Every day, LTL carriers across the US carry millions of packages across the length and breadth of the country. These packages vary in size, shape, weight, handling difficulty, and care requirements vastly from one another. Each package is designated a class and assigned a National Motor Freight Classification tariff (NMFC) code accordingly. All in all, there are 18 freight classes, and each of them is defined with a number between 50 and 500.
So, Why Are NMFC Codes Necessary?
For logistics businesses, it is all about operational efficiency. Finding the optimum route, the optimum chain of connecting vehicles, the optimum pick-up and drop-off times, and so on, are critical to their profitability, if not their very survival. They cannot afford to estimate the costs of shipping a package wrongly. That’s why – NMFC codes.
The codes were developed by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) to standardize freight pricing among LTL carriers. With a quick NMFC codes lookup, LTL logistics services can determine the cost of shipping a package with high accuracy even without seeing it. Better understanding NMFC codes also helps you get the best LTL Rates!
How are NMFC Codes Assigned?
NMFC codes are assigned based on these factors:
- Density
The volume occupied by your package in relation to its weight.
- Freight Stowability
The item’s ease of loading and its fit with the other packages in the trailer determines its class. If the package is extremely heavy, large, or hazardous, then it’s assigned a higher class.
- Ease of Handling
If the package has special handling requirements, then it will get assigned a higher class.
- Liability
Your package’s value is determined so that it is covered against theft or damage. To offer this coverage, the LTL carrier charges businesses a premium by assigning the package a higher class.
Why Assigning NMFC Codes Accurately is Important?
There are two main reasons why accurate assignment of NMFC codes is vital for your business:
- Accurate Costs Estimate
If a package is assigned a wrong NMFC code, then the freight carrier will reassign it a random higher class, which inevitably means a higher than ideal cost estimate for shipping your item. To avoid unnecessary cost escalations, always assign the right code to your item using an NMFC codes lookup tool. This will also help you get the best LTL Rates consistently which is pretty important to most companies!
- Damage to Package, Property, or Life
As mentioned before, the NMFC code helps your LTL carrier make suitable ‘special arrangements’ for shipping and handling your product, if necessary. Whether your item requires a refrigerated truck, is flammable, or is hazardous to human health, the level of special care required is best communicated with NMFC codes.
When you assign a wrong code, your product may perish during shipping, or it can cause loss of property or even life due to incorrect handling.
How to Perform Accurate NMFC Codes Lookup
The short answer – ClassIT.
Here’s the longer version. We’ve developed a smart and powerful tool, ClassIT, with a highly accurate NMFC codes lookup feature. Businesses can use the NMFC lookup tool to not only determine the right NMFC code for their package but also get the freight rates for it quickly and effortlessly.
ClassIT – it’s simple, it’s easy, it’s remarkably accurate, and can save businesses lots of money. Try the NMFC codes finder today. If you need help looking up the most accurate NMFC code information you can also give us call and we can quickly help you look it up. Now with our fast evolving freight automation apps for shopify, woo-commerce, magento, and ERP software like Netsuite we can also automate the NMFC code populating during freight booking. Or we can always manage the whole proces for you with our Managed Transportation Program. Lots of options for your logistical needs!
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