Shipping Tools
Freight density calculator
For density-rated freight, density sets the freight class. Enter your shipment’s dimensions and weight to get pounds per cubic foot (PPCF) and the class it points to.
Calculate your density
How freight density works
Density is your shipment weight divided by its volume in cubic feet. To get cubic feet, multiply length by width by height in inches, then divide by 1,728, the number of cubic inches in a cubic foot. Multiply by the number of identical pieces for a full shipment. The result is pounds per cubic foot (PPCF).
Density matters because it is one of the biggest drivers of freight class, and the class in turn is a major factor in your LTL rate. A denser shipment usually earns a lower class and a lower rate, so getting the number right up front avoids re-classification fees later.
Keep in mind that NMFC classes can also vary with handling, liability, and stowability, which affect the cost too.
Shipping Tools
The NMFC density scale
This is the NMFC’s current density scale, in effect since July 19, 2025. It applies to density-rated items: many commodities have their own NMFC item that sets the class, weighing handling, stowability, and liability too, and the carrier’s classification governs. Use the scale as a guide, then let us confirm the class.
| Freight class | Density (lb per cu ft) |
|---|---|
| 50 | 50 or more |
| 55 | 35 to under 50 |
| 60 | 30 to under 35 |
| 65 | 22.5 to under 30 |
| 70 | 15 to under 22.5 |
| 85 | 12 to under 15 |
| 92.5 | 10 to under 12 |
| 100 | 8 to under 10 |
| 125 | 6 to under 8 |
| 175 | 4 to under 6 |
| 250 | 2 to under 4 |
| 300 | 1 to under 2 |
| 400 | Less than 1 |
Freight density
What is freight density?
Freight density is the weight of a shipment per unit of volume, expressed in the freight industry as pounds per cubic foot (PPCF). Carriers weigh it heavily when they price a shipment, because it decides how much of a trailer your freight occupies for its weight.
Density is also the starting point for the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC), the standardized system the freight industry uses to group commodities and set the charges for moving them. Since July 19, 2025, density-rated items take their class from the NMFC’s 13-tier density scale. Many commodities have their own NMFC item instead, where handling, liability, and stowability count too, so density points you at a class rather than fixing it.
Knowing your freight density helps you negotiate better rates, avoid overpaying, and choose packaging that keeps your goods secure in transit.
Why it matters
Why knowing your density is so important
It sets your cost
Carriers price on weight and volume together. A high-density shipment fits more goods in less space and pays less per pound.
It sets your class
Density largely determines your NMFC freight class, which affects both the rate and the carrier liability that applies to the shipment.
It shapes your packaging
Knowing how dense a load is helps you choose the packaging and pallet configuration that prevent damage or loss in transit.
Turn your density into an estimated class with the freight class lookup, or look up a term in the freight glossary.
Rates
How density affects rates and shipping costs
Carriers charge based on weight and volume, and density ties the two together. High-density freight lets more goods fit on a truck or vessel, which lowers the rate and the overall shipping cost. Low-density freight takes up space without much weight, so fewer goods fit and the cost per pound rises.
Because higher density usually means a lower class, density shows up in your rate twice. An underestimated density can also mean a re-classification and a billing adjustment after delivery, so measure carefully: the full length, width, and height at the widest points, including the pallet.
Have your numbers? Request a quote and our team will confirm the class and price the shipment, or see how LTL freight pricing works.
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Tell us the origin, destination, and what you are shipping. We will quote it and get it on a truck.