Almost all U.S. LTL carriers use NMFC freight classes, although some are attempting to move to a dimensionally-based system.

Freight classification groups products based on similar density, stowability, handling and liability so carriers and shippers have an effective way of communicating the ease of transporting said freight.

No. While density is one of the primary factors in determining NMFC freight class, other factors, such as value, are also used in making that determination. Gold bars, for example, are very dense, but they fall into shipping class 500 along with very low-density items because of their high value.