LTL Select is a free online tool, provided by FedEx Freight and run by a third party, that lets you compare less-than-truckload (LTL) freight quotes from several carriers side by side, then book, pay, create a bill of lading and track the shipment in one place. It is a quoting and booking platform, not a carrier: the freight still moves on whichever LTL carrier you pick.
This guide explains what LTL Select does, what you need before you quote, how it fits with a direct carrier account, and what changed now that FedEx Freight is an independent company. For the bigger picture on how less-than-truckload works, start with our complete guide to LTL freight and logistics.
What is LTL Select and who runs it?
FedEx Freight describes LTL Select as “an easier way to compare freight quotes from multiple carriers.” The platform is offered by FedEx Freight but operated by a third party, and FedEx Freight states that it does not see your accounts or your transactions with other carriers on the platform.
That separation matters for shippers who worry about sharing lane data with a competitor’s carrier. You enter a shipment once, see the carriers that can move it, and choose based on price, transit time and service rather than defaulting to one carrier.
What can you do on LTL Select?
According to FedEx Freight’s LTL Select page, the platform covers the full quote-to-delivery workflow for an LTL shipment. These are the features FedEx Freight lists for it.
| Feature | What it does | Who benefits most |
|---|---|---|
| Side-by-side quotes | Shows rates from multiple LTL carriers for the same shipment | Shippers who don’t want to call carriers one by one |
| Quote and pay | Lets you accept a quote and pay on the platform | Occasional shippers without carrier credit accounts |
| Bill of lading | Generates a BOL from a selected quote in as few as two clicks | Anyone who has filled in BOLs by hand |
| Volume quotes | Compares quotes for volume shipping services | Larger multi-pallet shipments that don’t fill a truck |
| Ship again | Locks in quotes and schedules repeat shipments | Businesses shipping the same lane regularly |
| Hazmat | Quotes and books hazardous materials freight | Shippers of regulated chemicals, batteries or fuels |
| Tracking | Gives tracking and confirmation details after booking | Receivers planning dock time |
FedEx Freight also says the tool “won’t cost you a penny” to use, so you pay the freight charges for the carrier you choose rather than a platform fee.
What information do you need before you quote on LTL Select?
Any LTL quote, on LTL Select or anywhere else, depends on the same shipment details. Have these ready before you start so the price you book matches the price you are billed.
- Pickup and delivery ZIP codes and whether each location is a business with a dock, a residence or a limited-access site.
- Handling units: the number of pallets, crates or skids.
- Dimensions and weight of each unit as it will ship, including the pallet.
- Freight class from the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC), or the density you calculated.
- Accessorial services such as liftgate, inside delivery, appointment or residential delivery.
- Hazmat details if the freight is regulated.
Classification deserves extra attention. NMFTA’s Docket 2025-1 took effect on July 19, 2025, moving many commodities to a 13-step density scale that runs from class 400 under 1 pound per cubic foot to class 50 at 50 pounds per cubic foot or more. If your class was set before that change, confirm it again, and use our guide to getting an accurate LTL freight quote to check each input.
How do you book a shipment with LTL Select?
The booking flow is short once your shipment details are accurate. FedEx Freight links its “Ship Now” button directly to the LTL Select booking page.
- Enter the origin, destination, handling units, dimensions, weight and freight class.
- Add the accessorial services the pickup and delivery locations need.
- Compare the carrier quotes, looking at transit time as well as price.
- Select a quote and pay.
- Generate the bill of lading and print it for the driver.
- Track the shipment until delivery, and use “ship again” for repeat lanes.
FedEx Freight’s own shipping basics guide notes that international, hazmat and shipper-load-and-count shipments need a paper BOL handed to the driver at pickup, so print one even if you booked online.
Is LTL Select better than a direct carrier account or a freight broker?
