Freight Class 60
Class 60 applies to dense, durable goods such as auto parts and packaged hardware (30–35 lb/ft³). They handle and stow easily, so they remain inexpensive to ship LTL.
What is freight class 60?
Freight class 60 is one of the 18 classes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). It applies to LTL shipments whose density falls between 30 to under 35 lb/ft³. Density is weight ÷ volume, so a shipment lands in class 60 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 60 freight description
Class 60 describes freight in the 30 to just-under-35 lb/ft³ band — dense industrial and packaged goods that still carry some real packaging around them. Where class 50 and 55 belong to raw material (brick, bar stock, bundled flooring), class 60 is where boxed density lives: cases of auto parts, coiled steel cable, die castings in cartons, bottled beverages in trays. The product is heavy; the cartons, dividers and tray gaps are what keep it out of the lower classes.
It's still firmly in the cheap third of the NMFC scale. A carrier can load class-60 freight to the trailer's weight limit long before running out of floor space, and the tariff rewards that. For a shipper, the difference between booking class 60 and drifting up to 65 or 70 is usually not the product at all — it's how much air ships inside each handling unit.
Class 60 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 60:
Palletized auto parts — class 60
Cases of auto parts on a 48" × 40" pallet, 42" high, 1,500 lb.
48 × 40 × 42 = 80,640 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 46.7 ft³. Density = 1,500 lb ÷ 46.7 ft³.
32.1 lb/ft³ → inside 30–35 → class 60.
Bottled beverages in trays — class 60
Trays of bottled drinks stacked 54" high on a 48" × 40" pallet, 1,850 lb.
48 × 40 × 54 = 103,680 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 60.0 ft³. Density = 1,850 lb ÷ 60.0 ft³.
30.8 lb/ft³ → class 60, near the floor — worth re-checking after any change.
The same parts pallet, 120 lb lighter — class 65
The identical 46.7 ft³ pallet of parts, loaded to 1,380 lb.
Density = 1,380 lb ÷ 46.7 ft³ = 29.6 lb/ft³ — just under the 30 lb/ft³ floor.
29.6 lb/ft³ → class 65. One removed layer of cases moved the class.
Working the class 55–65 boundaries
Class 60's band is only 5 lb/ft³ wide, with a cheaper class touching each edge — and unusually, both directions pay. Load the pallet heavier and tighter and you cross 35 lb/ft³ into class 55; that's the direction consolidation pushes. Cases of dense parts stacked one layer higher, or two half-pallets combined into one, often tip the unit over the line and cut the rate.
The risk edge is at 30 lb/ft³. A blended pallet — dense parts on the bottom, a few light cartons of filters or trim on top — dilutes the unit's density and can drop the whole thing under 30, rebilling it at class 65 or 70. When your density check lands between 29 and 31 lb/ft³, split the light freight onto its own unit or leave it off entirely; the calculator below makes it a thirty-second check per configuration.
Typical class 60 commodities
Goods that are commonly rated freight class 60 include:
- Car parts and accessories
- Steel cable and wire
- Used auto tires
- Bottled beverages
- Die castings
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 60:
Check if your shipment is class 60
Enter your dimensions and weight — if the density lands in 30 to under 35 lb/ft³, you’re in class 60.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
32.49
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
1,733
lb
30–35 lb/ft³ → Class 60
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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 60?
Freight class 60 is the NMFC class for shipments with a density of 30 to under 35 lb/ft³. Typical examples include car parts and accessories, steel cable and wire, used auto tires.
What products are freight class 60?
Goods commonly rated class 60 include car parts and accessories, steel cable and wire, used auto tires, bottled beverages, die castings. The actual class depends on the item's density and NMFC item number, so verify with your carrier.
How is freight class 60 determined?
Divide the shipment weight in pounds by its volume in cubic feet. A density of 30 to under 35 lb/ft³ maps to class 60 on the NMFC density scale. Use the calculator above to check your shipment.
Is class 60 freight cheap to ship?
Yes — it's the third-lowest class of 18, so it prices well below the mid classes. Only classes 50 and 55 rate lower for the same lane and weight.
What density do I need for freight class 60?
30 to just under 35 pounds per cubic foot, measured on the full handling unit including the pallet. Weight in pounds divided by cubic feet (L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728) tells you immediately.
Can I get class 55 instead of 60?
If you can push the unit's density to 35 lb/ft³ or higher — usually by stacking dense cases higher on the same footprint or consolidating two light pallets into one — the density-based class drops to 55 and the rate drops with it.