---
title: "Insider’s Guide to LTL Shipping: Item, Class, Weight, and Density Demystified"
description: Explore the complexities of LTL rates and understand how Item, Class, Weight, and Density impact shipping costs for both new and experienced shippers.
image: https://blog.customodal.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/LTL-shipping-explained.jpg
---

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# Insider’s Guide to LTL Shipping: Item, Class, Weight, and Density Demystified

TAGS:

- [Blog](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/blog)
- [3pl](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/3pl)
- [Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/logistics)
- [Freight Brokerage](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-brokerage)
- [Inbound Freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inbound-freight)
- [Digital Freight Management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/digital-freight-management)
- [Shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping)
- [supply chain](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/supply-chain)
- [Freight Costs](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-costs)
- [Outbound Freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/outbound-freight)
- [Specialized Freight Management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/specialized-freight-management)
- [Technology](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/technology)
- [Freight Forwarding](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-forwarding)
- [TMS](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/tms)
- [LTL](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ltl)
- [freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight)
- [Featured](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/featured)
- [Freight Savings](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-savings)
- [Logistics Planning](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/logistics-planning)
- [Controlling Costs](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/controlling-costs)
- [Digital Freight Brokering](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/digital-freight-brokering)
- [supply chain challenges](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/supply-chain-challenges)
- [avoid extra fees](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/avoid-extra-fees)
- [Inbound-Outbound Freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inbound-outbound-freight)
- [Strategic Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/strategic-logistics)
- [manufacturing](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/manufacturing)
- [outbound](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/outbound)
- [Critical Infrastructure](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/critical-infrastructure)
- [FLEX Outbound Freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/flex-outbound-freight)
- [Tracking](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/tracking)
- [import](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/import)
- [sustainability](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/sustainability)
- [visibility](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/visibility)
- [API](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/api)
- [Compliance](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/compliance)
- [EXACT Inbound](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/exact-inbound)
- [EXACT Inbound Freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/exact-inbound-freight)
- [Freight Cost Tracking](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-cost-tracking)
- [Outbound Freight Savings](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/outbound-freight-savings)
- [Precision ROI](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/precision-roi)
- [Project-based Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/project-based-logistics)
- [Vendor Performance](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/vendor-performance)
- [documentation](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/documentation)
- [export](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/export)
- [freight claim](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-claim)
- [freight management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-management)
- [inbound freight costs](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inbound-freight-costs)
- [incoterms](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/incoterms)
- [meet the team](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/meet-the-team)
- [ocean freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ocean-freight)
- [parcel](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/parcel)
- [save money](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/save-money)
- [supplychain](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/supplychain)
- [Carrier Selection](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/carrier-selection)
- [Critical Freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/critical-freight)
- [Data Driven](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/data-driven)
- [Freight Claims](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-claims)
- [Risk Mitigation](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/risk-mitigation)
- [Turnaround Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/turnaround-logistics)
- [Uptime](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/uptime)
- [current events](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/current-events)
- [inbound](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inbound)
- [priority1](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/priority1)
- [recession](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/recession)
- [shipping delay](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-delay)
- [4pl](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/4pl)
- [Analytics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/analytics)
- [Customs](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/customs)
- [Dock Management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/dock-management)
- [Downtime](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/downtime)
- [FLEX Freight Control](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/flex-freight-control)
- [Heavy Haul](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/heavy-haul)
- [International](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/international)
- [SDK](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/sdk)
- [Strategic Outsourcing](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/strategic-outsourcing)
- [book review](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/book-review)
- [canada](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/canada)
- [covid 19](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/covid-19)
- [customodal way](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/customodal-way)
- [delivery](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/delivery)
- [digital freight broking](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/digital-freight-broking)
- [exports](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/exports)
- [freight broker](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-broker)
- [ftl](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ftl)
- [holidays](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/holidays)
- [in the news](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/in-the-news)
- [logisitics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/logisitics)
- [mike eberl](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/mike-eberl)
- [news](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/news)
- [oceanfreight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/oceanfreight)
- [packaging](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/packaging)
- [rates](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/rates)
- [save on freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/save-on-freight)
- [save on shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/save-on-shipping)
- [shipping news](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-news)
- [shipping solutions](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-solutions)
- [small parcel audit](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/small-parcel-audit)
- [small parcel refunds](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/small-parcel-refunds)
- [truckload](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/truckload)
- [update](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/update)
- [2022](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/2022)
- [2022 shipping expectations](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/2022-shipping-expectations)
- [Alaska](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/alaska)
- [Carbon Accounting](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/carbon-accounting)
