Freight Class 100
Class 100 is a mid-range class (9–10.5 lb/ft³) covering covers, cases and lighter crated goods.
What is freight class 100?
Freight class 100 is one of the 18 classes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). It applies to LTL shipments whose density falls between 9 to under 10.5 lb/ft³. Density is weight ÷ volume, so a shipment lands in class 100 when it weighs that much for the space it occupies. Lower classes (denser freight) cost less to ship; higher classes (lighter, bulkier freight) cost more, because they use more trailer space per pound.
Class 100 — the middle of the scale
Class 100 marks the practical midpoint of the NMFC ladder: 9 to just under 10.5 lb/ft³, where freight stops being weight-limited and starts being space-limited. The goods that live here — canvas covers, cased soft goods, caskets, empty wooden crates — aren't fragile or unusual; they simply carry a lot of volume for their weight. From this class upward, the freight bill is increasingly a bill for cubic feet, not pounds.
That shift changes what's worth optimizing. Below class 100, shippers win by adding weight to the same cube; at 100 and above, they win by removing cube from the same weight. Nesting, folding, knock-down construction and compression become the levers — an empty crate shipped assembled is nearly all air, and the same crate shipped flat can measure two or three classes denser.
Class 100 worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how real shipments land in — and fall out of — class 100:
Cartoned boat covers — class 100
A long carton of canvas boat covers, 48" × 24" × 24", 150 lb.
48 × 24 × 24 = 27,648 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 16.0 ft³. Density = 150 lb ÷ 16.0 ft³.
9.4 lb/ft³ → inside 9–10.5 → class 100.
Empty wooden crates, nested — class 100
Nested empty crates strapped on a 48" × 40" pallet, 60" high, 620 lb.
48 × 40 × 60 = 115,200 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 66.7 ft³. Density = 620 lb ÷ 66.7 ft³.
9.3 lb/ft³ → class 100. Assembled instead of nested, the same crates would rate far worse.
The covers, compressed and palletized — class 92.5
480 lb of the same canvas covers strapped tight on a 48" × 40" pallet, 40" high.
48 × 40 × 40 = 76,800 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 44.4 ft³. Density = 480 lb ÷ 44.4 ft³ = 10.8 lb/ft³ — over the 10.5 line.
10.8 lb/ft³ → class 92.5. Compression moved the class.
Cutting cube at class 100
Start with whatever ships assembled that doesn't have to: crates, stands, frames and display units usually knock down to a fraction of their built volume. Then look at nesting — covers, bins and formed goods often stack inside each other, and a nested column of ten measures barely more than a column of six. Finally, check the carton spec: soft goods like canvas and covers tolerate compression well, and a vacuum-packed or tightly-strapped bale of the same product can move the unit over the 10.5 lb/ft³ line into class 92.5.
Quotes at this level are sensitive to small measurement differences — the band is only 1.5 lb/ft³ wide. An inch of extra height on a tall unit, or a rounded-up footprint, moves the number enough to matter. Measure the finished, wrapped unit at its widest points and run the exact figures through the calculator below; on a lane you ship weekly, knowing whether you're a true 9.2 or a true 10.6 is worth real money.
Typical class 100 commodities
Goods that are commonly rated freight class 100 include:
- Boat and car covers
- Canvas goods
- Wine cases
- Caskets
- Empty wooden crates
These are typical examples. The exact class of any item depends on its NMFC item number and measured density — always confirm with your carrier or broker.
Commodity guides that overlap class 100:
Check if your shipment is class 100
Enter your dimensions and weight — if the density lands in 9 to under 10.5 lb/ft³, you’re in class 100.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
9.75
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
520
lb
9–10.5 lb/ft³ → Class 100
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Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
How freight class is calculated (density scale)
Freight class is set by density = weight (lb) ÷ volume (ft³). Higher density → lower class → typically lower cost. Volume here is L × W × H × quantity.
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|
| 50+ | 50 |
| 35 – 50 | 55 |
| 30 – 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 – 30 | 65 |
| 15 – 22.5 | 70 |
| 13.5 – 15 | 77.5 |
| 12 – 13.5 | 85 |
| 10.5 – 12 | 92.5 |
| 9 – 10.5 | 100 |
| 8 – 9 | 110 |
| 7 – 8 | 125 |
| 6 – 7 | 150 |
| 5 – 6 | 175 |
| 4 – 5 | 200 |
| 3 – 4 | 250 |
| 2 – 3 | 300 |
| 1 – 2 | 400 |
| 0 – 1 | 500 |
Frequently asked questions
What is freight class 100?
Freight class 100 is the NMFC class for shipments with a density of 9 to under 10.5 lb/ft³. Typical examples include boat and car covers, canvas goods, wine cases.
What products are freight class 100?
Goods commonly rated class 100 include boat and car covers, canvas goods, wine cases, caskets, empty wooden crates. The actual class depends on the item's density and NMFC item number, so verify with your carrier.
How is freight class 100 determined?
Divide the shipment weight in pounds by its volume in cubic feet. A density of 9 to under 10.5 lb/ft³ maps to class 100 on the NMFC density scale. Use the calculator above to check your shipment.
What is freight class 100 used for?
Shipments measuring 9 to just under 10.5 lb/ft³ — typically bulky-but-normal goods like canvas covers, cased soft goods, caskets and empty crates. It's the scale's midpoint: from here up, rates are driven by the space freight occupies more than its weight.
Is freight class 100 expensive?
Mid-range. It rates well above the dense classes (50–70) but well below the light ones (150–500). On most lanes the bigger cost lever isn't negotiating the class-100 rate — it's re-packing so the shipment measures into 92.5 or 85.
How do I move freight from class 100 to a lower class?
Remove cube, not weight: knock down anything assembled, nest what stacks inside itself, and compress soft goods. Crossing 10.5 lb/ft³ reaches class 92.5; getting past 12 reaches class 85. The calculator on this page shows where each configuration lands.