Freight Class for Beverages
A case of bottled water or canned drinks usually rates freight class 55: a 24-bottle case of Niagara water weighs 27.9 lb in 0.7 cubic feet, about 40 lb/ft³. A full pallet is a little less dense: Talking Rain's 140-case pallet, 48 × 40 × 49 inches and 1,871.8 lb, measures 34.4 lb/ft³, class 60. Keep drinks away from solvents and fuel on the trailer; plastic bottles can pick up their vapors.
Case and pallet weights
Beverage makers publish their case and pallet data. Talking Rain packs twelve 16 oz cans of AQA Max in a case of 10.75 × 8 × 6.29 inches and 13.12 lb, about 42 lb/ft³, and stacks 140 cases on a pallet, 20 per layer and 7 high. Niagara's case of twenty-four 16.9 oz bottles weighs 27.9 lb in 0.7 cubic feet, about 40 lb/ft³, and ships 84 cases to a pallet.
FIJI's 24-bottle 500 mL case measures 16 × 10.56 × 7.5 inches and weighs about 29 lb, and Campbell's V8 24-can case of 8 oz juice weighs 13.85 lb in 0.335 cubic feet. All of them land near 40 lb/ft³, class 55.
Worked examples
Case and pallet figures come from Talking Rain's foodservice sell sheets and distributor product data.
Pallet of canned drinks — class 60
Talking Rain AQA Max, 140 cases of 12 × 16 oz: 48 × 40 × 49.03 in, 1,871.8 lb with the pallet.
48 × 40 × 49.03 = 94,138 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 54.5 ft³. Density = 1,871.8 lb ÷ 54.5 ft³.
34.4 lb/ft³ → class 60. One case alone is 41.9 lb/ft³, class 55.
Case of bottled water — class 55
Niagara, 24 × 16.9 oz: 13.9 × 11.1 × 7.8 in, 27.9 lb.
13.9 × 11.1 × 7.8 = 1,203 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 0.70 ft³. Density = 27.9 lb ÷ 0.70 ft³.
40.1 lb/ft³ → class 55.
The pallet rates one class higher
A full pallet adds the pallet deck and the gaps between cases. Talking Rain lists its AQA Max pallet at 48 × 40 × 49.03 inches and 1,871.8 lb, including a 50 lb pallet. That is 34.4 lb/ft³, just under the 35 lb/ft³ line, so it rates class 60 while each case alone rates class 55.
Water pallets are heavy for their size. An 84-case Niagara pallet carries about 2,344 lb of water and bottles before the pallet itself. A distributor sheet for Niagara says the pallets can be double stacked, but confirm that with the carrier before you book.
Keep drinks away from chemicals
The International Bottled Water Association advises storing bottled water at room temperature or cooler, out of direct sunlight, and away from solvents and chemicals. Its reason: plastic bottles are slightly permeable, so vapors from paint thinners, fuels or cleaners can change the taste and smell of the water.
On an LTL trailer that means asking the carrier not to load your drinks next to solvents or fuel, and keeping them off mixed pallets with cleaning products. In winter, drinks in cans and bottles can also freeze and burst, so ask about freeze protection.
Check your beverage pallet
Enter the full pallet's size from the floor and its weight, pallet included. A full pallet often rates one class higher than a single case.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
42.51
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
2,267
lb
35–50 lb/ft³ → Class 55
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
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.
Frequently asked questions
What freight class are beverages?
A case usually rates class 55 (about 40 lb/ft³). A full pallet often rates class 60, such as Talking Rain's 140-case pallet at 34.4 lb/ft³.
How much does a pallet of bottled water weigh?
An 84-case pallet of Niagara 24 × 16.9 oz water carries about 2,344 lb of product, plus the pallet.
How many cases of drinks fit on a pallet?
It depends on the case. Talking Rain fits 140 cases of 12 × 16 oz cans, 20 per layer and 7 high; Niagara fits 84 cases of 24 × 16.9 oz bottles.
Can bottled water ship with chemicals?
It should not sit next to them. The International Bottled Water Association says bottles are slightly permeable, so vapors from solvents, fuels and cleaners can change the water's taste and smell.