LTL & FTL SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS:
TYPES OF FREIGHT CLASS[*]
Before you determine your freight class for your shipment, you must identify certain factors about your specific freight. Freight class is based on weight, length and height, density, ease of handling, value and liability from things like theft, damage, break-ability and spoilage.. The definitions for each are as follows:
- (Weight, Length, Height) Density and Value: Density guidelines assign classification 50 to freight that weighs 50 pounds per cubic foot. The Commodity Classification Standards Board (CCSB) assigns classifications 70, 92.5, 175 and 400 to freight with densities of 15, 10.5, 5, and 1 pound per cubic foot, respectively. Freight less dense than 1 pound per cubic foot is classified as 500. The density is the space the item occupies in relation to its weight. The density is calculated by dividing the weight of the item in pounds by its volume in cubic feet. Your item’s volume in cubic feet is Length x Width x Height/1,728, where all dimensions are measured in inches. The density of your item = Weight/Volume, where Weight is measured in pounds and Volume is measured in cubic feet.
- Stow-ability: Most freight stows well in trucks, trains and boats, but some articles are regulated by the government or carrier policies. Some items cannot be loaded together. Hazardous materials are transported in specific manners. Excessive weight, length or protrusions can make freight impossible to load with other freight. The absence of load-bearing surfaces makes freight impossible to stack. A quantifiable stow-ability classification represents the difficulty in loading and carrying these items.
- Handling: Most freight is loaded with mechanical equipment and poses no handling difficulties, but some freight, due to weight, shape, fragility or hazardous properties, requires special attention. A classification that represents ease or difficulty of loading and carrying the freight is assigned to the items.
- Liability: Liability is probability of freight theft or damage, or damage to adjacent freight. Perishable cargo or cargo prone to spontaneous combustion or explosion is classified based on liability and assigned a value per pound, which is a fraction of the carrier’s liability. When classification is based on liability, density must also be considered.
Class Name | Cost | Notes, Examples | Weight Range Per Cubic Foot |
---|---|---|---|
Class 50 – Clean Freight | Lowest Cost | Fits on standard shrink-wrapped 4X4 pallet, very durable | over 50 lbs |
Class 55 | Bricks, cement, mortar, hardwood flooring | 35-50 pounds | |
Class 60 | Car accessories & car parts | 30-35 pounds | |
Class 65 | Car accessories & car parts, bottled beverages, books in boxes | 22.5-30 pounds | |
Class 70 | Car accessories & car parts, food items, automobile engines | 15 to 22.5 pounds | |
Class 77.5 | Tires, bathroom fixtures | 13.5 to 15 pounds | |
Class 85 | Crated machinery, cast iron stoves | 12-13.5 pounds | |
Class 92.5 | Computers, monitors, refrigerators | 10.5-12 pounds | |
Class 100 | boat covers, car covers, canvas, wine cases, caskets | 9-10.5 pounds | |
Class 110 | cabinets, framed artwork, table saw | 8-9 pounds | |
Class 125 | Small Household appliances | 7-8 pounds | |
Class 150 | Auto sheet metal parts, bookcases, | 6-7 pounds | |
Class 175 | Clothing, couches stuffed furniture | 5-6 pounds | |
Class 200 | Auto sheet metal parts, aircraft parts, aluminum table, packaged mattresses, | 4-5 pounds | |
Class 250 | Bamboo furniture, mattress and box spring, plasma TV | 3-4 pounds | |
Class 300 | wood cabinets, tables, chairs setup, model boats | 2-3 pounds | |
Class 400 | Deer antlers | 1-2 pounds | |
Class 500 – Low Density or High Value | Highest Cost | Bags of gold dust, ping pong balls | Less than 1 lbs. |
ESTIMATING FREIGHT CLASS[*]
Absent any unusual or significant handling, stowability or liability characteristics, density is of prime importance in the assignment of classes. The CCSB has developed density guidelines that are based on the precedent of pertinent administrative as well as classification decisions. The present guidelines are attached hereto.
FedEx Freight also provides a freight class estimation tool for your convenience.
The density guidelines are used in the assignment of classes where the average density of a particular commodity or group of commodities is representative or reflective of the range of densities exhibited by that commodity or commodity group. Furthermore, the density/class relationships set forth in the guidelines presume that there are no unusual or significant handling, stowability or liability characteristics, which would call for giving those characteristics additional or different “weight” in determining the appropriate class.
Commodities or commodity groups exhibiting a wide density range not accurately reflected by a single overall average density may be assigned density-based classes; especially where there are no unusual or significant handling, stowability or liability characteristics and where there is no other feasible means of effectively narrowing the range. And where densities are distributed throughout the range, commodities or commodity groups may be assigned classes predicated on a full density scale. In this regard, full-scale density classifications should generally provide the following standard progression:
Class | Examples | Weight Per Cubic Foot |
---|---|---|
Class 60 | Fits on standard shrink-wrapped 4X4 pallet, very durable | Over 30 lbs |
Class 65 | Car accessories & car parts, bottled beverages, books in boxes | 22.5 – 30 lbs |
Class 70 | Car accessories & car parts, food items, automobile engines | 15 – 22.5 lbs |
Class 85 | Crated machinery, cast iron stoves | 12 – 15 lbs |
Class 92.5 | Computers, monitors, refridgerators | 10 – 12 lbs |
Class 100 | Boat covers, car covers, canvase, wine cases, caskets | 8 – 10 lbs |
Class 125 | Small Household appliances | 6 – 7 lbs |
Class 175 | Clothing, couches stuffed furniture | 4 – 6 lbs |
Class 250 | Auto sheetmetal parts, aircraft parts, aluminum table, packaged matresses, bamboo furniture, mattress and boxspring, plasma tv |
2 – 4 lbs |
Class 300 | Deer antlers, Cans of food, Cutlery | 1 – 2 lbs |
Class 400 | Bags of gold dust, ping pong balls | < 1 lbs |
[*] http://cerasis.com/2013/11/20/freight-class/
FEDEX SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS
Service | Max Length | Combined Length and Girth (L+2W+2H) | Max Weight |
---|---|---|---|
FedEx Ground | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
FedEx 2-Day | 119″ (302 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
FedEx 2-Day AM | 119″ (302 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
FedEx Express Saver | 119″ (302 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Standard Overnight | 119″ (302 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
First Overnight | 119″ (302 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Priority Overnight | 119″ (302 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
International Economy | 108″ (274 cm) | 130″ (330 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
International First* | 108″ (274 cm) | 130″ (330 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
International Priority | 108″ (274 cm) | 130″ (330 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
*International First has location restrictions outside of the US and inside the US.
UPS SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS:
Service | Max Length | Combined Length and Girth (L+2W+2H) | Max Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Ground | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
UPS Standard | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
UPS Saver | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Express | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Express Pluss | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Expedited | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Next Day Air | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Next Day Air Saver | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
Next Day Air Early AM | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
2nd Day Air | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
2nd Day Air AM | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
3 Day Select | 108″ (274 cm) | 165″ (419 cm) | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
USPS SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS:
Service | Max Length | Combined Length and Girth (L+2W+2H) | Max Weight |
---|---|---|---|
First | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 13 oz (368 g) |
Priority | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Express | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Parcel Select | – | 130″ (330 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Library Mail | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Media Mail | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Standard Post | – | 130″ (330 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Critical Mail | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 13 oz (368 g) |
First Class Package International Service | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 64 oz (1814 g) |
Priority Mail International | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |
Express Mail International | – | 108″ (274 cm) | 70 lbs (31 kg) |