Amazon announced the U.S. expansion of its less-than-truckload (LTL) freight beyond its current inbound-to-Amazon offering to any type of destination, including third-party warehouses, distribution centers, and retail partners as part of the suite of offerings from Amazon Supply Chain Services (ASCS).
"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," says 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."
Key takeaways:
· Businesses of all sizes can now use LTL to move freight—typically ranging from 1-6 pallets, or between 150-15,000 pounds—into their warehouses, between their own facilities, or to their retail partners and distributors.
· Amazon offers seamless booking and flexible pick-up options, including next-day live pickup for orders placed by 5 p.m., same-day pickup through Amazon’s drop trailer solution, and standing daily pickups for high-volume shippers.
- A unified drop trailer pool supports both LTL and full truckload shipments, simplifying yard operations for customers using multiple ASCS Freight services.
- The expanded LTL freight offering includes end-to-end real-time GPS tracking from pickup through delivery, proactive milestone updates, automated appointment scheduling at receiving facilities, and electronic proof of delivery — eliminating manual tracking.
- Centralized monitoring, with cargo cameras and door sensors across the entire fleet, enable automated driver alerts and real-time freight security from load to unload.
- Automated order tendering, shipment tracking, and invoicing connect directly to existing supply chain systems for seamless processing.
- Drivers trained specifically in LTL operations handle pickup and delivery, bringing expertise in freight handling, multi-stop routing, and dock procedures.
