper than thin lanes because consolidation is denser and vehicles run fuller.
Service level. Standard consolidated movement versus priority connections on the next scheduled departure.
Accessorials. Out-of-delivery-area (ODA) destinations, appointment deliveries, floor-level handling and similar extras are quoted upfront, not discovered on the invoice.
Cargo class. Temperature-controlled, dangerous goods or high-value consignments carry handling requirements that are priced explicitly.
You do not need to request a quote to see the number. The freight rate calculator returns an instant estimate from your weight, dimensions and lane.
Price your part load instantly
Enter weight, dimensions and pincodes — get a per-kg estimate instantly, and an FTL comparison alongside it.
Transit expectations
PTL transit has three components: the consolidation cut-off at the origin hub, the scheduled line-haul, and sortation plus final delivery at destination. Book before the cut-off and your consignment joins that day’s departure; book after and it rolls to the next scheduled vehicle. Compared with a direct FTL run on the same lane, PTL adds the hub stages — a known, scheduled increment rather than an open-ended one, because our departures run to timetable on owned vehicles rather than waiting for a broker to find capacity.
Committed transit therefore depends on your specific pincode pair and its consolidation schedule. We state it at booking and measure ourselves against it at proof of delivery.
Coverage: 320+ locations, 27 states
The PTL network is anchored by 70+ warehouses acting as consolidation and distribution hubs, with pickup and delivery across 320+ locations in 27 states — metro corridors, industrial clusters and upcountry markets alike. Destinations beyond the standard delivery grid are served as ODA with the surcharge declared at quotation. Confirm any pincode pair on the serviceability checker.
Why ship PTL with Safe & Secure
Owned assets, end to end
2,700+ owned vehicles and 70+ owned warehouses mean your part load is not brokered onward. The company that quotes the rate runs the truck and the hub.
75 years, debt-free
Founded in 1951, family-owned and professionally run, with Rs 1,354 Cr (US$160M+) in group consolidated revenue in FY26 and no debt. A counterparty built to be here for your next contract renewal.
Specialist capability on tap
India’s largest private reefer fleet for cold-chain part loads, DG tanker capability for classified cargo, and warehousing and 3PL at the same hubs your freight already moves through.
India’s leading FMCG, pharmaceutical and industrial enterprises trust this network with their primary and secondary distribution. The proof is structural: consolidation only works at scale, and scale is what 70+ hubs and 2,700+ vehicles provide.
From enquiry to POD: the process
- Quote. Price your lane on the rate calculator or call us with weight, dimensions and pincodes.
- Book. Confirm the consignment; we assign it to the next scheduled departure and state the committed transit.
- Pickup. Our vehicle collects from your dock; weight and dimensions are verified and the consignment is labelled.
- Consolidate. Cargo is sorted by destination at the origin hub and loaded onto the scheduled line-haul.
- Line-haul. The consignment moves on our fleet, tracked through the network.
- Deliver. Destination hub sorts and runs final delivery to the consignee’s door.
- POD. Signed proof of delivery closes the consignment; documentation is available for your records and reconciliation.
Move your next part load on a 75-year-old network
Check your pincodes, get a rate, and book — or talk to a person who can answer for the whole journey.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum shipment size for PTL freight?
There is no practical minimum — PTL is designed for consignments too small to justify a dedicated vehicle, from a few cartons upwards. If your shipment regularly exceeds six to seven tonnes or fills most of a vehicle, a full truckload usually becomes more economical. Use our freight rate calculator to compare both options for your lane before you book.
How is PTL freight priced — per kg or per box?
PTL is priced on chargeable weight per lane: the higher of the actual weight and the volumetric weight of your consignment. Light but bulky cargo is therefore charged on the space it occupies, dense cargo on the scale. Origin-destination pair, service level, out-of-delivery-area surcharges and special handling complete the rate. Our online calculator returns an instant estimate.
How long does PTL delivery take compared with FTL?
PTL moves on scheduled consolidated departures, so transit is the line-haul time plus the consolidation cut-off at origin and sortation at destination — typically a modest addition over a direct FTL run on the same lane. Exact expectations depend on your pincode pair; check both pincodes on our serviceability tool and we will confirm the committed transit for that corridor.
Is my cargo safe when it shares a truck with other shippers’?
Each consignment is labelled, documented and tracked individually from pickup to proof of delivery, and moves predominantly on our own fleet of 2,700+ vehicles through our own 70+ warehouses — not through layers of subcontractors. Shared space does not mean shared accountability: one company controls the truck, the hub and the delivery, and answers for all three.
Can Safe & Secure handle temperature-sensitive PTL shipments?
Yes. We operate India’s largest private reefer fleet and cold storage within our warehouse network, so temperature-controlled consignments can move as part loads on validated cold-chain lanes rather than waiting to fill a dedicated reefer. Pharmaceutical and frozen-food shippers use this to ship smaller, more frequent replenishment quantities. See our cold-chain logistics page for lane specifics.
Which areas do you cover for PTL pickup and delivery?
Our network spans 320+ locations across 27 Indian states, anchored by 70+ warehouses that act as consolidation and distribution hubs. Coverage includes metro corridors, industrial clusters and a wide set of upcountry destinations. Enter your origin and destination pincodes on our serviceability checker for an immediate answer on pickup, delivery and any out-of-area handling for that pair.
What documents do I need to book a PTL shipment?
For domestic PTL you need a tax invoice for the goods, an e-way bill where the consignment value requires one, and accurate weight and dimension declarations. For regulated cargo — pharmaceuticals or dangerous goods — the relevant licences and MSDS apply. Our team confirms the exact checklist at booking, and every delivery closes with a signed proof of delivery.
Proof of Scale · Since 1951
Backed by numbers, not promises.
India's largest privately-held heritage logistics platform — asset-backed, technology-enabled, and operating at national and international scale.
