LTL Freight Pricing Demystified: Strategies to Cut Costs and Improve Efficiency

In the second session of SMC3’s 2025 LTL Online Education Hybrid Series, Jenni McCammon, Senior Sales Director for Truckload at Ascend, offered an inside look at how less-than-truckload (LTL) freight operations turn a profit—or lose one.

McCammon drew on her extensive experience to break down the often-overlooked complexities of LTL, from freight classification to pricing strategies, as well as the role technology is playing in shaping the future of the industry.

A Winding Road into LTL

McCammon’s career in transportation wasn’t the result of a lifelong plan, but rather a chance discovery during college. Initially pursuing a career in marketing, she found herself drawn into logistics—a world that quickly clicked for her.

Jenni McCammon, Senior Sales Director for Truckload at Ascend:

“Logistics and transportation have just always felt like home to me. It just makes sense.”

Decoding Freight Classification

For newcomers to LTL, freight classification can feel like a foreign language. McCammon stressed that understanding how products are classified is a foundational skill for anyone working in the industry.

“Unfortunately, you do have to know the class right now. It is something you need to understand, because it’s how the billing gets done.”

She explained that freight classification ties directly to density—how much space an item takes up relative to its weight. Knowing the class helps determine the shipping rate and getting it wrong can lead to billing disputes or inflated costs.

The Pricing Challenge

LTL pricing isn’t as simple as looking up a rate in a table. McCammon described the process as “incredibly complicated and convoluted.”

After all, there are thousands of lanes, fluctuating discounts, and special contract terms that are constantly changing how prices get calculated. McCammon spoke to the importance of asking carriers for spot quotes, as well as understanding the factors that drive rates, such as volume, lanes, and packaging.

Without developing deep knowledge as a safeguard, this level of complexity can leave small businesses vulnerable to overpaying.

Packaging Best Practices

McCammon made it clear that the cardinal sin of shipping is cutting corners on packaging.

“If you think it doesn’t need to be palletized, you need to go visit a dock.”

To get packaging right, McCammon put forward a series of best practices, including using pallets that fit the freight, wrapping shipments tightly, and protecting fragile goods with corner protectors.

Poor packaging increases the risk of damage to freight. It can also inflate costs if freight takes up unnecessary space or requires special handling.

Automation on the Horizon

While much of LTL still relies on manual processes, McCammon sees a future driven by automation and AI. She envisions a world where electronic bills of lading, automated dimensioning scanners, and data-driven decision-making become standard.

But technology will function properly only if shippers and carriers work together to implement it. As in other areas of LTL, this is a critical place for shipper/carrier collaboration to drive mutual success.

Building Partnerships, not Transactions

One of the session’s key takeaways was the importance of viewing LTL relationships as partnerships rather than simple business transactions. McCammon urged shippers to communicate openly with carriers, understand the pressures on the other side, and avoid nickel-and-diming over small claims that can sour long-term relationships.

“You both have things to gain, you both have things to understand about each other.”

Advice for Newcomers

For those just starting out in LTL, McCammon’s guidance was simple: Get hands-on experience.

“If you haven’t yet, get on a dock. Go at night if they will let you. That’s when the real action happens.”

She encouraged new professionals to ask questions relentlessly and seek out mentorship, reminding them that even the most experienced LTL veterans were once beginners.

The importance of curiosity

As the session wrapped up, McCammon looked toward the future of the industry. While she expects technology to streamline many processes, she also believes that L…

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