Why Shared Truckload Wins When Truckload Rates Rise

Shared truckload shipping could save carriers up to 40% on costs as full truckload rates go up, according to Flock Freight CEO Pat Dillon. Dillon explains that shared truckload, or "carpooling for freight," combines two smaller shipments into one trailer, reducing costs for shippers moving larger freight volumes. This mode sits between less-than-truckload (LTL) and full truckload (FTL) shipping, targeting loads between 10 and 40 linear feet in size.

By combining two shipments, Flock can generate higher revenue per load to pay motor carriers more than traditional one-pickup, one-drop FTL moves.

Dillon emphasizes that shared truckload saves shippers money while maintaining FTL-level service and speed. The carrier economics are intentional: Flock pays its motor carriers more per load than a traditional FTL move due to the larger combined revenue base. The carrier is a standard full truckload operator, and routing is optimized to minimize out-of-route miles and avoid long layovers.

Security is a concern, but Flock has invested in cybersecurity, carrier vetting, seal requirements, and law enforcement relationships. The company's shipper base includes large importers that have faced cargo theft rings, and the post-Montgomery judgment liability environment has driven investment in carrier vetting and insurance coverage. Flock's matching process uses a proprietary dataset built over a decade, optimizing routing across thousands of partial shipments simultaneously to balance cost and service compliance.

Rising FTL spot rates in 2026 are pushing shippers toward shared truckload, which can result in hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in annual savings for high-volume shippers. The model has proven resilient during the freight recession of 2024 and 2025, as shippers sought alternative solutions to high FTL rates.