Awareness of the exact commodity could inform packaging decisions, which help influence freight classification. It’s beneficial to manufacturers, shippers and carriers alike to partner with a 3PL who cares enough to know precisely what it is you’re shipping. To do so requires adherence to certain provisions, and a shipment can only be bumped one class. 'Bumping' is the practice of declaring an artificially higher weight on the original bill of lading to qualify for a lower freight classification. How 3PLs Use Freight Class to Lower Shipping Costs:Ĭlever third-party logistics (3PL) may be able to finagle freight classifications to benefit your bottom line. Freight that is particularly susceptible to damage or theft will be ranked higher.Ī good rule of thumb to follow is: The lower the density, the higher the freight class. Easily handled, dense, sturdy freight will be tagged with a low classification.

There are 18 possible classifications for LTL freight, ranging from low, 50, to high, 500. L x W x H = inches3 # inches3 / 1,728 = feet3weight in lbs./ feet3 = density This will give you the density of your freight. Then, divide the weight of your freight (in pounds) by the total cubic feet.To convert to cubic feet, divide this by 1,728 (the number of cubic inches in a cubic foot).Multiply these three metrics to calculate the size of your freight in cubic inches.

Determine the length, width and height of your freight in inches (Including packaging).

Step by Step Instructions for Calculating Freight Density: Freight class attempts to quantify relative stowability to reflect how easy or difficult it is to handle various kinds of freight. There are several freight types that cannot be loaded together, such as certain hazardous materials, freight that is particularly massive, or that protrudes in a fixed, inconvenient direction. Some types of freight are subject to government regulation or specific carrier policies. Perishable items and dangerous chemicals, for instance, carry potential liability concerns and costs. Heightened risk of theft or accidental damage is considered when leveraging accountability. These sorts of restrictions may warrant a change in freight classification. Still, there is freight that requires special care and attention due to restrictions brought upon by irregularities in weight and/or shape, excessive fragility, or hazardous properties. Most cargo is simple to load and unload, especially when these tasks are doled out to machinery, as they often are. per cubic foot (gold flakes, for example). On the other end of the spectrum, at class 500, we see freight that is less dense than 1 lb. Regarding class: Class 50 (lowest class) is assigned to freight that is greater than 50 lbs. Within the shipping realm, density is defined as the space an item occupies in relation to its weight. *Distance, volume, and other market factors may also inform how your freight is classified.

Transportability & Determining Metricsįreight class describes a commodity’s overall “transportability.” The four primary metrics used to calculate transportability are: These do not all share liability and density values, nor do they necessarily require equal handling and stowing efforts, and therefore, must be priced differently. The NMFC is specific to LTL shipments because they entail a variety of products being shipped on a single pallet.

By providing a definitive source of common ground between shippers and carriers, this system helps facilitate smooth and productive freight rate negotiations and logistics. This is necessary for simplifying comparative evaluations of the billions of different products annually shipped within today’s globally competitive market. The intention behind NMFC is to provide a standard comparison of commodities for freight identification and classification. It’s used for interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce movement of LTL (less than truckload) shipments. Also included is a step-by-step guide for calculating freight density.įreight class, or NMFC (National Motor Freight Classification), is a shipping industry standard and grouping system developed by the nonprofit National Motor Freight Traffic Association. Learn how logistics partners differentiate between freight classifications set up by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association to comply with rules and regulations, and benefit your bottom line. This explainer breaks down the ins and outs of classifying freight, including how third-party logistics partners might go about using knowledge of freight class to save clients time and money. With a certain depth of industry know-how and trustworthy carrier relations, however, it is possible. It is no small task to consistently classify freight in a manner that is both customized and cost-savvy.

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