Some of the most common LTL freight classes are freight class 92.5-200, this seems odd because on a scale of 50-500 these freight classes are not actually in the middle of that range.  C’est la vie!

These mid-range freight classes represent freight that is not too heavy but also fairly durable.  This range of freight class is comprised of items like; tractor and car parts, helmets, and garage door openers.  While, these pieces of LTL freight are not large heavy pieces of freight, they are still very durable LTL freight shipments.

Last week I quoted a potential customer looking to LTL freight ship a prize wheel.  Well, this LTL freight is fairly durable and not very heavy so  it is LTL freight class 200.  On the other hand, a shipper looking to ship photo booths to a fair would freight class his LTL freight shipment at 125.  This is most likely due to the high density of a photo booth, but also taking into account the risk involved in moving such LTL freight.

Another commonly shipped item is used electronics.  Used electronics are freight class 92.5,  this is convenient because many times LTL freight shippers shipping this freight combine many types of electronics on a single pallet.  This is not the case for new electronics, if you are shipping new electronics I recommend asking one of our quote specialists to help you find the correct freight class.

Remember, if you are unsure of how to freight class your shipment we would love to help you do that.  It is important to freight class LTL freight correctly so that you get the most accurate LTL freight quote!

Get ready for the density based LTL freight class blog in a few days!!!

If you’re new to freight shipping, here are some terms you might hear when you arrange your shipping.

On Board- The freight is slated to be picked up.

Transit Time- The length of time until delivery. Usually this is given in business days.

Lift Gate or Tail Gate- A device on the back of a truck that allows heavy freight to be raised and lowered.

Terminal- Similar to an airport terminal, a shipping terminal is a hub where freight can be delivered, picked up, or moved to the next destination. If you are shipping for the first time and you don’t have access to a business location, dropping off or picking up your freight at a terminal is a great way to keep your cost down by avoiding residential delivery fees.

It’s ShippingDiscounts.com’s one year Blogiversary! Thanks for tuning in this year, everyone. More helpful content is coming your way in our second year.

An LTL shipment having a high freight class generally means that the item being LTL freight shipped is not very dense or is very fragile.  One of our clients ships chandeliers from their warehouse to stores all over the United States.  They know that because chandeliers are fragile they are freight class 200.   In this case freight class is a measure of the risk the LTL carrier bears while transporting that item.

Doing research for this blog, I looked up the freight class of ping pong balls (freight class 500) because they are a good example of LTL freight with a very low density.  Freight class 500 is very rarely used to class LTL freight.  In this case, freight class 500 is used because of the low density of ping pong balls.  Other examples of high freight class as a result of low density are fiber glass hot tubs (freight class 250) and fenders (also freight class 250).

Rule of thumb:  If your LTL freight is large and doesn’t weigh much or if it is very costly to replace your LTL freight will have a relatively high freight class.  When you get an LTL freight quote ask our LTL freight quote specialist to class your item.

Look for my blogs on mid-range freight classes and density based freight next week!

Freight class is crucial to shipping and very little is known about what it actually means, so I am writing a series on the topic.  I will outline why some freight have high and low freight class.  Then I will write a few blogs on density, value, and packaging based freight class.

Last week a new customer used the ShippingDiscounts.com quote finder to get a quote for his LTL freight shipment of stone on pallets; he was worried that his freight shipment across the West coast would be expensive because it was so heavy.  However, due to the low freight class of stone (freight class 50) the cost to ship the stone was not nearly as high as he expected.  It is important to have the correct freight class; a heavy freight shipment does not always mean expensive LTL freight rates.

Freight class has a lot to do with the density and the fragileness of the shipment.  A lot of times this means that the heaviest LTL freight shipments are freight classed very low, which keeps the cost of shipping relatively low.

For example, an automobile engine strapped to a pallet has a freight class of 85 because it is so dense.   The high density of most engines allows them to ship at a fairly low class.  Density is calculated by dividing the weight by the volume.  Therefore, any freight that takes up relatively little space but weighs a lot would have a high density and be more likely to have a lower class.  Some freight is even classed based on its density; I will be posting a blog about density classed freight soon.

The other important factor in determining class is the fragileness of the item being shipped.  This week I quoted a potential customer that wants to ship dog food.  Because dog food is not very fragile and fairly dense it was classed at 92.5.  In addition, many agricultural products, fertilizers and grains have a low  freight class (generally freight classes 55-85) because of their durability.

Look forward to my High Freight Class blog in a few days!