LTL Select suits shippers who want to compare several carriers without setting up accounts with each one. A direct account still makes sense when your volume is high enough to negotiate your own pricing with a single carrier.
| Option | How you get a price | Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTL Select | Self-service multi-carrier quotes | Free to use, side-by-side comparison, BOL and tracking built in | You manage classification and accessorials yourself |
| Direct carrier account | Carrier quote or contract pricing | Account management, pricing tied to your volume | One carrier’s network and price at a time |
| Freight broker | Broker quotes from its carrier pool | Human help on complex or unusual freight | Less visibility into each carrier’s price |
| PalletPath | Online LTL quote from ParcelPath’s freight service | Freight and parcel shipping in one ParcelPath account | Quotes depend on accurate class and dimensions, like any LTL tool |
Whichever route you choose, compare more than one quote on the same lane. Our breakdown of how LTL shipping rates are set explains why two carriers can price the same pallet very differently, and the guide to finding the best LTL freight rates covers the levers you control.
Did the FedEx Freight spin-off change LTL Select?
FedEx Freight completed its spin-off from FedEx Corporation on June 1, 2026, and now trades on the New York Stock Exchange as FDXF. LTL Select is still listed among FedEx Freight’s tools, and FedEx Freight’s core service levels remain Priority, Economy and Direct.
At the spin-off, FedEx Freight described itself as the largest pure-play LTL carrier in North America, with about 40,000 team members and nearly 30,000 vehicles. For shippers, the practical point is that FedEx Freight is now a separate company from FedEx’s parcel business, so FedEx Freight pricing and FedEx parcel pricing are separate relationships. Our overview of FedEx Freight services covers each service level in detail.
When should you use LTL instead of parcel or full truckload?
LTL is the right mode when a shipment is too large for parcel carriers but too small to fill a trailer. FedEx Freight’s guidance puts typical LTL shipments between 150 and 20,000 pounds, with a maximum length of 20 feet.
- Parcel: single boxes within carrier package limits (150 pounds at UPS, 70 pounds at USPS).
- LTL: one or more pallets or crates that share trailer space with other shippers’ freight.
- Full truckload: enough freight to fill or nearly fill a trailer, or freight that must not be handled at terminals.
Our comparison of LTL vs FTL differences walks through where the line falls. For freight that does fit LTL, you can price a pallet in the PalletPath freight calculator alongside the quotes you see on LTL Select.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LTL Select free to use?
Yes. FedEx Freight says LTL Select “won’t cost you a penny” to use. You pay the freight charges of the carrier you choose for each shipment, plus any accessorial services you add, such as liftgate or residential delivery. The platform itself is offered by FedEx Freight and operated by a third party, so there is no separate subscription to buy before you start comparing quotes.
Is LTL Select only for FedEx Freight shipments?
No. LTL Select shows quotes from multiple LTL carriers side by side, and FedEx Freight is one of them. FedEx Freight states that the platform is run by a third party and that FedEx Freight does not see your accounts or transactions with other carriers. That lets you pick the carrier on each lane based on price, transit time and service rather than one carrier by default.
Can LTL Select create a bill of lading?
Yes. After you select a quote on LTL Select, you can generate a bill of lading in as few as two clicks, according to FedEx Freight. Print a paper copy for the driver when the shipment is international, contains hazardous materials or is a shipper-load-and-count shipment, because FedEx Freight requires a paper BOL at pickup for those shipment types.
Does LTL Select handle hazmat freight?
Yes. FedEx Freight lists hazardous materials among the shipments you can quote and ship on LTL Select. You still need the correct proper shipping name, hazard class, UN number and packing group on the bill of lading, and the freight must be packaged and labeled to Department of Transportation rules before the carrier will pick it up.
Sources
- FedEx Freight, LTL Select (fedexfreight.com/en-us/services/ltl-select)
- FedEx Freight, Services overview (fedexfreight.com/en-us/services)
- FedEx Freight, Freight Shipping 101 (fedexfreight.com/en-us/support-resources/freight-shipping-101)
- FedEx Freight Newsroom, FedEx Freight Completes Spin-Off and Begins Trading on the New York Stock Exchange, June 1, 2026 (newsroom.fedexfreight.com)
- NMFTA, NMFTA Implements Historic NMFC Changes; Launches ClassIT+
This article is part of our LTL services guide. For freight tips and updates, follow ParcelPath on LinkedIn.
Part of our ParcelPath Going Freight guide. Related: LTL Freight and Logistics: Complete Guide to Less-Than-Truckload Shipping.
