Groupage
Groupage is the practice of consolidating shipments from multiple customers into a single vehicle so each shipper pays only for the space they use.
What is Groupage?
Groupage transport is used when a shipment is too small to justify a full truck — typically one to a few pallets. The carrier or forwarder collects part loads from several shippers, brings them together at a depot or hub, and runs one vehicle to the destination region, where the loads are split again for final delivery. It overlaps with the American term less-than-truckload (LTL); in Europe, groupage, part load and consolidated freight are all in use.
Pricing follows the space and weight each shipment takes: per pallet place, per loading meter or per chargeable weight, where the carrier compares actual weight with a volumetric equivalent and charges whichever is higher. A standard 13.6 m semi-trailer offers 13.6 loading meters, room for 33 Euro pallets on the floor, so two Euro pallets take 0.8 LDM. The free LDM calculator works this out for mixed pallet sizes.
The trade-off is time and handling. Because loads pass through one or more cross-docks, transit is often a day or more longer than a direct full load, and each extra handling step adds risk of damage. For planners, groupage means many shipments per trip, load sequencing so the first drop is loaded last, and accurate space accounting — which is why a TMS tracks each shipment separately while planning the trip as a whole.
Frequently asked questions
What is groupage transport?
Groupage transport combines small shipments from different customers into one truck or container. Each shipper pays for its share of the space, while the carrier fills the vehicle and runs one trip instead of many.
What is the difference between groupage and a full truckload?
With a full truckload (FTL) one shipper books the whole vehicle and the goods travel directly from loading to unloading. With groupage the vehicle is shared and the goods usually pass through a hub, which is slower but much cheaper for small volumes. For larger part loads it is worth comparing a groupage quote with a dedicated part or full load.
How is groupage priced?
Usually per pallet place, per loading meter or per chargeable weight, plus surcharges such as a fuel surcharge or tail-lift delivery. Carriers convert volume to weight with a published ratio and charge whichever of actual and volumetric weight is higher, so light but bulky goods pay for the space they occupy.
What is groupage in sea freight?
In ocean shipping the same idea is called LCL (less than container load): a forwarder consolidates several shippers' cargo in one container and splits it again at the destination port. The alternative is FCL, a full container load booked by a single shipper.
See Groupage in a real TMS
Transportial puts these concepts to work in one operational platform — planning, tracking, documents, and finance.