Freight Class 70
Class 70 is one of the most common LTL classes, covering food items, auto engines and machinery parts at 15–22.5 lb/ft³.
What is freight class 70?
Freight class 70 is one of the 18 classes in the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). It applies to LTL shipments whose density falls between 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³. Density is weight ÷ volume, so a shipment lands in class 70 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 70 freight description
Class 70 sits at the sweet spot of the NMFC scale: dense enough to be cheap, common enough that most general-freight shippers touch it weekly. Freight lands here when it weighs 15 to just under 22.5 pounds for every cubic foot it occupies — think goods that are genuinely heavy but ship inside real packaging: cases of canned food on a pallet, an automobile engine bolted to a skid, machine components boxed with dunnage. The raw materials below it (steel bar, tile, brick) pack tighter and rate class 50–65; the consumer goods above it (appliances, electronics) trap more air and rate class 77.5 and up.
In practice, a well-stacked standard pallet is the class-70 signature. A 48" × 40" pallet loaded 48" high holds about 53 cubic feet, so anywhere from roughly 800 to 1,200 pounds on that footprint puts you in the class-70 density band. Under-fill the pallet or leave air in the cartons and the same goods drift up a class — and up in price.
Class 70 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 70:
Palletized canned food — solid class 70
A 48" × 40" pallet stacked 48" high with cases of canned goods, 1,000 lb total.
48 × 40 × 48 = 92,160 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 53.3 ft³. Density = 1,000 lb ÷ 53.3 ft³.
18.75 lb/ft³ → squarely inside 15–22.5 → class 70.
Engine on a skid — class 70
A rebuilt engine strapped to a 42" × 36" skid, 30" high overall, 450 lb.
42 × 36 × 30 = 45,360 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 26.25 ft³. Density = 450 lb ÷ 26.25 ft³.
17.1 lb/ft³ → class 70.
The same pallet, 220 lb lighter — class 77.5
The identical 48" × 40" × 48" pallet, but loaded to only 780 lb.
Volume is still 53.3 ft³. Density = 780 lb ÷ 53.3 ft³ = 14.6 lb/ft³ — just under the 15 lb/ft³ floor.
14.6 lb/ft³ → class 77.5. One missing layer of cases moved the whole shipment up a class.
What class 70 means for your rate
Freight class is one of the main inputs in every LTL tariff: the lower the class, the less you pay per hundred pounds (CWT). Class 70 is in the cheaper third of the 18-class scale, so it prices well below the classes light freight falls into — the same lane and weight rated class 125 or 175 can cost half again as much or more, simply because lighter freight uses more trailer space per pound.
The practical risk near class 70 is the band's bottom edge at 15 lb/ft³. Carriers reweigh and re-measure freight at the dock, and a shipment billed as class 70 that inspects at 14.6 lb/ft³ gets rebilled at class 77.5 — plus, with most carriers, an inspection fee. If your density is hovering just under the line, consolidating cartons, shortening the pallet, or adding a second layer of product usually costs nothing and locks in the lower class. The calculator below shows exactly where your load sits.
Typical class 70 commodities
Goods that are commonly rated freight class 70 include:
- Automobile engines
- Food items (non-perishable)
- Machinery parts
- Caskets
- Newspapers in bulk
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 70:
Check if your shipment is class 70
Enter your dimensions and weight — if the density lands in 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³, you’re in class 70.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
18.75
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
1,000
lb
15–22.5 lb/ft³ → Class 70
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
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 70?
Freight class 70 is the NMFC class for shipments with a density of 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³. Typical examples include automobile engines, food items (non-perishable), machinery parts.
What products are freight class 70?
Goods commonly rated class 70 include automobile engines, food items (non-perishable), machinery parts, caskets, newspapers in bulk. The actual class depends on the item's density and NMFC item number, so verify with your carrier.
How is freight class 70 determined?
Divide the shipment weight in pounds by its volume in cubic feet. A density of 15 to under 22.5 lb/ft³ maps to class 70 on the NMFC density scale. Use the calculator above to check your shipment.
Is class 70 cheaper than class 85 or 92.5?
Yes. LTL rates rise with class, so class 70 prices below 77.5, 85 and 92.5 for the same lane and weight. That's why it pays to check whether tighter packing or palletizing lifts your density above 15 lb/ft³.
What density do I need for freight class 70?
15 to just under 22.5 pounds per cubic foot. Divide total weight (lb) by total cubic feet (L × W × H ÷ 1,728, including the pallet) — if the result is in that band, the density-based class is 70.
Can my class-70 shipment get reclassified?
Yes — carriers reweigh and re-measure at the terminal. If the inspected density falls below 15 lb/ft³, the shipment is rebilled at class 77.5 or higher, usually with an inspection fee added. Measure honestly, include the pallet in the height, and keep the paperwork.