How Shipment Tracking Works for LTL and FTL Freight

What happens after pickup, where tracking updates come from, and what common tracking statuses actually mean

In freight shipping, tracking doesn’t work quite like parcel tracking. You usually won’t see a little truck icon moving down the highway in real time, but you can see reliable status updates at key points in the trip.

This guide explains how shipment tracking works in LTL and FTL freight shipping, why updates sometimes appear “late,” and what to do when you see different tracking statuses.

How freight shipment tracking works in general

Freight shipment (LTL & FTL) tracking updates primarily come from scans and system events; some carriers also use GPS/ELD or sensor data behind the scenes. Here’s a typical sequence of events:

1) You book the shipment

The carrier (or Freightera) creates a shipment record in their system, and you receive a BOL (Bill of Lading) number, and a pickup number.

2) Pickup day

The driver arrives, and you hand over the freight with the correct BOL.

For LTL, the driver usually doesn’t scan at your dock; they put a label on the freight and scan it back at the terminal.

For FTL, the whole truck is your load, so tracking will update on a shipment level (not per pallet).

3) First terminal or dispatch scan

Once the freight hits the origin terminal (LTL) or the trip is dispatched in the carrier’s system (FTL), the shipment becomes trackable online.

For LTL, this is often when a PRO number is created (see this article for a detailed explanation on the differences vs. BOL and PRO numbers). If you’re dealing with a carrier directly, a PRO number is often used interchangeably with a tracking number.

4) Movement and handoffs

In LTL shipping, your pallets move terminal-to-terminal and may switch to a partner carrier mid-route. Each handoff creates more scans and sometimes a new tracking number.

When it comes to FTL: the truck usually runs direct from shipper to receiver, so you’ll see fewer (but bigger) status changes.

5) Final delivery

When the shipment is delivered, the driver gets a signed delivery receipt / Proof of Delivery (POD).

In the system, your shipment status is updated to “Delivered”.

When you ship with Freightera:

You don’t have to juggle all the different carrier numbers. You can track your shipment using your Freightera BOL number in your account, and our team handles the complex bits (PROs, partner carrier references, etc.) in the background.

Typical shipment status updates (depending on the carrier / platform):

Because LTL moves through multiple terminals, you’ll often see more status updates than with FTL:

1) “Scheduled” or “Pending pickup”

This means the shipment is booked, and a pickup is on the carrier’s list.

To track the shipment, use the pickup number (or BOL number if shipping with Freightera) to confirm it’s on the schedule.

2) “Picked up”

The carrier has collected the freight, but you might not see full tracking yet.

The shipment will become fully trackable after it’s scanned at the origin terminal.

3) “Arrived at terminal” / “At origin terminal”

Your freight has reached the carrier’s terminal and been scanned into their system.

The carrier may assign a PRO number to your shipment (for tracking on their end).

4) “Departed terminal” / “In transit” / “Linehaul”

This status update means the freight is on a truck heading to a regional terminal.

You’ll see a series of “arrived” / “departed” updates as it moves through the terminal network.

5) “At destination terminal”

The freight is now in the final terminal near your delivery location.

The next step is loading it on a local delivery truck.

6) “Out for delivery”

The local driver has your freight on the truck headed to the delivery location.

If an appointment is required, you might also see “appointment scheduled” or “appointment required.”

7) “Delivered”

The delivery is complete; the driver has a signed delivery receipt: a proof of delivery or POD.

How FTL tracking works (fewer updates but bigger milestones)

For FTL (full truckload), you get a dedicated truck and a simple, point-to-point route. That means there are fewer tracking events than with LTL.

Typical FTL statuses might include:

• “Dispatched” / “Truck assigned” – a truck has been booked and planned.
• “Picked up” – freight is loaded; the truck has left the pick up location.
• “In transit” – the truck is driving toward the destination.
• “Arrived” / “At delivery location” – the truck is on-site for unloading.
• “Delivered” – delivery complete.

Some carriers and brokers can show GPS/ELD-based updates, but not every carrier shares live location data in real time. It’s normal for FTL tracking to show a handful of key milestones, rather than dozens of detailed status updates.

Most carriers only scan the freight once it reaches their terminal. The driver may have your shipment, but it doesn’t hit the tracking system until it’s checked in and scanned (often later that day or the next morning).

LTL updates usually appear at key touchpoints: such as arrival at origin terminal, arrival at the next terminal, out for delivery, and delivered. You won’t see an update at every stop, just on those main events, when the carrier scans your shipment and updates its status in their system.

First, check if an appointment is required or if there’s an “exception” note. If nothing is obvious, contact support with your BOL or tracking number and ask the carrier (or Freightera, if you have booked through us) to check for holds, missed scans, or capacity delays.

Carriers often create their own PRO number when they scan the freight, and partner carriers may create new numbers at handoff. When tracking your shipment with Freightera, you can use your Freightera BOL number in all cases.