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 Paper 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 Paper and hence, the shipping cost. It is calculated as the weight of the shipment divided by its volume. Density is a key factor in classifying freight for shipping.
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 Paper, 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 stored or stowed efficiently.
Liability is a term used to refer to the accountability or risk involved in transporting Paper. It's one of the factors considered when determining freight class. It's the carrier's accountability for the safe delivery of goods.
Handling refers to the procedures and precautions taken when moving and storing Paper. It is one of the factors considered when determining freight class for Paper. Handling refers to the actions involved in managing goods during transportation.
Tips
Paper Paper
Paper Paperboard
100
--
Flock coated or printed with flock, in packages
Common Commodity Items
Classes
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.
The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) is the freight classification system devised by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) and is used for all interstate, intrastate, and foreign commercial movement of LTL cargo. NMFC codes provide standardized freight classes to determine the ease of transport of many of the wide variety of commodities that are shipped together in LTL shipments.
Freight class 50 is the least expensive because it refers to the freight that is easiest to transport for the carriers.
