The first step to quoting any freight shipment is figuring out what freight class your shipment falls into. The easiest way to do that is to use a freight calculator.
All you have to do is put in your measurements and it will tell you what class your freight falls into.
Why Do You Need a Freight Class?
Carriers use the freight class among other information to determine your rate. It is vital that you have an accurate class to ensure your rate is correct. Otherwise you risk a rate adjustment and surprise additional charges.
What Is a Freight Class?
Freight classes are a standardized classification based on the density of the item. Carriers can make more money on small dense items than they can on large light items. Because of this, rates can vary greatly and it is vital your get the correct class.
Do you have a freight shipment you need to quote? Now is your chance to try out a freight calculator so you can get an accurate quote for your freight shipment.
Freight Class Chart
| Freight Class | Weight (lbs) | Commodities |
| 50 | 50+ | Gravel. Sheetrock. Common building bricks. Flour, cornmeal |
| 55 | 35-50 | Terrazzo/concrete tiles, bricks, cement, mortar, hardwood flooring. |
| 60 | 30-35 | Machinery in crates. School crayons in boxes. Paperback books |
| 65 | 22.5-30 | Bottled beverages. Books in boxes. Wood/cement roofing tile |
| 70 | 15-22.5 | Metal castings. Car carriers, luggage racks. Food items. Automobile engines |
| 77.5 | 13.5-15 | Tires. Bathroom fixtures. T-shirts/clothing >12lbs PCF |
| 85 | 12-13.5 | Prepared food. Cotton/synthetic cloth fibre, bales, rolls |
| 92.5 | 10.5-12 | Electric toothbrushes. Computers, etc (value up to $5/lb). Refrigerators |
| 100 | 9-10.5 | Used household goods. Boat/car seat, hood, etc covers. Wine cases, caskets |
| 110 | 8-9 | Paintings of low value. Cabinets. Framed artwork. Table saws |
| 125 | 7-8 | Wooden furniture. Small household appliances |
| 150 | 6-7 | Clothing. Auto sheet metal parts. Computers, etc (value up to $10/lb) |
| 175 | 5-6 | Fish Tanks, aquariums. Clothing. Couches, stuffed furniture |
| 200 | 4-5 | Ground/polished optical lenses. Packaged mattresses |
| 250 | 3-4 | Bamboo furniture. Plasma televisions. Computers, etc (value up to $25/lb) |
| 300 | 2-3 | Stuffed animals. Wood cabinets, tables, chairs |
| 400 | 1-2 | Bags of potato chips or popcorn. Deer antlers |
| 500 | < 1 |
How to Calculate Freight Class
If you choose to do your calculations by hand, you need to know the four factors that go into figuring out the freight class.
Density
To calculate density you need to know the dimensions and weight of your shipment.
Density = Mass/Volume
As the formula states, divide the total mass by the total volume to find out density.
Stowability
How easy is your item to move and pack into a truck? The more careful the carrier has to be, the higher your freight class will be.
This could be because your item is extremely heavy, or an odd shape, or cannot have anything stacked on top of it.
Volume= Length x Width x Height
Handling
Similar to stowability, any shipment that requires special handling will get a higher freight class.
Liability
The carrier doesn’t want to take on any more liability than they have to. Because of this, shipments that increase liability get a higher freight class.
This includes shipments that are hazardous, breakable, or perishable.
How Is Freight Different From Parcel?
Parcel shipping is for smaller items and letters. If a single human can lift and carry it, then you can probably ship it by parcel. If your item is large or over 150 pounds, then it is best to ship it by freight.
Carrier
USPS
UPS
FedEx
DHL
Max Weight
70 lbs
150lbs
150 lbs
150 lbs
Max Length
108 in
108 in
119 in
108 in
Max Length + Girth
130 in
165 in
165 in
165 in
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