- [Cold Chain](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/cold-chain)
- [Customs Broker](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/customs-broker)
- [EXACT](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/exact)
- [Electrical Utilities](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/electrical-utilities)
- [Freight Control](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-control)
- [Green Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/green-logistics)
- [Hawaii](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/hawaii)
- [Hazmat](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/hazmat)
- [In-House Fleet vs Virtual Fleet](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/in-house-fleet-vs-virtual-fleet)
- [Inbound Shipping Skills](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inbound-shipping-skills)
- [Inventory Management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inventory-management)
- [JIT](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/jit)
- [Jones Act](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/jones-act)
- [LCL](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/lcl)
- [Maintenance Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/maintenance-logistics)
- [Midwest](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/midwest)
- [Oversized](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/oversized)
- [Puerto Rico](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/puerto-rico)
- [Reverse Logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/reverse-logistics)
- [air freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/air-freight)
- [all risk shippers protection](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/all-risk-shippers-protection)
- [asset based](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/asset-based)
- [automated audits](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/automated-audits)
- [automated refunds](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/automated-refunds)
- [benjamin lorr](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/benjamin-lorr)
- [broker](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/broker)
- [bullwhip](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/bullwhip)
- [carmack](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/carmack)
- [central wisconsin manufacturing](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/central-wisconsin-manufacturing)
- [cheap logistics](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/cheap-logistics)
- [china](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/china)
- [choose local](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/choose-local)
- [cip](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/cip)
- [coronavirus](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/coronavirus)
- [covid19](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/covid19)
- [cpt](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/cpt)
- [ctb](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ctb)
- [cybersecurity](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/cybersecurity)
- [dan hendrickson](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/dan-hendrickson)
- [dap](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/dap)
- [dayton freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/dayton-freight)
- [ddu](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ddu)
- [diy shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/diy-shipping)
- [double brokering](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/double-brokering)
- [e-commerce](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/e-commerce)
- [ebol](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ebol)
- [exporting](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/exporting)
- [factoring](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/factoring)
- [freight damage](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-damage)
- [freight jobs](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freight-jobs)
- [freightforwarding](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/freightforwarding)
- [from the forest](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/from-the-forest)
- [fuel surcharge](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/fuel-surcharge)
- [fulltruckload](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/fulltruckload)
- [glossary](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/glossary)
- [holiday shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/holiday-shipping)
- [how to switch ltl](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/how-to-switch-ltl)
- [importing](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/importing)
- [inboundfreight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/inboundfreight)
- [industry 4.0](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/industry-4-0)
- [insurance](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/insurance)
- [insurance claim](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/insurance-claim)
- [last mile](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/last-mile)
- [location](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/location)
- [logistics coordinator](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/logistics-coordinator)
- [low cost shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/low-cost-shipping)
- [maritimeshipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/maritimeshipping)
- [michael standley](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/michael-standley)
- [mycarrier](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/mycarrier)
- [newsletter](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/newsletter)
- [non-performance refunds](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/non-performance-refunds)
- [ocean shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ocean-shipping)
- [onboarding](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/onboarding)
- [our values](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/our-values)
- [outboundfreight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/outboundfreight)
- [outsource](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/outsource)
- [overview](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/overview)
- [pallet](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/pallet)
- [pandemic](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/pandemic)
- [parcel audit](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/parcel-audit)
- [parcel refunds](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/parcel-refunds)
- [parcel shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/parcel-shipping)
- [partnership](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/partnership)
- [permits](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/permits)
- [predications](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/predications)
- [purchasing management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/purchasing-management)
- [questions](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/questions)
- [reshoring](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/reshoring)
- [risk management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/risk-management)
- [rose george](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/rose-george)
- [routing guide](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/routing-guide)
- [save time](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/save-time)
- [sea freight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/sea-freight)
- [seafreight](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/seafreight)
- [shipment](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipment)
- [shipping 101](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-101)
- [shipping clerk](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-clerk)
- [shipping costs](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-costs)
- [skid](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/skid)
- [staff](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/staff)
- [standley](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/standley)
- [supply chain resilience](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/supply-chain-resilience)
- [team](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/team)
- [testimonial](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/testimonial)
- [trade show shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/trade-show-shipping)
- [transportation](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/transportation)
- [transportation management](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/transportation-management)
- [truck broker](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/truck-broker)
- [truckload specialist](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/truckload-specialist)
- [ups shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ups-shipping)
- [yellow](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/yellow)

