HomeServices Service AreasResources AboutReviewsContact Español Call 858-225-7014
Air freight cargo being loaded
Cross-Border Freight · San Diego & Otay Mesa

Partial Truckload Shipping and Clearance at the San Diego Border

For mid-size loads that are too big for LTL and too small to justify a full truck, we move and clear partial truckload freight in both directions at Otay Mesa, with the customs entry handled by the same team that books the linehaul.

What it is

What Partial Truckload Shipping Is

Partial truckload, sometimes called volume LTL, is a mode built for shipments that sit in the middle. Think roughly 8 to 18 pallets or 5,000 to 27,000 pounds. Your freight shares the trailer with a small number of other loads, so you pay for the space you use instead of a full truck, but you avoid the terminal-to-terminal hub network that standard LTL runs on.

The practical difference is touches. Standard LTL rehandles your pallets at every cross-dock, which is where damage and delay creep in. Partial truckload usually stays on one trailer from pickup to delivery, so there are fewer chances for something to get crushed, misrouted, or held. On a cross-border move that also means fewer points where paperwork and freight can fall out of sync at the Otay Mesa crossing.

What’s included

  • Volume LTL and partial truckload booking for loads between about 8 and 18 pallets
  • Space-and-weight based pricing so you are not quoted on freight class guesswork
  • Northbound U.S. import and southbound Mexico export coordination through Otay Mesa
  • ACE entry filed and matched to the linehaul so the truck and the clearance move together
  • ISF (10+2) filing when your partial load moves by ocean before the final truck leg
  • Customs bond coverage, single-entry or continuous, sized to the value crossing
  • PGA review for FDA, USDA, or other agency holds before the freight reaches the line
  • One point of contact for the freight, the entry, and the border handoff
Get started →
How it works

How we handle it

Size the shipment

You send pallet count, weight, dimensions, and commodity. We confirm partial truckload is the right call versus LTL or a full truck, and quote on the space you actually occupy.

Prep the entry

We classify the goods under the correct HTS, confirm the customs value, check for FDA, USDA, or other PGA requirements, and put the right bond in place before anything moves.

Move and clear together

The linehaul and the ACE entry are worked in parallel, so the clearance is ready when the truck reaches Otay Mesa instead of the freight waiting on paperwork.

Deliver and reconcile

Freight continues to the delivery point after release. We send you the entry summary and documents for your records and duty reconciliation.

Related services

Everything around your shipment

Questions, answered

Partial Truckload FAQ

When does partial truckload beat LTL for a cross-border shipment?

Once you are past roughly six to eight pallets, LTL pricing climbs and the freight-class math gets punishing, especially for low-density goods. Partial truckload is usually cheaper and gentler at that size because it prices on space and weight and skips the LTL hub network. It also means fewer handoffs at the border, which matters when a customs hold on one crossing can stall the whole trailer.

How is partial truckload priced compared to full truckload?

You pay for the linear feet and weight your freight takes up, not the whole trailer. So a load filling about half a 53-foot trailer costs meaningfully less than booking a full truck, while giving you the single-trailer, fewer-touches handling that LTL cannot. Full truckload only wins when you fill most of the deck or need the trailer dedicated to you alone.

Do you handle both the shipping and the customs clearance?

Yes. We book the partial truckload linehaul and file the customs entry as one workflow. The value of using a broker at the border is that the ACE entry, the bond, and any FDA or USDA review are ready when the truck arrives, so the freight is not sitting at Otay Mesa waiting on a document that should have been filed days earlier.

Can you move partial loads southbound into Mexico, not just imports?

We clear cargo both directions. Southbound partial truckload into Mexico involves the U.S. export side and coordination with the Mexican customs broker on the other side of the line, including IMMEX considerations if your goods feed a maquiladora program. We handle the U.S. filing and keep the handoff clean.

What paperwork do I need to give you to get a partial load moving?

For the freight, we need pallet count, weight, dimensions, and the pickup and delivery points. For the clearance, we need a commercial invoice, packing list, and a clear commodity description so we can assign the correct HTS code and flag any agency requirements. If it is your first entry with us, we will also set up your bond and importer details up front.

Get your free quote

Let’s move your cargo.

Send your shipment details and a bilingual broker responds fast, usually within one business day.

858-225-7014

📞 Call Free Quote