Freight class is a standard classification system for shipments, defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). It's used to categorize commodities like Evergreens, Decorative, Cut for transport, taking into account factors like weight, dimensions, density, storage capability, ease of handling, and liability. Freight class is a system to categorize different types of goods being shipped.
Density is a key concept in freight shipping, as it significantly impacts the freight class for commodities like Evergreens, Decorative, Cut and hence, the shipping cost. It is calculated as the weight of the shipment divided by its volume. It's a measure used to determine the freight class and cost of shipping a package.
Stowability is used in freight shipping to describe how easily an item can be stowed or stored in relation to other items. For example, when trying to understand stowability for Evergreens, Decorative, Cut, it is important to know if the item can be packaged efficiently and stowed onto the truck easily. In other words- Stowability is the ability of a shipment to be efficiently stowed or packed.
Liability is a term used to refer to the accountability or risk involved in transporting Evergreens, Decorative, Cut. It's one of the factors considered when determining freight class. Liability is the potential risk or cost associated with shipping goods.
Handling refers to the procedures and precautions taken when moving and storing Evergreens, Decorative, Cut. It is one of the factors considered when determining freight class for Evergreens, Decorative, Cut. Handling refers to the care taken when moving and storing freight.
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For many NMFC® codes there isn’t just one single class that is applied. Often, NMFC® numbers have multiple "sub-classes", which are almost always based on the density of the shipment. In the instance where your NMFC® number has multiple sub classes, it's best to contact an expert, like Koho, to help identify which subclass to use.
An organization called the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) publishes a list of freight class designations, codes, and subclasses for many frequently shipped items (https://classit.nmfta.org/). To view this list, you must pay a subscription fee. Learn more about freight classes from the experts at Koho for free on our freight classes pages.
It might be tempting to declare that your shipment is a lower freight class than it actually is in order to secure a lower price, however, carriers will re-classify your freight for accuracy and charge you a fee for having to do so.