#### Recent Articles

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[ When Should Manufacturers Rebid Freight Contracts? ](https://blog.customodal.com/when-should-manufacturers-rebid-freight-contracts)

[ LTL vs Truckload: Which Is More Cost-Effective for Manufacturers? ](https://blog.customodal.com/ltl-vs-truckload-which-is-more-cost-effective-for-manufacturers)

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[ Contract Freight vs Spot Freight for Manufacturers ](https://blog.customodal.com/contract-freight-vs-spot-freight-for-manufacturers)

[** PREVIOUS ARTICLE ](https://blog.customodal.com/customodal-announces-strategic-partnership-with-priority1)

[ NEXT ARTICLE ** ](https://blog.customodal.com/the-convoy-shutdown-and-how-customodal-can-help)

[Mike Eberl](https://blog.customodal.com/author/mike-eberl) October 30, 2023

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![Insider’s Guide to LTL Shipping: Item, Class, Weight, and Density Demystified](https://blog.customodal.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/LTL-shipping-explained.jpg)

## LTL Shipping Explained

Navigating the intricacies of LTL (Less Than Truckload) rates involves a delicate interplay among several factors. For both novices and seasoned shippers, understanding the correlation between Item, Class, Weight, and Density often poses a significant challenge. Let’s delve deeper into this complex web of variables.

**ITEM**: The foundation of LTL shipping lies in the National Motor Freight Classification ([NMFC](https://customodal.com/2021/06/01/what-is-an-nmfc-code/)) item number and its corresponding definition. The NMFC guide, a vast tome spanning hundreds of pages, meticulously delineates the specifics of shipped items. It ranges from minute, excruciating details to broader strokes of description. Everything, from how an item is packaged (boxed, loose, standing, or collapsed on a pallet), to discerning between a pallet and a skid, involves a blend of science and art. Determining the correct NMFC code for a shipment is a nuanced task, further complicated by periodic changes. The NMFC revises a subset of items every quarter, with a noticeable shift in recent years toward density-based classes from traditional “flat” classes.

**CLASS**: The Class assigned to an item is a numerical indicator on a scale managed by the NMFC organization. Ranging from the “best” at 50 to the “worst” at 800, this classification system significantly influences shipping costs. In a simplistic scenario where all other variables remain constant, a Class 100 shipment costs twice as much as a Class 50, and a Class 200 incurs double the cost of a Class 100. Strategic alterations in product and packaging characteristics can often lead to an improvement in an item’s class assignment.

**WEIGHT**: Weight encompasses the total weight of the shipment, inclusive of its packaging. For motor carriers, this denotes the portion of a standard trailer’s weight capacity that the shipment will occupy. LTL carriers, operating fixed capacities for pickup, delivery, and linehaul routes in the short term, confront limitations on how much they can haul on any given day. Historically, carriers favored heavier freight, though this paradigm notably shifted during the upheavals of the Covid era.

**DENSITY**: A pivotal metric, density signifies the weight per cubic foot of a shipment. The relationship between a carrier’s network weight capacity and volume capacity hinges on density. A thousand pounds of steel might possess a high density (roughly 50 lbs/cubic foot), whereas the same weight of styrofoam peanuts might register a density as low as 2. Lower density implies more space consumption relative to the weight of the shipment.

**RATE**: The rate signifies the price assigned to a particular shipment. [Carriers](https://customodal.com/carriers/) today employ cutting-edge technology to optimally balance the freight they transport, maximizing profitability through strategic load management.

Adapting to these evolving dynamics is crucial for any company in the shipping landscape. To position your business advantageously amidst these changes, consider [reaching out to Customodal](https://customodal.com/contact/) today!

 

[LTL](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/ltl) [shipping 101](https://blog.customodal.com/tag/shipping-101)

## Related Articles

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## [What is an NMFC Code?](https://blog.customodal.com/what-is-an-nmfc-code)

 What is an NMFC Code and Why it Matters In the world of shipping, a National Motor Freight Classification or NMFC code is used to help define and...

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## [Spot vs. Contract Rates in LTL Truckload Shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/spot-vs-contract-rates-in-ltl-truckload-shipping)

 In the complex world of LTL (Less Than Truckload) shipping, businesses are often confronted with the choice between Spot and Contract rates. These...

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 Jan 2024

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## [What You Need to Know About DIY Shipping](https://blog.customodal.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-diy-shipping)

 Today we’re talking about DIY Shipping (ie: Do It Yourself Shipping). There are a lot of online portals out there that allow companies to coordinate...

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[Customodaladmin](https://blog.customodal.com/author/customodaladmin)

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