LTL carriers price freight by weight, distance and freight class. Class runs from 50 (dense, cheap to move) to 500 (light and bulky). The higher the class, the higher the rate for the same weight.
Class comes from the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). For a growing share of items, class is set by density: how many pounds the shipment weighs per cubic foot of space it takes on the truck.
What changed in 2025
NMFC Docket 2025-1 took effect on July 19, 2025. It replaced the old 11-step density scale with a 13-step scale that adds classes 55 and 50 for very dense freight, and moved many items that used to have a fixed class onto the density scale.
| Density (lb per cubic foot) | Class |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 400 |
| 1 to under 2 | 300 |
| 2 to under 4 | 250 |
| 4 to under 6 | 175 |
| 6 to under 8 | 125 |
| 8 to under 10 | 100 |
| 10 to under 12 | 92.5 |
| 12 to under 15 | 85 |
| 15 to under 22.5 | 70 |
| 22.5 to under 30 | 65 |
| 30 to under 35 | 60 |
| 35 to under 50 | 55 |
| 50 or more | 50 |
How to work out density
- Measure each handling unit, including the pallet and packaging, in inches. Measure to the inch at the widest points.
- Multiply length × width × height and divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet.
- Add up the weight of every unit, including pallets, in pounds.
- Divide total pounds by total cubic feet. That's density in pounds per cubic foot (PCF).
Example: two pallets, each 48 × 40 × 48 in and 700 lb. Each pallet is 48 × 40 × 48 ÷ 1,728 = 53.3 cubic feet. Total: 1,400 lb ÷ 106.7 ft³ = 13.1 PCF, which is class 85.
Avoiding a re-bill
Carriers re-measure and re-weigh freight. If the real numbers put you in a different class, they send a corrected bill, often with a fee. To avoid it:
- Measure the whole handling unit, with the pallet, not just the product.
- Don't round every side to 48 inches out of habit. Small changes can move you across a class line.
- Re-measure items you ship often. The 2025 scale changed where many of them land.
- Not every item is classed by density. Some still have their own NMFC listing, so check your item if you aren't sure.
Booking LTL with Muvo
Muvo Freight works out the class from the sizes and weights you enter, warns you about guessed dimensions, and shows LTL quotes next to a dedicated truck from Baltic Global.
Sources: NMFTA, Decoding density; FedEx Freight, NMFC changes. The class on your bill comes from the carrier and the NMFC, not this guide.