Factors That Determine Freight Class

There are many components that play a role in deciding the freight class of your shipments. Knowing how to identify and plan for this can help lower your overall shipping costs.

Here are the factors that determine freight class for all products that are shipped:

Density

The density of the product is the primary factor when determining freight class. The density of a shipment is the pounds per cubic foot of your freight. Freight with a lower density will usually require a higher freight class.

Ability to Stow

Another big factor when determining the proper freight class for your shipments is how well you can stow the freight. If an item is difficult to load, requires excess space, or is extremely heavy, you run the risk of higher shipping costs. This can be further impacted by what is being shipped due to possible government regulations on what can and cannot be shipped together.

Handling

Another of the factors that determine freight class is the handling required to complete shipment. Generally, the easier an item is to ship, the lower the cost will be. Items that are excessively heavy or difficult to load can be given a higher freight class. Other handling factors that can raise freight class include the dimensions of the freight, how the shipment was packed, and how fragility of the product.

Liability

The last factor that determines what the freight class will be is the liability assumed by the carrier. If an item is more likely to be damaged, lost, or stolen, it’ll cost more to send the shipment. This extra risk assumed by delivering the product has the costs passed on to the person or business sending the item.

With so many factors that can impact the cost of your shipping, it’s a good idea to have a partner on your side who can help you navigate these costs of doing business. Diversified Transportation Services is a proud shipping logistics company that can help you achieve your business shipping goals.