Use this helpful calculator to calculate the density of your shipment.
LTL shipments are rated according to NMFC classification guidelines, which primarily consider the product's density, measured in pounds per cubic foot. Knowing the dimensions of your product is crucial for estimating accurate shipping rates. Use these simple freight classification tools to determine the density of your shipment, along with the freight class.
When a shipment is palletized, the pallet's dimensions determine the cubic size. Even though the original carton dimensions stay the same, the cubic dimensions now also include the pallet.
In the example shown, the density is 3.54 pounds per cubic foot (pcf). You would then rate this against the NMFC guidelines for your commodity.
For instance, if you are shipping plastic articles under NMFC number 156600, a density of 3.54 pcf places your shipment in sub 3 of the NMFC. Since sub 3 covers densities "2 but less than 4," your NMFC code will be 156600-3, which corresponds to class 250.
Calculating density can be time-consuming.
TLI's Transportation Management System saves time and money by automatically calculating freight class and the NMFC code as you enter shipments. Avoid reclassification charges starting today!
| NMFC Code | Shipment Item ID | Freight Class |
|---|---|---|
| 156600-1 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens less than 1 pcf | 400 |
| 156600-2 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 1 but less than 2 pcf | 300 |
| 156600-3 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 2 but less than 4 pcf | 250 |
| 156600-4 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 4 but less than 6 pcf | 175 |
| 156600-5 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 6 but less than 8 | 125 |
| 156600-6 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 8 but less than 10 pcf | 100 |
| 156600-7 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 10 but less than 12 pcf | 92.5 |
| 156600-8 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 12 but less than 15 pcf | 85 |
| 156600-9 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 15 but less than 22.5 pcf | 70 |
| 156600-10 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 22.5 but less than 30 pcf | 65 |
| 156600-11 | Plastic or Rubber Articles, NOI, dens 30 or greater pcf | 60 |
The freight class chart applies to many shipping commodities since NOI stands for "not otherwise indicated," and rubber and plastic articles fall under this NMFC code. TLI supports the shipping of all commodities, but this freight class chart, combined with the density calculator, helps you determine your PCF and freight class for plastic or rubber articles.
TLI is here to assist with shipping any commodity. We can upload any commodity you route into our transportation management system, which will then determine and autopopulate the NMFC code, freight class, and PCF for you. Our system accurately calculates these values using units of volume and considers both density and mass to ensure precise shipping classifications.
By incorporating density mass or volume into the calculations, we provide highly accurate shipment rating data with significant figures, helping you avoid costly billing errors. This ensures that the density and volume of your shipments are accurately reflected, leading to accurate shipping rates and streamlined logistics. TLI's comprehensive approach simplifies the shipping process, giving you confidence that your freight is classified correctly every time.
Shippers routing LTL freight often struggle with determining the freight class. To simplify this process, TLI offers the NMFC Freight Class Calculator, which works dynamically within our transportation management system.
This resource page provides all the information needed to manually determine the freight class.
Shippers benefit significantly from using TLI's NMFC Freight Class Calculator for LTL shipments. This tool eliminates the guesswork involved in determining the correct freight class, ensuring that shipments are accurately classified based on their density and other relevant factors.
Concerned about your inbound raw materials? Many shippers overpay for inbound shipments, but TLI's vendor portal program ensures that even your inbound shipments are autopopulated with the correct freight class using the NMFC Freight Class Calculator.
By autopopulating the NMFC code and freight class within the transportation management system, shippers can avoid costly mistakes and potential overcharges. This streamlined process not only saves time but also reduces the risk of disputes with carriers, leading to smoother operations and improved efficiency.
TLI's vendor portal program offers a substantial advantage for managing inbound shipments. Shippers often overpay due to incorrect freight class determinations on incoming materials. With the vendor portal, all inbound shipments are automatically assigned the proper freight class, ensuring accurate billing and better control over shipping costs. This comprehensive approach to managing both outbound and inbound logistics allows shippers to optimize their supply chain, reduce freight expenses, and enhance overall profitability.
