LTL Freight Classes Explained
What Is Freight Class and Why Does It Matter for LTL Shipping?
If you’ve requested a quote for LTL freight, there’s a good chance you’ve been asked for the freight class. For businesses that don’t deal with shipping every day, that question can be confusing.
Freight class is one of the pieces of information used to determine how an LTL shipment should be rated and handled. Getting it right matters because an incorrect classification can affect your original quote, create adjustments after pickup, and make it harder to accurately compare shipping options.
Understanding the basics can make the quoting process much easier.
What Is Freight Class?
Freight class is part of the National Motor Freight Classification, commonly referred to as the NMFC. The system is used throughout the less-than-truckload shipping industry to classify freight based on the characteristics of the shipment.
Freight classes range from 50 to 500. In general, freight that is dense, easy to handle, and easy to fit into a trailer tends to fall into a lower class. Freight that takes up more space for its weight, requires additional handling, or presents greater risk may fall into a higher class.
The four main factors considered when classifying freight are:
- Density
- Handling
- Stowability
- Liability
These factors give carriers a more consistent way to evaluate the space and work involved in transporting different types of freight.
Density Plays a Major Role in LTL Freight Class
Density is the relationship between the weight of your shipment and the amount of space it occupies.
A pallet that weighs 1,000 pounds but takes up relatively little trailer space has a high density. A large pallet weighing only 200 pounds has a much lower density, even though its dimensions may be similar.
This matters with LTL shipping because several customers' shipments may share the same trailer. The amount of trailer space your freight occupies is an important part of determining the cost of transporting it.
Density is calculated by determining the cubic feet of the shipment and dividing its weight by that number.
For example, a pallet measuring 48 inches long, 40 inches wide, and 45 inches high occupies 50 cubic feet. If that pallet weighs 450 pounds, its density is 9 pounds per cubic foot.
Accurate measurements matter. The pallet, packaging, overhang, and the full height of the shipment should be included when determining dimensions.
Freight Class Is Based on More Than Weight
Two shipments with the same weight can have different freight classes.
Handling is one reason. Standard palletized freight that can easily be moved with a forklift is generally simpler to handle than freight with an unusual shape, unstable packaging, or special loading requirements.
Stowability also matters. Carriers need to consider how efficiently a shipment can be loaded alongside other freight. An unusually long or awkwardly shaped item may use trailer space differently from a standard pallet.
Liability looks at the risk associated with transporting the commodity. Freight that is fragile, particularly valuable, susceptible to damage, or capable of damaging other cargo may require different classification considerations.
This is why looking at shipment weight alone won’t always tell you the correct LTL freight class.
Why Does the Correct Freight Class Matter?
Freight class can directly affect your LTL freight quote.
If a shipment is quoted using the wrong classification, the carrier may inspect or reclassify the freight after pickup. That can result in a different final charge than the amount originally quoted.
Incorrect dimensions can create the same problem. If a pallet is listed as 40 inches tall but actually measures 55 inches once it reaches the carrier terminal, the difference may change its density and potentially its classification.
For a more accurate freight quote, it helps to provide the correct weight, dimensions, commodity, packaging type, and any special characteristics of the shipment from the beginning.
That information allows your freight broker and the carrier to work from a more accurate picture of what is actually being shipped.
What Is an NMFC Number?
The NMFC system also assigns item numbers to freight commodities and groups of commodities. These NMFC numbers help identify how a particular type of freight should be classified.
The correct NMFC number and freight class may depend on exactly what you are shipping and how it is packaged. Some commodities also have classification provisions that vary based on density.
If your business ships the same products regularly, keeping accurate records of your commonly used NMFC information can make future LTL quotes easier to prepare.
It is still worth checking the information when something about the shipment changes. Different packaging, pallet dimensions, weight, or commodity details may affect how the freight should be classified.
What Information Should You Have Before Requesting an LTL Quote?
You don’t need to become an expert in freight classification before shipping a pallet. You do need accurate information about the load.
Before requesting an LTL freight quote, it helps to know the pickup and delivery locations, total weight, length, width and height of the shipment, number of pallets or handling units, commodity being shipped, and any unusual pickup or delivery requirements.
If you already know the NMFC number or freight class, provide that information as well.
The more accurate the shipment details are at the beginning, the easier it is to compare available LTL shipping options and reduce the chance of unexpected changes later.
Working With a Freight Broker on LTL Shipments
For businesses that only ship occasionally, freight classification can feel unnecessarily complicated. Even companies that ship regularly may run into products or shipment configurations they haven’t dealt with before.
A freight broker can help organize the shipment information, identify the transportation requirements, compare carrier options, and arrange the shipment with an appropriate LTL carrier.
Cheetah Transport works with businesses in the Kansas City area and throughout the country to arrange LTL freight transportation through a network of carriers. We help customers work through the details of their shipment before booking, including weight, dimensions, freight characteristics, pickup requirements, and delivery needs.
Accurate information at the quoting stage makes the entire process easier to manage.
Get an LTL Freight Quote
If you need to ship palletized freight and aren’t sure about the freight class, carrier, or service you need, Cheetah Transport can help.
Send us the pickup and delivery locations, shipment dimensions, weight, commodity information, and any special requirements. We can review the shipment details and help arrange an LTL freight option that fits the load.
Contact Cheetah Transport to request an LTL freight quote or get help planning your next shipment.
