Can a liftgate truck deliver a transformer?

Send the transformer's crate size and weight. Liftgate limits vary by carrier, and heavy units need a dock, forklift or crane at the site.

Should wire reels ship flat or upright?

Upright on the flanges, blocked so the reel cannot roll. Send the flange diameter and weight.

Do you offer rigging or installation?

No. Rigging and installation stay with the receiver or their electrical contractor. Inside delivery is available through our carrier network and quoted case by case, so ask us.

Can you deliver to a construction jobsite?

Yes, when the site has unloading equipment and room for a truck. Share the site contact and gate hours so the carrier can confirm.

Electrical Equipment Freight Shipping

At a glance

Transformers and switchgear ship crated on skids with lifting points marked, and the quote needs the weight and footprint of each crate.
Wire reels travel upright on their flanges, blocked so they cannot roll, and the carrier needs the reel diameter and weight.
A jobsite without a dock or forklift has to be named on the quote request, because liftgate limits vary by carrier and heavy crates can exceed them.

How is electrical equipment freight shipping classed?

Electrical equipment freight shipping is classed by the NMFC item for each product, from dry-type transformers to boxed breakers and fittings. Many of those items use the 13-tier density scale in NMFTA Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025, while others keep a commodity class. Lane, weight, accessorials and fuel also go into the price.

A crate built around a panel or enclosure adds cubic feet, so measure the crate as shipped. The density scale and worked example on this page run the numbers for a pallet of boxed components.

Freight class by density (lb per cubic foot)

0 to 1 lb/ft³Class 400
1 to 2 lb/ft³Class 300
2 to 4 lb/ft³Class 250
4 to 6 lb/ft³Class 175
6 to 8 lb/ft³Class 125
8 to 10 lb/ft³Class 100
10 to 12 lb/ft³Class 92.5
12 to 15 lb/ft³Class 85
15 to 22.5 lb/ft³Class 70 example below
22.5 to 30 lb/ft³Class 65
30 to 35 lb/ft³Class 60
35 to 50 lb/ft³Class 55
50 or more lb/ft³Class 50

Denser freight lands in a lower class, the basis for a lower rate. Source: NMFTA Docket 2025-1, 13-tier density scale, effective July 19, 2025. The scale applies to items the NMFC classes by density; some items keep a commodity class, so confirm the NMFC item for your product.

Worked example: a pallet of boxed electrical components

Measure the loaded pallet, pallet included: 48 × 40 × 42 inches = 80,640 cubic inches.
Convert to cubic feet: 80,640 ÷ 1,728 = 46.7 cubic feet.
Divide the weight by the cubic feet: 850 lb ÷ 46.7 = 18.2 lb per cubic foot.
Read the class off the density scale: 18.2 lb per cubic foot falls in class 70.

Run your own pallet through the freight class calculator, or read how freight class works.

Illustrative numbers, not a quote or a class ruling. Class depends on the NMFC item for the product; the scale is NMFTA Docket 2025-1, 13-tier density scale, effective July 19, 2025.

How should transformers and switchgear be crated?

Transformers and switchgear ship best bolted to a skid inside a crate, with the center of gravity and forklift entry points marked on the outside. A tall, top-heavy unit needs bracing so the carrier can move it without tipping.

Tip and shock indicators on the crate give the receiver a record of rough handling. Note the indicators on the bill of lading and tell the receiver to inspect them before signing the delivery receipt.

How do you ship wire and cable reels?

Wire and cable reels ship standing on their flanges, chocked or blocked on a pallet so they cannot roll in the trailer. A reel laid flat can crush its own cable and is hard for a forklift to pick up.

Send the flange diameter, width and gross weight of each reel. Small reels can be banded together on one pallet, which gives the carrier one handling unit instead of several loose pieces.

Which service fits: LTL, volume LTL, partial or full truckload?

Standard LTL fits most palletized shipments that can share a trailer; volume LTL, partial truckload and full truckload fit larger loads or loads that need their own truck. Price the same shipment details across the four services, and confirm the points in the table before you book.

Service	Fits	Confirm before booking
Standard LTL	Palletized freight that shares a trailer and moves through carrier terminals	NMFC item and class, pickup and delivery accessorials, delivery appointment
Volume LTL	Larger LTL shipments quoted as a one-off price for that shipment	Quote terms, space the freight takes, whether it still moves through terminals
Partial truckload	Shipments that share a truck with a few others	Whether the freight stays on one trailer, any planned transfers, transit estimate
Full truckload	Freight that fills a trailer, reaches its weight limit, or needs its own truck	Trailer type, loading and unloading time, appointments at both ends

What does a jobsite need to receive electrical equipment?

A jobsite needs a forklift, a dock or a crane on hand to receive heavy crates, and the carrier has to know which one before pickup. Construction sites also bring access limits, so share the gate hours and a site contact with the quote request.

Liftgate platforms carry carrier-specific size and weight limits. Send the heaviest and longest piece so the carrier can confirm the equipment, and plan for a rigger on any unit a liftgate cannot handle, since rigging and installation stay with the receiver or their contractor.

What do you send for a electrical equipment and components freight quote?

A electrical equipment and components freight quote needs the 8 details below. Complete details let the carrier rate the shipment once, without a reweigh or reclass after pickup.

Product type: transformer, switchgear, panelboard, wire reel or boxed components
Crate or skid dimensions for each piece
Weight of each crate, reel or pallet
Reel flange diameter and width
Whether the crates carry tip or shock indicators
Unloading equipment at delivery: dock, forklift or crane
Jobsite gate hours and a site contact
NMFC item numbers, if you know them

What do the freight terms on this page mean?

Switchgear: An assembly of switches, breakers and fuses that controls and protects an electrical system.
Tip indicator: A label on a crate that changes color if the crate is tilted past a set angle in transit.
Flange: The round end plate of a reel that the reel stands on.
Crate: A wooden enclosure fixed to a skid that protects equipment and gives a forklift a base to lift.

Electrical equipment freight shipping