Regional Rate Box A (Max 15 lbs)
Regional Rate Box B (Max 20 lbs)
— Select Zone —
Zone 1 (Local – 50 miles)
Zone 2 (51 – 150 miles)
Zone 3 (151 – 300 miles)
Zone 4 (301 – 600 miles)
Zone 5 (601 – 1000 miles)
Zone 6 (1001 – 1400 miles)
Zone 7 (1401 – 1800 miles)
Zone 8 (1801+ miles)
Zone 9 (Freely Associated States)
Selected Service:
Zone:
Base Rate:
Estimated Total:
function calculateShipping() {
var boxType = document.getElementById('boxType').value;
var zoneSelect = document.getElementById('shippingZone');
var zone = parseInt(zoneSelect.value);
var weightInput = document.getElementById('packageWeight').value;
var weight = parseFloat(weightInput);
var errorDiv = document.getElementById('errorDisplay');
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('resultDisplay');
// Reset display
errorDiv.style.display = 'none';
resultDiv.classList.remove('visible');
// Validations
if (zone === 0) {
errorDiv.innerText = "Please select a shipping zone.";
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
return;
}
if (isNaN(weight) || weight limit) {
errorDiv.innerText = "Weight exceeds limit for Box " + boxType + " (" + limit + " lbs max).";
errorDiv.style.display = 'block';
return;
}
// Rate Logic (Simulated 2024-style Commercial Base approximations for Regional logic)
// Structure: index 0 is placeholder, index 1 is Zone 1, etc.
var ratesA = [0, 8.38, 8.38, 8.58, 8.88, 9.58, 11.58, 12.38, 13.38, 23.38];
var ratesB = [0, 8.88, 8.88, 9.38, 10.38, 12.38, 15.38, 16.88, 19.38, 34.38];
var rate = 0;
if (boxType === 'A') {
rate = ratesA[zone];
} else {
rate = ratesB[zone];
}
// Handle Zone 1 and 2 being same price usually
var zoneLabel = zone;
if (zone === 1 || zone === 2) {
// Rate is same, logic handles it via array
}
// Output assignment
document.getElementById('resService').innerText = "Regional Box " + boxType;
document.getElementById('resZone').innerText = zoneSelect.options[zoneSelect.selectedIndex].text;
document.getElementById('resBase').innerText = "$" + rate.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resTotal').innerText = "$" + rate.toFixed(2);
resultDiv.classList.add('visible');
}
Understanding Regional Rate Shipping
Regional Rate shipping is a cost-effective method for sending parcels that travel short to medium distances. Unlike standard weight-based shipping where you pay for every ounce, or Flat Rate shipping where you pay a premium for distance-agnostic delivery, Regional Rate offers a hybrid model. It utilizes specific box sizes provided by the carrier, and the cost is determined by the destination zone rather than the exact weight of the package (up to a specific limit).
How Zones Work
Shipping zones are determined by the distance between the origin zip code and the destination zip code.
Zone 1: Within 50 miles.
Zone 8: Over 1801 miles.
Zone 9: Freely Associated States (e.g., Guam, Palau).
The closer the zone, the cheaper the rate. Regional Rate boxes are often the cheapest option for Zones 1 through 4.
Box Types and Limits
To use this service, you must use the specific branded boxes.
Regional Rate Box A: The smaller of the two options. It has a weight limit of 15 lbs. It typically offers rates comparable to a 2 lb package but allows you to ship much more density.
Regional Rate Box B: A larger box with a weight limit of 20 lbs. It is generally priced similarly to a 4-5 lb regular package.
If your items fit in the box and are under the weight limit, you pay the flat regional rate for that zone.
When to Use This Calculator
Use this tool when you are deciding between a standard brown box (calculated by weight and dimension) and a carrier-supplied Regional box. Generally, if you are shipping dense items like books, liquids, or hardware short distances, Regional Rate Box A is often the most economical choice available. Always compare the estimated Regional Rate against standard Priority Mail cubic pricing to ensure maximum savings.