Class 50 (Dense, bricks, etc.)
Class 60
Class 70 (Food, machines)
Class 85
Class 100 (Furniture)
Class 150 (Electronics)
Class 250
Class 500 (Ping pong balls)
Estimated Total Shipping Cost:
$0.00
*Breakdown: Base Rate: | Fuel: | Accessorials:
How LTL Freight Costs Are Calculated
Freight shipping costs for Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipments are determined by a combination of factors that go beyond simple weight and distance. Carriers use the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) system to categorize commodities into 18 different classes, ranging from 50 to 500.
The primary variables influencing your freight quote include:
Freight Class: Lower classes (like Class 50) apply to dense, durable goods and are cheaper to ship. Higher classes (like Class 500) apply to light, fragile, or bulky items.
Weight & Density: Generally, the more you ship, the lower the cost per hundred pounds (CWT), but total costs increase.
Lane & Distance: Popular shipping routes (lanes) may have more competitive pricing than remote or "rural" destinations.
Accessorials: These are extra services like residential pickup, liftgate requirements, or limited access delivery that add flat fees to the base rate.
Realistic Calculation Example:
Suppose you are shipping a 1,200 lb pallet of machinery (Class 70) from Chicago to Nashville (450 miles).
– Base Rate (Distance x Weight factor): ~$350.00
– Class Multiplier (1.25): ~$437.50
– Fuel Surcharge (25%): +$109.38
– Liftgate Service: +$75.00 Total Estimated Cost: $621.88
Understanding Freight Classes (NMFC)
Choosing the correct freight class is critical to avoiding "re-bills." If you mark a shipment as Class 50 but the carrier determines it is actually Class 150 due to its density, your final invoice will be significantly higher than your original quote. Density is calculated by dividing the weight of the piece by its total cubic volume (Length x Width x Height / 1728).
Tips for Reducing Freight Costs
Consolidate Shipments: Shipping two pallets at once is almost always cheaper than shipping two pallets separately.
Accurate Weighing: Always include the weight of the pallet itself (usually 30-50 lbs) to avoid weight adjustment fees.
Ship to Commercial Docks: Avoid residential and liftgate fees by shipping between commercial locations with loading docks.
function calculateFreight() {
// Get Input Values
var weight = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shipmentWeight").value);
var distance = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shipmentDistance").value);
var classMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById("freightClass").value);
var fuelPercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("fuelSurcharge").value) / 100;
// Checkboxes
var hasLiftgate = document.getElementById("liftgate").checked;
var hasResidential = document.getElementById("residential").checked;
var hasAppointment = document.getElementById("appointment").checked;
// Validation
if (isNaN(weight) || weight <= 0 || isNaN(distance) || distance <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for weight and distance.");
return;
}
// Logic: Base calculation using a standard LTL cost model
// Basic LTL math: (Weight/100 * Rate per CWT) + (Distance Factor)
// Here we use a simplified algorithm: (Distance * 0.40) + (Weight * 0.12)
var baseRate = (distance * 0.45) + (weight * 0.15);
// Adjust by freight class
var classAdjustedRate = baseRate * classMultiplier;
// Calculate Fuel Surcharge
var fuelAmount = classAdjustedRate * fuelPercent;
// Accessorial Fees
var accessorialTotal = 0;
if (hasLiftgate) accessorialTotal += 75;
if (hasResidential) accessorialTotal += 85;
if (hasAppointment) accessorialTotal += 40;
// Grand Total
var grandTotal = classAdjustedRate + fuelAmount + accessorialTotal;
// Display Results
document.getElementById("freight-result").style.display = "block";
document.getElementById("totalDisplay").innerText = "$" + grandTotal.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
document.getElementById("baseBreakdown").innerText = "$" + classAdjustedRate.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("fuelBreakdown").innerText = "$" + fuelAmount.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("accessBreakdown").innerText = "$" + accessorialTotal.toFixed(2);
// Scroll to result for better UX on mobile
document.getElementById("freight-result").scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}