R+L Carriers (R&L) Density Calculator
Get the density and freight class of an R+L Carriers shipment before you request a rate. This is an independent tool, not R+L's own. Below it are the rules in R+L's current tariff that change how tall and light freight is billed.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
6.56
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
350
lb
6–8 lb/ft³ → Class 125
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Pre-July-2025 table: class 150. Use it only if your carrier contract still prices on the old table.
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
Uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1). See the full freight class chart.
How R+L measures tall and wide freight
R+L's rules tariff (updated September 7, 2026) cubes freight under NMFC Item 110, with its own size rules for its low-density minimum (Item 610). A pallet over 50 inches tall that cannot take freight on top is counted at 95 inches. R+L may also count any unit 70 inches or taller at 95 inches high, and any unit 70 inches or wider at 95 inches wide.
R+L's low-density minimum, worked through
Item 610 applies to shipments of 750 cubic feet or more that average under 6 lb/ft³. R+L multiplies the cubic feet by 6 lb and rates that weight at class 125, even if your contract uses a freight-all-kinds (FAK) class.
Example: 8 pallets, each 48 × 40 × 72 inches and 350 lb. As built they take 640 cubic feet, under the 750 line. Counted at 95 inches high, each is 105.6 cubic feet: 844 in total, at 2,800 lb, or 3.3 lb/ft³. Now the rule applies, and the floor is 5,067 lb at class 125. Stackable pallets under 70 inches are counted at their real height.
Capacity loads at R+L start past 16 feet
R+L counts freight as a capacity load when it takes more than 16 feet of a trailer's length. The minimum charge is then $8.30 per mile from origin to destination. That trigger is shorter than the 20 or 21 feet in the Estes, ODFL and Saia tariffs, so get a volume or truckload quote for long loads too.
R+L's inspection fee
If an R+L inspection reclassifies your freight and the charges change by $10 or more, R+L adds a $40 fee per shipment. The same fee applies when its capacity load rule changes the charges by $10 or more. An exact class on the bill of lading is the simplest way to avoid it.
R+L Carriers Density Calculator
R+L Carriers has its own density calculator on rlcarriers.com, and its math is the same as above. The R+L-specific part is how its tariff counts tall and wide units, shown on this page.
Frequently asked questions
How does R+L calculate density?
Total weight divided by total cubic feet (length × width × height in inches ÷ 1,728 for each piece), measured under NMFC Item 110. For its low-density rule, R+L can count tall or wide units at 95 inches.
What is R+L's cubic capacity rule?
Item 610 of R+L's rules tariff: 750 cubic feet or more at under 6 lb/ft³ is billed at least as 6 lb per cubic foot at class 125, regardless of FAK pricing.
What does an R+L inspection cost?
$40 per shipment when an inspection reclassifies the freight and the charges change by at least $10.
Where does R+L Carriers deliver?
Across the US, and R+L's rules tariff also includes charges for Canada and Puerto Rico shipments. Check R+L's service map for your exact ZIP.