XPO Density and Freight Class Calculator
Work out the density and freight class of an XPO LTL shipment, measured the way XPO's own rules tariff measures it. This is an independent tool. Below it are the XPO rules that most often change a bill: the 96-inch height rule and the cubic capacity minimum.
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 XPO measures your freight
XPO's rules tariff (CNWY 199-AK.3, effective August 17, 2026) measures cube under NMFC Item 110 and counts the pallet as part of the shipment. Any article 75 inches or taller is cubed at a minimum height of 96 inches, so a 76-inch pallet is billed for the space of a 96-inch one. When a bill of lading describes the goods too vaguely to classify, XPO bills class 150 first and may set the class by total density.
XPO's cubic capacity rule (Item 233)
This is the rule behind the question “what is the XPO cubic capacity rule?”. It covers light, bulky shipments in two bands: 350 to 749 cubic feet with an average density under 3 lb/ft³, or 750 cubic feet and up with a density under 6 lb/ft³. XPO multiplies the cubic feet by 6 to get a billing weight and rates it at class 125. You pay the higher of that and your normal charge.
Example: 8 pallets of foam, each 48 × 40 × 80 inches and 300 lb. As built, that is 711 cubic feet. But each pallet is over 75 inches, so XPO counts it at 96 inches: 853 cubic feet at 2,400 lb, or 2.8 lb/ft³. That is over 750 cubic feet and under 6 lb/ft³, so the floor is 5,120 lb at class 125. Built to 74 inches with the same weight, the load cubes at 658 cubic feet and 3.6 lb/ft³, and the rule does not apply.
When XPO charges by the foot of trailer
Long, bulky loads can fall under XPO's lineal foot rule (Item 234) instead. XPO measures against a 28-foot pup trailer. The rule applies when a shipment takes at least 14 feet of trailer length, 49 inches of width and 51 inches of height, or at least 112 square feet of floor and 51 inches of height. The charge is per lineal foot per mile: 23 cents under 750 miles, down to 14 cents at 1,800 miles and up, plus fuel surcharge.
What an XPO correction costs
If an XPO inspection corrects the density, class, cubic capacity or lineal feet on your bill of lading and the linehaul charge rises by $1 or more, XPO adds a $50.70 correction fee on top of the new charges. The density table in the same tariff matches the 13-tier NMFC scale this calculator uses, so the class you get here uses the same bands XPO does.
XPO Density and Class Calculator (LTL.xpo.com)
XPO's own density and class calculator sits on LTL.xpo.com. XPO asks you to measure length, width and height including the packaging and the pallet, so measure the same way here. If you leave the pallet out, your density comes out higher than the number XPO's dock will record.
Open the official XPO Density and Class Calculator (LTL.xpo.com) ↗
Frequently asked questions
What is the XPO cubic capacity rule?
It is Item 233 of XPO's rules tariff. Shipments of 350–749 ft³ under 3 lb/ft³, or 750 ft³ and up under 6 lb/ft³, are billed at least as if they weighed 6 lb per cubic foot, at class 125.
Does XPO include the pallet in density?
Yes. XPO's tariff says a pallet or skid under the freight counts as part of the package. Measure the full loaded height from the floor and include the pallet's weight.
Why did XPO bill my pallet as 96 inches tall?
XPO cubes any article 75 inches or taller at a minimum of 96 inches, unless it is actually taller. Pallets under 75 inches are cubed at their real height.
Is XPO the same company as GXO or RXO?
No. XPO spun off GXO (contract logistics) in August 2021 and RXO (truck brokerage) in November 2022. XPO itself is an LTL carrier.