What is freight density?
What is freight density? It is pounds per cubic foot: total weight divided by the space the shipment actually occupies, and it is the main input to freight class.
What is freight density, and the formula
Multiply length by width by height in inches, including the pallet and any overhang. Divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. Divide the total weight by that number and you have density in pounds per cubic foot.
A 48 by 40 by 48 inch pallet is 92,160 cubic inches, or 53.3 cubic feet. At 1,200 pounds that is about 22.5 pounds per cubic foot, which is dense enough to price well. The same pallet at 300 pounds is 5.6 pounds per cubic foot, and it costs considerably more to move.
Why carriers price on it
A trailer runs out of space long before it runs out of weight. Light bulky freight fills the truck and earns the carrier little, so the classification system charges for the space rather than the scale.
The practical consequence: how you stack and wrap changes the bill. Freight that overhangs the pallet is measured at its widest point, and a pallet built 60 inches tall instead of 48 pays for the extra foot of trailer.
Related terms
Quick answers
Do I include the pallet in the measurement?
Yes. Measure the whole unit as the driver will see it: pallet, product, wrap, and anything hanging over the edge.
Does higher density mean a lower rate?
Usually. Higher density normally means a lower freight class, and a lower class costs less per hundredweight. It is not the only input, but it is the biggest one.
Work out your class
Our calculator does what is freight density and the class band in one step, so you can put a real number on the bill of lading instead of a guess.