Groupage freight (LTL): a few pallets without paying for a whole truck
For smaller volumes we organise groupage (LTL): your goods travel in a truck with other shipments and you pay for the space they take up. Almost a third of our shipments are part loads, from a single pallet up.
Reviewed by: Alen Protić, Head of Logistics · October 2026
of our shipments is a part load
up, across Croatia and Europe
partner carriers
loading and unloading countries
How groupage works
A truck on one lane collects shipments from several shippers and delivers them to several addresses. You pay for the share of space and weight your goods use, not for the whole vehicle.
Groupage pays off when your goods take up a small part of the truck: from one pallet to a few loading metres. If the shipment fills most of the truck or the deadline is short, a dedicated truck is often the better choice, and the dispatcher will say so in the quote.
We organise it on domestic and international lanes, with the same process as a full truckload.
When groupage is the right choice
Compared with sending a whole truck.
Smaller volumes
From one pallet to a few loading metres. You pay only for the space used.
Regular deliveries
For businesses that ship small quantities often and do not want to wait until they fill a truck.
Domestic and international lanes
Within Croatia, and imports and exports with the EU and the region.
Several consignees
Pallets for several customers in one trip: one loading at your site, several delivery addresses.
Urgent small shipment
If a few pallets cannot wait for a groupage truck, we organise a van or rigid truck for them alone.
When a whole truck is better
Large volume, an urgent deadline or goods that must not travel with other shipments.
How a groupage shipment runs
For groupage, accurate shipment details matter most.
Enquiry with dimensions
Number of pallets, dimensions, weight and whether the goods can be stacked.
Quote
The dispatcher finds a truck on your lane and sends the price and an indicative timing.
Loading
The truck collects your goods at the agreed slot, together with other shipments on the route.
Delivery
We follow the shipment to unloading and send you proof of delivery.
How groupage is priced
The price depends on how much space and weight your goods take in the truck:
- Loading metres and pallets
- A loading metre (ldm) is one metre of trailer length. A EUR pallet takes about 0.4 ldm if it is not stacked.
- Weight
- Heavy goods can cost more than the space they take, because they use the truck's payload.
- Stacking
- Pallets that can be stacked take less space and cost less.
- Lane
- On lanes with more shipments a truck is easier to find and the price is lower.
- Unloading conditions
- A tail lift or manual unloading when there is no forklift at the address.
How to prepare a groupage shipment
A well-prepared shipment travels faster and without damage.
Palletised and wrapped
Goods on a pallet, stretch-wrapped and secured so they do not shift when the truck brakes.
Exact dimensions and weight
Wrong measurements mean the goods do not fit the planned space and wait for the next truck.
Labelled
Each pallet shows the consignee's name and address and the pallet count, for example 2/3.
Guides for planning your shipment
How to prepare a freight enquiry (and get an accurate quote faster)
Learn the six details a useful freight enquiry should include and which mode-specific information helps produce a clearer quote.
A logistics glossary: what the words in your freight quote actually mean
Freight forwarding, FTL and LTL, intermodal transport, Incoterms and CMR explained plainly, phase by phase.
How to choose a freight mode: road, sea, air or rail?
Four questions that shape the choice between road, sea, air and rail freight.
Frequently asked questions
A loading metre is one metre of trailer length across the full width. A EUR pallet (120 × 80 cm) takes about 0.4 ldm if not stacked, which is why a 13.6 m semi-trailer takes 33 pallets.
By the space (pallets or loading metres) and weight your goods take up, plus the lane and unloading conditions. That is why exact dimensions and weight matter for the quote.
It can, because the truck loads and unloads other shipments on the way. If the deadline is critical, the dispatcher will suggest a dedicated vehicle.
That is your decision. Stackable pallets take less space and cost less. If they must not be stacked, say so in the enquiry and on the pallet.
Yes. We organise groupage within Croatia and on international lanes with the EU and the region.
Have a shipment? Tell us where from, where to and what.
For transport, send a quote request — a dispatcher checks the route and capacity and comes back with a concrete proposal. For general questions about working together, use the contact form.
or call +385 91 111 8209 · info@humble-logistics.com
