[Quick Answer 块 — 为精选摘要和 AI 引用优化，55 词内]
Freight class is a standardized rating from 50 to 500 that LTL carriers use
to price shipments. Defined by the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC),
it reflects a shipment's density, handling, stowability, and liability.
Lower class means denser, easier freight — and lower rates. Since July 19, 2025,
most general commodities are classed primarily by density on a 13-tier scale.
Every less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment in the United States gets a freight
class. That single number tells carriers how hard your freight is to move — and
it's one of the biggest inputs in your rate. Two pallets of identical weight can
cost very different amounts to ship if one is class 70 and the other is class 250.
The system is maintained by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association
(NMFTA) in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). There are **18
classes**: 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 77.5, 85, 92.5, 100, 110, 125, 150, 175, 200,
250, 300, 400, and 500.
The NMFC evaluates four transportation characteristics:
1. Density — weight per cubic foot. The dominant factor since 2025, and the
only one you can compute yourself.
2. Stowability — how easily your freight packs with other shipments. Long,
irregular, or hazardous freight stows poorly.
3. Handling — the care and equipment required. Fragile or awkward freight
needs more handling.
4. Liability — risk of damage, theft, or spoilage. High-value and perishable
freight carries more liability.
For general commodities without special handling, stowability, or liability
flags, class comes straight from density:
| Density (lbs/ft³) | Class | Density (lbs/ft³) | Class | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 or greater | 50 | 10 to under 12 | 92.5 | |
| 35 to under 50 | 55 | 8 to under 10 | 100 | |
| 30 to under 35 | 60 | 6 to under 8 | 125 | |
| 22.5 to under 30 | 65 | 4 to under 6 | 175 | |
| 15 to under 22.5 | 70 | 2 to under 4 | 250 | |
| 12 to under 15 | 85 | 1 to under 2 | 300 | |
| Less than 1 | 400 |
Bands include their lower bound: exactly 15.0 pcf is class 70; 14.9 pcf is
class 85. Download / view the full chart →
Five classes — 77.5, 110, 150, 200, and 500 — are not on this scale. They
exist only as item-specific classifications (tires are class 77.5; auto body
panels are class 150). If a calculator derives one of them from a density
number, it is running the retired pre-2025 chart.
NMFC Docket 2025-1 was the largest classification overhaul in decades:
pcf) and class 50 (50+ pcf) at the dense end. Before the change, everything
denser than 30 pcf stopped at class 60 — dense shippers now earn lower rates.
to density-based classification.
canceling additional legacy items. Classifications are now an ongoing
maintenance task, not an annual one.
Step 1 — Compute your density.
Measure the handling unit at its extreme points — pallet and packaging included:
Volume (ft³) = (Length × Width × Height in inches) ÷ 1,728
Density (pcf) = Weight (lbs) ÷ Volume (ft³)
Or skip the math: [free freight class calculator →] /freight-class-calculator/
Step 2 — Find the band on the scale.
The table above converts density to class.
Step 3 — Check the NMFC item.
If your commodity has handling, stowability, or liability flags, the item
carries its own class regardless of density. Look it up:
[NMFC code lookup →] /nmfc-code-lookup/ — or confirm in ClassIT (NMFTA's
official tool) before booking.
A crated machine on a 48×40 pallet, 48 inches tall including the pallet, total
weight 1,150 lb:
Volume = (48 × 40 × 48) ÷ 1,728 = 53.3 ft³
Density = 1,150 ÷ 53.3 = 21.6 pcf → Class 70
Add 50 lb of product and the same pallet reaches 22.5 pcf exactly — class 65, a
cheaper rate for shipping *more*. Class boundaries are price breaks, and they
reward shippers who measure precisely.
prices it. One code maps to one class, but most classes cover thousands of codes.
carrier tariffs can override it in specific lanes.
a 2024 bill of lading may be wrong today.
1. Forgetting the pallet. Standard pallets add roughly 6 inches of height and
40 lb — enough to move borderline shipments a full class.
2. Measuring the product instead of the shipment. Carriers measure extreme
points with automated dimensioners. Overhang and bulging shrink wrap count.
3. Trusting old charts. Any chart showing class 77.5 at 13.5 pcf or capping
dense freight at class 60 predates July 2025.
4. Skipping the item check. Density gives the right answer for most general
freight — and the wrong one for tires, glass, flat screens, and hundreds of other
flagged commodities.
What is freight class in simple terms?
A number from 50 to 500 that tells LTL carriers how difficult your shipment is to
transport. Lower numbers mean denser, easier freight and cheaper rates.
How many freight classes are there?
18: 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 77.5, 85, 92.5, 100, 110, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300,
400, and 500. Thirteen of them sit on the standard density scale; five (77.5,
110, 150, 200, 500) come only from specific commodity items.
Is freight class based on weight?
Not weight alone — density (weight per cubic foot). A 500 lb pallet of machine
parts and a 500 lb pallet of pillows are very different classes.
Who decides freight class?
The NMFTA maintains the classification standard (NMFC). Shippers declare the
class on the BOL; carriers verify by measuring at the terminal and reclassify
when the declaration is wrong.
Does freight class affect price?
Directly. LTL rates are quoted per hundredweight by class — moving from class
100 to class 70 typically cuts the rate per hundredweight by roughly a quarter,
before any other discounts.
[内链区]
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