Understanding Freight Class

When your business operations rely on load movement, it’s important to obtain accurate pricing information, ensure proper cargo handling and have peace of mind over movement consistency. Freight classes provide the information you need to move loads safely and efficiently with accurate price points in mind. Here, you can learn more about freight class and how to ensure proper identification of your shipments.

Why Is Freight Class Important?

Freight classification ensures cargo recipients and fleet managers can rely on a standard system to identify and move freight smoothly. This system ensures the efficient and safe transport of all cargo and allows teams to make informed shipping decisions.

Generally, lower classes will have lower shipping costs. If a team uses a lower class than a shipment requires, the carrier and shipper may face additional charges to make up for any losses. Accurate classification is vital for ensuring transparent pricing, guiding budgeting decisions, driving resource allocation, preventing load damage, reducing delays and maintaining consistency. For instance, if an item is larger than the shipping class indicates, teams may be unable to optimize space use, resulting in fewer items moving with the same truckload. This issue could result in fees to make up for the lost space the cargo created.

What are the Shipping Freight Classes?

There are 18 freight classes. Here’s a breakdown of each one:

1. Class 50: This class depicts very durable items that are more than 50 pounds per cubic foot and fit on a standard 4-foot by 4-foot pallet.
2. Class 55: These items weigh between 35 and 50 pounds per cubic foot. Examples include hardwood flooring, bricks and construction materials.
3. Class 60: Items like car parts and accessories fall into the category, weighing between 30 and 35 pounds per cubic foot.
4. Class 65: Bottled drinks, some car accessories and boxed books weighing 22.5 to 30 pounds per cubic foot are in this class.
5. Class 70: This class contains items weighing between 15 and 22.5 pounds per cubic foot, such as auto engines and some food items.
6. Class 77.5: Cargo like bathroom fixtures and tires weighing between 13.5 and 15 pounds per cubic foot are in Class 77.5.
7. Class 85: This class includes cargo weighing 12 to 13.5 pounds per cubic foot, such as crated machinery and cast iron stoves.
8. Class 92.5: Refrigerators, monitors, computers and similar items weighing 10.5 to 12 pounds per cubic foot fall into this class.
9. Class 100: Cargo weighing 9 to 10.5 pounds per cubic foot is in Class 100. Examples include wine cases, boat covers and caskets.
10. Class 110: Items in this category could include table saws, cabinets, framed art or other cargo weighing 8 to 9 pounds per cubic foot.
11. Class 125: Cargo like small home appliances between 7 and 8 pounds per cubic foot are in this class.
12. Class 150: Items between 6 and 7 pounds per cubic foot, such as bookcases or auto sheet metal, are class 150.
13. Class 175: This class includes stuffed furniture or clothing weighing 5 to 6 pounds per cubic foot.
14. Class 200: Loads like packaged mattresses, aluminum tables and sheet metal parts weighing 4 to 5 pounds per cubic foot fall into this category.
15. Class 250: Items weighing 3 to 4 pounds per cubic foot are in this class. Examples include box springs, bamboo furniture and plasma televisions.
16. Class 300: This class encompasses wood cabinets, assembled chairs, model boats and similar items weighing 2 to 3 pounds per cubic foot.
17. Class 400: Fragile items like deer antlers weighing 1 to 2 pounds are in Class 400.
18. Class 500: The last class depicts items with unique handling requirements or high liability. These items weigh less than 1 pound per cubic foot and could include cargo such as ping pong balls, antiques or gold dust.

How to Determine Freight Class

You can generally determine your cargo’s freight class by finding the shipment’s density. Follow these steps:

1. Measure shipment dimensions: Record cargo information, including the height, width and length. Include packing and pallets around the actual shipment in your measurement. Round measurements to the next highest inch. If you have multiple pallets or pieces, repeat this step for each one.
2. Multiply measurements: Find the total cubic inches by multiplying the measurements from the previous step. Divide this number by 1,728 to convert it to cubic feet.
3. Add the cubic measurements: If you have multiple pieces, you must complete the previous step for each piece. Add the measurements from each one to find the total before converting to cubic feet.
4. Weigh the shipment: Record the load’s weight and divide this number by the total cubic feet. If you have multiple pieces, add the weight of each item before dividing.
5. Refer to the class chart: The final number from the previous steps is your cargo density. Use this number to determine your class on the freight chart above.

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