Blog → Get the right Freight Class of Your Shipment with Deftship Freight Class Calculator

Get the right Freight Class of Your Shipment with Deftship Freight Class Calculator

Are you looking to streamline your shipping process and make sure you are getting the best rates for your freight? The Deftship Freight Class Calculator can help!

What is Freight Classification System?

Before we dive into how to use the calculator, let us take a moment to understand what the Freight Classification System is all about.

The National Motor Freight Association (NMFTA) developed the freight classification system to establish standardized freight pricing for various types of commodities transported by truck. The system assigns a Freight Class to each type of commodity, which helps carriers determine the appropriate rates to charge for shipping.

So, how is Freight Class determined?

The primary factor is the density of the load, which is measured in pounds per cubic foot. Other characteristics that may be taken into consideration include handling, stowability, liability, and value. All these factors are used to determine the appropriateFreight Class for the shipment.

3 Things to Consider
Stowability

Stowability is one of the factors that can affect your freight class, which in turn can affect the cost of shipping. The way your freight can be arranged in the carrier truck is one aspect of stowability that is considered, along with the density of your freight and other characteristics like ease of handling and liability.

Note: Overall, it's important to consider the size, shape, and other characteristics of your freight when arranging for shipping, as this can affect both the cost and the efficiency of the process.

Ease of Handling

The ability of a commodity to be handled as it is loaded and unloaded from one LTL terminal to another is one factor that affects the freight class and, consequently, the cost of shipping. This includes the packaging, unit dimensions, and fragility of the item being shipped

The more difficult an item is to handle, the more it will increase the freight class and, in turn, the cost of shipping.

Note:In determining the freight class, the probability of the shipment being damaged or stolen, or damaging other adjacent shipments, is also taken into account.

Liability

The perishability, breakability, and fragility of your freight are factors that can be taken into account when determining its freight class.

Note: If you are shipping perishable items, such as food or other items that require temperature control, you may need to package them in insulated containers and mark the package as "perishable". Additionally, if your freight is fragile or breakable, extra care should be taken to ensure that it is packaged securely and marked as fragile to prevent damage during transit.

Now, let us talk about the Deftship Freight Class Calculator.

This calculator is designed to make it easy for shippers to determine the Freight Class for their shipments.

Here's how to use it:

NOTE: You don't need to have an account with Deftship to use this feature.

1. On the browser, type inhttps://deftship.com/resources/freight-class-calculator or Click HERE.

Go to our Deftship website > Resources > Freight Class Calculator

2. Put in the required information, to begin with, the calculation.

Choose the Measurement type: lb/in or kg/cm
Packaging: Custom Dimensions, 48x40 or 48x48
Enter the Length x Width x Height and Weight Value

3. You can see the result below the calculator.

Example:

Choose the Measurement type: lb/in
Packaging: 48x40
Enter the 48 x 40 x 80 and 2000 lbs
The Freight Class is 65.

That's it!

With just a few simple steps, you can determine the appropriate Freight Class for your shipment and ensure that you're getting the best rates for your freight.

In addition to the Freight Class Calculator,Deftship offers a range of other tools and resources to help shippers optimize their shipping processes. Whether you're a small business owner or a logistics professional, Deftship has the expertise and technology you need to get your shipments where they need to go, on time and on budget.

So if you're looking for a better way to manage your shipping, give Deftship a try. We're here to help you every step of the way.

You may also check out other helpful articles about Freight:

How to create a Freight Shipment

How to Track Your Freight Order