Use this calculator to estimate the cost of shipping freight. Freight shipping costs are influenced by numerous factors including weight, dimensions, freight class, distance, and any special services required. This tool provides an estimate based on common industry practices.
Lower class (e.g., 50) for dense, durable items; higher class (e.g., 500) for light, fragile items.
This is a hypothetical base rate that varies greatly by carrier and lane.
Accessorial Services:
Understanding Your Freight Shipping Quote
Freight shipping involves transporting large, heavy, or bulky goods. Unlike parcel shipping, freight costs are not simply based on weight. Several complex factors contribute to the final price, making a precise quote challenging without specific carrier and lane information. This calculator provides a useful estimate by considering the most common variables.
Key Factors Influencing Freight Costs:
Weight: The actual weight of your shipment in pounds (lbs) or kilograms (kg). Heavier shipments generally cost more, but the rate per pound can decrease at higher weight breaks.
Dimensions & Volumetric Weight: The length, width, and height of your shipment. For lighter, bulkier items, carriers use a concept called "dimensional weight" or "volumetric weight." This calculates the theoretical weight of a package based on its volume. The billable weight will be the greater of the actual weight or the dimensional weight. This ensures carriers are compensated for the space a shipment occupies, not just its physical weight.
Freight Class: This is a standardized classification (from 50 to 500) for Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) shipments, determined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). It's based on four characteristics:
Density: Weight per cubic foot. Denser items typically have lower classes.
Stowability: How easily the freight can be loaded with other freight.
Handling: How difficult it is to handle due to shape, fragility, or hazardous nature.
Liability: The likelihood of theft, damage, or spoilage.
Lower freight classes (e.g., Class 50) are for dense, durable items (like steel bars), while higher classes (e.g., Class 500) are for light, fragile, or irregularly shaped items (like ping-pong balls). Higher classes result in higher shipping costs.
Distance: The mileage between the origin and destination zip codes. Longer distances naturally incur higher costs.
Base Rate per CWT (Hundredweight): This is the fundamental rate charged by the carrier, often expressed per 100 pounds. This rate varies significantly based on the specific shipping lane (origin-destination pair), carrier, and current market conditions.
Fuel Surcharge: A variable fee added to the base rate to account for fluctuating fuel prices. It's typically calculated as a percentage of the base rate and sometimes other charges.
Accessorial Services: These are additional services beyond standard dock-to-dock delivery. Common examples include:
Liftgate Service: Required if the pickup or delivery location doesn't have a loading dock, and a liftgate is needed to get freight on/off the truck.
Residential Delivery: Delivering to a residential address, which often involves navigating smaller streets and requires specialized equipment.
Limited Access Delivery: Delivering to locations like schools, churches, construction sites, or military bases that have restricted access or require special arrangements.
Inside Delivery/Pickup: Moving freight beyond the immediate loading dock area.
Each accessorial service adds a specific fee to the total cost.
Carrier Discount: Many shippers negotiate discounts with carriers based on volume, frequency, or specific lanes. This percentage discount is applied to the total charges before the final quote.
How to Use the Calculator:
Input your shipment's weight, dimensions, estimated freight class, and shipping distance. Adjust the hypothetical base rate, fuel surcharge, and carrier discount to reflect potential real-world scenarios. Select any necessary accessorial services. The calculator will then provide an estimated total cost.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate for informational purposes only. Actual freight shipping quotes can vary significantly based on the specific carrier, current market rates, exact origin/destination, and other factors not included in this simplified model. Always obtain a direct quote from a freight carrier or broker for precise pricing.
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function calculateFreightQuote() {
// Get input values
var shipmentWeight = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shipmentWeight").value);
var shipmentLength = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shipmentLength").value);
var shipmentWidth = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shipmentWidth").value);
var shipmentHeight = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shipmentHeight").value);
var freightClass = parseFloat(document.getElementById("freightClass").value);
var shippingDistance = parseFloat(document.getElementById("shippingDistance").value);
var baseRatePerCWT = parseFloat(document.getElementById("baseRatePerCWT").value);
var fuelSurchargePercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("fuelSurchargePercent").value);
var carrierDiscountPercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("carrierDiscountPercent").value);
var liftgateServiceChecked = document.getElementById("liftgateService").checked;
var residentialDeliveryChecked = document.getElementById("residentialDelivery").checked;
var limitedAccessDeliveryChecked = document.getElementById("limitedAccessDelivery").checked;
// Accessorial costs (fixed for this calculator)
var liftgateServiceCost = 100;
var residentialDeliveryCost = 75;
var limitedAccessDeliveryCost = 120;
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(shipmentWeight) || shipmentWeight <= 0 ||
isNaN(shipmentLength) || shipmentLength <= 0 ||
isNaN(shipmentWidth) || shipmentWidth <= 0 ||
isNaN(shipmentHeight) || shipmentHeight <= 0 ||
isNaN(freightClass) || freightClass 500 ||
isNaN(shippingDistance) || shippingDistance <= 0 ||
isNaN(baseRatePerCWT) || baseRatePerCWT <= 0 ||
isNaN(fuelSurchargePercent) || fuelSurchargePercent < 0 ||
isNaN(carrierDiscountPercent) || carrierDiscountPercent 100) {
document.getElementById("freightQuoteResult").innerHTML = "Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields. Freight Class must be between 50 and 500. Discount must be between 0 and 100.";
return;
}
// 1. Calculate Volumetric Weight (Dimensional Weight)
// Common LTL dimensional factor: 194 cubic inches per pound
var volumetricWeight = (shipmentLength * shipmentWidth * shipmentHeight) / 194;
// Determine Billable Weight (greater of actual or volumetric)
var billableWeight = Math.max(shipmentWeight, volumetricWeight);
// 2. Calculate Freight Class Factor
// Simple linear scaling: Class 100 = 1x, Class 50 = 0.5x, Class 200 = 2x, etc.
var freightClassFactor = freightClass / 100;
// 3. Calculate Distance Factor
// Assuming base rate is per 100 lbs, and distance factor scales linearly per 100 miles
var distanceFactor = shippingDistance / 100;
// 4. Calculate Base Cost
// (Billable Weight / 100) * Base Rate per CWT * Freight Class Factor * Distance Factor
var baseCost = (billableWeight / 100) * baseRatePerCWT * freightClassFactor * distanceFactor;
// 5. Add Accessorial Costs
var accessorialCosts = 0;
if (liftgateServiceChecked) {
accessorialCosts += liftgateServiceCost;
}
if (residentialDeliveryChecked) {
accessorialCosts += residentialDeliveryCost;
}
if (limitedAccessDeliveryChecked) {
accessorialCosts += limitedAccessDeliveryCost;
}
var subtotal = baseCost + accessorialCosts;
// 6. Apply Fuel Surcharge
var fuelSurchargeAmount = subtotal * (fuelSurchargePercent / 100);
var totalBeforeDiscount = subtotal + fuelSurchargeAmount;
// 7. Apply Carrier Discount
var discountAmount = totalBeforeDiscount * (carrierDiscountPercent / 100);
var finalQuote = totalBeforeDiscount – discountAmount;
// Display results
var resultHTML = "