Freight Class & Density (PCF) Calculator

Comprehensive Guide to Freight Class and Density

In the logistics and LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) shipping industry, understanding your freight density is the single most important factor in controlling shipping costs. Freight density is measured in Pounds per Cubic Foot (PCF). The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) uses this metric to assign a Freight Class ranging from Class 50 (the cheapest to ship) to Class 500 (the most expensive). Generally, the denser and more compact your cargo is, the lower your freight class and the less you will pay. When you are also pouring structural slabs, mirror those volume habits with our construction concrete yardage calculator and confirm the intervening foot³ picture using our cubic feet calculator so jobsite cubic feet match what carriers expect on the BOL.

Real-World Examples: High vs. Low Density

To understand why carriers price this way, imagine you are filling a standard 53-foot truck trailer. If you are shipping a pallet of solid bricks, it takes up very little physical space but weighs a massive amount. This high-density cargo (often Class 50) allows the carrier to fit dozens of other pallets into the same truck, making it highly profitable and cheaper for you. Conversely, if you are shipping a pallet of fully assembled ping-pong tables, it takes up half the truck but weighs almost nothing. This low-density cargo (Class 500) prevents the carrier from adding more freight, so you are essentially paying for the empty air inside the truck. Heavy civil crews avoid that air penalty by reconciling base stone orders through a gravel calculator and trucked fill quotes in a cubic yard calculator before they tender oversized forms.

Freight Class & Density Reference Table

Frequently Asked Questions