Freight Tools · Free

Know your freight class, density & truck fit — in ten seconds.

Most shippers guess their freight class and their deck space, then get burned by reclass fees or a wrong truck. Enter the pallets and get the real NMFC density class, how much deck they eat once they pair up and stack, and whether it's LTL or full-truckload territory — the same math the desk runs on every quote.

Your freight

inches & lb

The read

Est. freight class—
Density— lb/ft³
Total weight— lb
Deck space— lin ft
Enter dimensions to see how they load.
Enter freight

Pick your equipment above, then enter the pallets.

Top-down load · 53-ft dry van

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Freight class & truck fit, answered

The questions shippers ask most about NMFC class, density and LTL vs FTL — answered plainly by a BC-based cross-border freight specialist.

What is freight class, and why does it matter?
Freight class is a standardized code from the NMFC (National Motor Freight Classification) system, ranging from class 50 (dense, cheap to ship) to class 500 (light and bulky, expensive). It’s the single biggest driver of an LTL price: a carrier prices the space and handling risk your freight represents, and class is how that’s expressed. Get the class wrong on a bill of lading and you risk a re-class charge after the fact.
How is freight class calculated from my pallet?
For most commodities, class comes from density — weight divided by cubic feet. Cubic feet per piece is length × width × height ÷ 1,728 (that’s cubic inches to cubic feet). Divide total weight by total cubic feet to get pounds per cubic foot, then read the class off the density scale. Higher density means a lower class and a lower cost. This calculator does that math for you and shows the class instantly.
Can you give a worked density example?
Say six pallets, each 48×40×48 inches, 4,800 lb total. Each pallet is 48×40×48 ÷ 1,728 = 53.3 ft³, so six pallets is 320 ft³. Density is 4,800 ÷ 320 = 15 lb/ft³, which lands at class 70. Six standard skids also fill roughly six deck positions — an easy LTL move unless you’re stacking.
What’s the difference between LTL and FTL — and when does FTL win?
LTL (less-than-truckload) shares a trailer with other shipments; you pay for the space and weight you use, ideal for roughly 1–6 pallets or under ~15,000 lb. FTL (full truckload) dedicates a whole trailer: faster, handled once, no class needed, and usually better value once you’re filling most of a 53-ft trailer (about 12+ pallets on the floor) or the freight is fragile, high-value or time-sensitive.
Is this calculator’s freight class official?
It’s a fast, accurate density-based estimate — the right number for most palletized freight and plenty to quote from. But it’s not a tariff: some commodities carry a fixed class regardless of density, and a few price on dimensions or handling. When that matters, it’s a quick conversation, not a guess — send us the freight and we’ll confirm the class on the rate.
How much deck space will my freight take?
Deck space is measured in linear feet of trailer floor. Standard 40–48 inch pallets pair two-abreast across a 98-inch dry van, so each pair of skids is about 4 linear feet; a 53-ft van holds roughly 26 floor positions (13 pairs). Stackable freight doubles that. This tool draws your load top-down so you can see the fit before you book — get a rate once it looks right.
Show the NMFC density → class table

How the deck math works. Pallets pair across the trailer's usable width (a 40–48″ pallet fits two abreast in a 98″ van; a reefer's ~94″ is tighter; a flatbed's 102″ is roomier). Stackable freight goes 2-high when two clear the usable height — 3-high only if you allow it and the freight is light and short. A pallet over ~1,600 lb won't stack on another. Turnable freight rotates to whichever orientation eats the least deck — but only if it physically fits the trailer's usable width. An enclosed van or reefer can't take a turned piece wider than its walls (you'll see a “can't turn” flag); a flatbed can, and flags a wide-but-legal load (≤102″). Defaults are conservative — nothing stacks or turns until you check it. Enter weight as the total for all pieces of that pallet type — density and class read off the total.
It's a rule-of-thumb estimate, not a tariff or a load plan. It sums each pallet type on its own — no pinwheeling or mixing sizes into a shared row — so it errs slightly high. Some commodities carry a fixed class regardless of density; that's a conversation, not a calculator.