Informative Calculators ▶ Freight Class Calculator
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Table of Content
This freight class calculator is your go-to resource for determining the freight class of your shipment based on simple and easy to take measurements.
When it comes to maximizing profits, entrepreneurs should use a freight calculator for the cost estimation of freight shipping since transportation is the backbone of any product-providing business, and even also represents major costs incurred by those businesses.
Bite sized information in the subsequent sections will also equip you with practical knowledge surrounding the topics of freight, its classification and much more.
Freight refers to any shipments of goods, items or commodities weighing more than 150 lbs that are transported via air, surface or ocean transport.In order to standardize the pricing classifications of shipping industry, freight classes are used, establishing similar parameters between multiple stakeholders i.e., brokers, warehouses, carriers etc. Freight class calculations depends on some key factors like dimensions of the package, weight of the shipment, freight density, value and ease of handling. A freight class calculator could come in handy for determining the freight class based on these parameters.
Following table correlates the type of freight, its density and freight class code. It can be used to calculate freight class based on type of material being shipped and their density.
| Freight class code | Type of freight | Weight per ft3 |
| 50 | Durable freight that fits on a standard 4′ × 4′ pallet | 50+ lbs. |
| 55 | Bricks, cement, hardwood flooring, construction materials | 35–50 lbs. |
| 60 | Car accessories, car parts | 30–35 lbs. |
| 65 | Car accessories and parts, boxed books, bottled drinks | 22.5–30 lbs. |
| 70 | Car accessories and parts, auto engines, food items | 15–22.5 lbs. |
| 77.5 | Tires, bathroom fixtures | 13.5–15 lbs. |
| 85 | Crated machinery, cast iron stoves | 12–13.5 lbs. |
| 92.5 | Computers, monitors, refrigerators | 10.5–12 lbs. |
| 100 | Car covers, canvas, boat covers, wine cases, caskets | 9–10.5 lbs. |
| 110 | Cabinets, framed art, table saws | 8–9 lbs. |
| 125 | Small home appliances | 7–8 lbs. |
| 150 | Auto sheet metal, bookcases | 6–7 lbs. |
| 175 | Clothing, couches, stuffed furniture | 5–6 lbs. |
| 200 | Sheet metal parts, aluminum tables, packaged mattresses, aircraft parts | 4–5 lbs. |
| 250 | Mattresses and box springs, plasma TVs, bamboo furniture | 3–4 lbs. |
| 300 | Model boats, assembled chairs, tables, wood cabinets | 2–3 lbs. |
| 400 | Deer antlers | 1–2 lbs. |
| 500 | Gold dust, ping pong balls | <1 lb. |
Shipments transported through less than truckload (LTL) shipping are categorized into freight classes which is an industry-wide numeric classification system. Less than Truckload (LTL) refers to any shipment that is 12 linear feet or lesser in length. While in Full Truckload (FTL), only one shippers freight moves on a truck but in case of LTL multiple freights belonging to multiple shippers are carried on the same vehicle which greatly reduces the cost and improves efficiency.
Freight class classification is done by National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) through National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) for freight rate calculation. There are 18 different freight classes from class 50 to class 500 and all the items that are shipped under LTL are covered in these classifications.
Now, even you also use our online discount calculator if you prefer to determine the discounted price after applying discounts.
Following steps can be used to manually calculate the Freight Density of the shipment. If shipment consists of multiple packages, following steps need to be repeated for each piece. A Freight Class Calculator can also be used to easily perform these calculations.
Measure the length, width and height of the freight pallet using a simple measuring tape.
Measure weight of the shipment using a weighing balance.
Multiply the 3 above mentioned dimensions of the freight pallet to find the volume of the shipment by using the following formula:
Formula
$$Volume = Length \times Width \times Height$$
Compute the density of the shipment by dividing the already measured weight of the pallet with the calculated volume as per the following formula:
Formula
$$Density = \dfrac{Weight}{Volume}$$
This interactive freight class calculator accommodates a wide range of measurement units i.e. inches, feet, centimeter, meter, yard, mile, lbs, kg, stone etc.
Inputs:
Outputs:
Following outputs are generated instantly and the process could be repeated by hitting “Recalculate”:
Following are the factors which play a pivotal role in the freight classification:
It is the primary factor in determining the freight class and is calculated by dividing the weight of the shipment (in lbs) by the volume of the shipment (cu ft). In a freight density calculator, lower freight classes represent items of higher density and therefore lower costs. A freight shipping calculator is used to calculate the freight density and estimate the charges.
It basically represents how easy it is to stow a shipment. If a shipment is of irregular size of shape or contains hazardous materials which cannot be placed near to other shipments, the freight class will increase thereby increasing the freight cost.
This factor is affected by the ability of freight to be handled while being loaded and un-loaded. This parameter is affected by packaging, unit dimensions and fragility of the shipment. The difficulty in handling of the shipment will increase the freight class, thereby increasing the cost of shipping.
This considers how likely the item is being damaged, stolen, or damaging to other freight and/or property. The greater the liability risk the more this factor will increase the freight class and therefore increase the cost.
Furthermore, our Freight Class Calculator also classifies the shipments based on the above mentioned factors.
The purpose of freight class is to standardize the classification of commodities transported by LTL shipping. This classification system makes sure that customers receive unbiased price when shipping freight because carriers use this classification for pricing of freight rates and formulating the cost to ship your freight.
It is important to mention correct freight class on the shipment because these are verified by port officials (seaports or dry ports) and incorrect freight classification may result in imposition of penalties. So, using a freight density calculator comes in handy in order to avoid such consequences.
Freight class and shipping costs are directly related i.e., higher the freight class, higher will be the shipping charges. In terms of shipping costs, freight class 500 is the most expensive freight class.
Books fall under the Freight class 65 whereas food items are covered in Freight Class 70.
Since, freight classes are defined by National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) therefore, these classes are same for all the shipping carries and other stakeholders of the shipping industry.
Well, customers should understand in which class their freight is falling so that they have a vivid idea of the shipping cost. This freight class calculator provides a handy option for calculating not only the classification but also the shipping cost all at once. In order to manually categorize the shipment, the provided freight class chart could be used in conjunction with the mathematical formulae of volume and density calculation.
From the source of Wikipedia: National Motor Freight Classification, explore all about freight (association)
From the blog post of Flock Freight – How to determine Freight Class: A comprehensive guide.
From the blog post of CAF Worldwide – What is freight class and What’s so special about LTL?
From the blog post of COYOTE – LTL Freight Class vs. NMF Codes: What’s the difference?
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