Freight Class Explained: What Is Freight Class?

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Freight Class is an important criterion for determining transportation costs in freight transportation. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of the definition, determination method, related factors, and practical application of Freight Class in transportation.

What is freight class?

Freight class is a standard for classifying and pricing the difficulty, risk level, and transportation cost of cargo transportation. It is widely used in the freight industry, especially in the United States LTL (less-than-truckload) services. Developed by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), this system classifies goods into 18 levels from 50 to 500. The higher the level, the higher the transportation cost. It helps transportation and logistics companies better understand and handle cargo transportation operations.

How is the freight class determined?

The freight class is determined based on the physical characteristics and difficulty of transporting the goods and is assessed using four main criteria:

Density: the ratio of the weight to the volume of the goods. The higher the density, the lower the freight class is usually assigned; the opposite is true.

Handling: whether the goods are easy to load and unload and whether there are special handling requirements. Goods that require special care when handling may be assigned a higher freight class.

Liability: The value, fragility, or other characteristics of the goods may lead to a higher risk of loss. Goods of high value or easily damaged often have a higher freight rating.

Storability: Whether the goods can be safely stacked with other goods and their impact on space utilization. Goods that are difficult to stack or take up too much space can also lead to a higher freight rating.

A freight rating is determined by comprehensively evaluating these factors.

Factors Determining Freight Class

Cargo density: Low-density goods (e.g., foam) take up more space and are assigned a higher class; high-density goods (e.g., steel) are assigned a lower class.

Cargo shape and size: Irregularly shaped or oversized goods are more difficult to load and are assigned a higher class.

Fragility: Fragile goods require special packaging or handling and are assigned a higher class accordingly.

Danger and liability risk: Dangerous goods, such as high-value or flammable goods, are usually assigned a higher class.

Freight Class Code Table

Class NameSamplesWeight Range Per Cubic Foot
Class 50 – Clean FreightFits on standard shrink-wrapped 4X4 pallet, strapping material, flourOver 50 lbs.
Class 55Bricks, cement, mortar, hardwood flooring, cloths or rags, magazines, copy paper35 – 50 lbs
Class 60Car accessories & car parts, steel cables, used tires, stone blocks, glass, moldings30 – 35 lbs
Class 65Car parts & accessories, bottled beverages, books in boxes, conveyors, chocolate in boxes, electric cords, tile22.5 – 30 lbs
Class 70Newspapers, wooden pencils, machinery, caskets, unassembled furniture, food items, automobile engines15 – 22.5 lbs
Class 77.5Tires, bathroom fixtures, garments, shirts/pants, snowplows,13.5 – 15 lbs.
Class 85Crated machinery, transmissions, clutches, doors, CDs/DVDs, motorcycle engine12 – 13.5 lbs
Class 92.5Computers, monitors, refrigerators and freezers, gas-powered generators, cabinets, kiosk or ATMs10.5 – 12 lbs
Class 100Vacuum, boat & car covers, canvas, wine cases, caskets9 – 10.5 lbs
Class 110Cabinets, framed paintings & artwork, table saw, metalworking8 – 9 lbs
Class 125Small household appliances, pictures/posters in boxes, exhibit booths, vending machines7 – 8 lbs
Class 150ATV, jet skis, motorcycles, assembled wooden furniture, work stations6 – 7 lbs
Class 175Clothing, couches, stuffed furniture, metal cabinets,5 – 6 lbs
Class 200TVs, aircraft parts, aluminum table, packaged mattresses, snowmobiles4 – 5 lbs
Class 250Bamboo furniture, engine hoods, mattresses and box springs, unassembled couch, plasma TV3 – 4 lbs
Class 300Wood cabinets, tables, chairs, model boats, kayaks/canoes, chassis2 – 3 lbs
Class 400Deer antlers1 – 2 lbs
Class 500 (Low Density or High Value)Bags of gold dust, ping pong ballsLess than 1 lb.

What is the role of freight class?

Determining transportation costs: Freight rating is essential for calculating LTL transportation costs.

Simplifying freight classification: Providing a unified standard to facilitate communication between transportation companies and shippers.

Optimizing loading: Helping transportation companies to plan cargo loading and improve transportation efficiency reasonably.

Reducing disputes: Clarifying transportation standards to reduce disputes and misunderstandings.

How to calculate the shipping class

To calculate the shipping class, follow these steps.

Measure the dimensions of the goods: length (L) x width (W) x height (H) to obtain the cubic feet.

Calculate the density: weight (lbs) ÷ cubic feet = density.

Check the class table: according to the density of the goods, check the shipping class code table to determine the corresponding class.

Example:

Cargo dimensions: 48 inches x 40 inches x 36 inches = 40 cubic feet.

Weight: 800 pounds.

Density: 800 ÷ 40 = 20 pounds per cubic foot.

Shipping class: According to the rating table, a density of 20 corresponds to a shipping class 100.

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