Surface & Air Freight Modes - Multi-Modal PTL

Air PTL (Part Truck Load) freight uses air cargo networks to transport shipments that don't fill an entire truck but need faster transit than surface. ProShip's air PTL network covers 4,754 BAU and 4,554 ODA pincodes through Ethics Courier, Critical Log, and Movein. Use air PTL when your SLA requires 1-3 day delivery over long distances where surface transit would take 5-7 days, or for time-sensitive inventory replenishment.

PACE (Prozo AI Courier Engine) evaluates multiple factors to select between surface and air: the delivery SLA committed to the platform or buyer, origin-destination distance, shipment weight and dimensions, cost differential between modes, historical transit performance for the specific lane, and current partner capacity. PACE auto-selects the optimal mode to meet SLA at the lowest cost - no manual intervention required.

ProShip's surface PTL network covers 20,909 BAU (Business As Usual) pincodes plus 8,438 ODA (Out of Delivery Area) pincodes through 15 courier partners. The air PTL network covers 4,754 BAU pincodes plus 4,554 ODA pincodes through Ethics Courier, Critical Log, and Movein. Combined, ProShip provides PTL freight access to 29,347+ unique serviceable pincodes across India.

BAU (Business As Usual) pincodes are standard serviceable locations where courier partners operate regular pickup and delivery routes with predictable transit times. ODA (Out of Delivery Area) pincodes are remote or less frequently served locations that may carry additional surcharges and longer transit times. ProShip covers both BAU and ODA pincodes across surface and air PTL, with PACE factoring in ODA surcharges and transit variability during partner selection.

ProShip's surface PTL network includes 15 partners: Delhivery, DP World, DTDC LTL, DTDC Exp, Gati, Safexpress, V Express, VRL, Movin, Ekart, Criticalog Surface, Baral Logistics, Blue Dart, Ethics Courier, and Criticalog AIR. Each partner brings specific strengths in terms of route coverage, transit speed, and pricing for different origin-destination lanes.

Yes, both surface and air PTL modes on ProShip support appointment-based deliveries to Q-commerce and marketplace warehouses alongside standard delivery for general freight. ProShip manages appointment date tracking, green channel coordination, and platform protocol compliance for scheduled deliveries, while standard shipments follow regular transit and delivery workflows.

Surface PTL transit times vary by origin-destination distance and lane frequency, typically ranging from 2-7 days for most routes. Metro-to-metro corridors like Delhi-Mumbai or Mumbai-Bangalore usually achieve 3-4 day transit, while shipments to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities may take 5-7 days. PACE provides estimated transit times at booking based on real historical data for each specific lane and partner.

ODA surcharges are automatically factored into the rate comparison at booking time. When you create a shipment to an ODA pincode, ProShip displays the total cost including any ODA surcharges for each serviceable partner, enabling transparent cost comparison. PACE includes ODA charges in its cost optimization when recommending the best partner for remote destinations.

Yes, ProShip provides a unified tracking dashboard for all PTL shipments regardless of whether they move via surface or air. Every shipment receives real-time status updates with transit milestone visibility, estimated delivery dates, and delivery confirmation. The dashboard also shows mode-wise performance analytics so brands can compare surface vs air transit efficiency across different lanes.

PTL (Part Truck Load) freight on ProShip handles shipments from single-box consignments of a few kilograms up to multi-box consignments of several hundred kilograms. The exact weight capacity depends on the selected courier partner and mode. For shipments exceeding PTL limits, ProShip offers FTL (Full Truck Load) options through its freight network. PACE recommends the right service tier based on shipment weight and dimensions.