Residential Freight Shipping

On the list of the top 10 most stressful things a human can do, shipping household goods has got to be #1, especially when shipping cross-country or internationally. We get it, but don’t worry; we’re here to help you through it.

So, what’s a freight class?

Well, it’s a way of classifying shipments based on commodities. Freight class is a standardized classification system for items transported via LTL freight shipping. It is used by carriers for pricing freight rates and formulating the cost to ship your freight.

There are 18 different freight classes, numbered 50 to 500. A lower-class number generally means a lower shipping cost – because your item is easier to ship; however, if you ship things with different classes on the same pallet, the shipment defaults to the highest class of those items.

Shipping classes are based on size, weight, and density. There are 18 classes, numbered 50 to 500. A lower class number generally means a lower shipping cost — because your item is easier to ship. So, a box full of bowling balls can cost as much as a box full of pillows to ship due to the size each takes up on the truck and whether or not anything can be stacked on it (stowability). It’s essential to choose the appropriate freight class for your shipment. Otherwise, you could be back-charged for your shipment.

Depending on the commodity you’re shipping, you could be looking at a lower or higher freight class.

 

First Things First: What Are You Shipping?

What’ve you got on your hands: freight or parcel? And how can you tell? If your shipment is:

…you’re shipping freight. The standard U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and Federal Express services can’t help you where FreightCenter can!

To calculate girth:

1) Measure the width of the package and multiply this number by two.
2) Measure the height of the package and multiply this number by two.
3) Add these two numbers together. This is your girth.
4) Now, add your length + girth to see if the total is under 165 inches.

Are You a First-time Shipper?

FreightCenter can save you time and money when shipping household goods. Whether you’re shipping a refrigerator to your new home, furniture to a relative, or a television you bought online, we’ll help ship your items safely and on time. Let us take care of all the hard work while offering tools and tips along the way, like:

Residential Freight: What else should you know?

Residential delivery fees apply when shipping freight to a primarily non-commercial (residential) location. Carriers define areas according to their zones:

The cost to ship can also change when delivering to a limited access location (i.e., construction sites, military bases, camps, and storage facilities). To avoid unexpected billing adjustments, ask your FreightCenter agent if your location would fall into one of the above categories.

Save money & time when you ship residential freight with FreightCenter

Shipping costs depend on commodity type, weight, dimensions, pickup and delivery locations, and distance traveled. For the most accurate freight rate (and to avoid extra charges), ensure all information is 100% complete and accurate when scheduling your shipment. Be as exact and honest as possible about your packaged freight’s contents, weight, size, and location. Use our freight shipper’s checklist if you don’t ship often.

Per FreightCenter’s Terms and Conditions, the cost of the billing adjustment will be automatically deducted from the credit card on file.

To avoid a billing adjustment, ensure the following are all correct on your BOL and delivery receipt.

What Happens if You Receive a Bill Directly From a Carrier?

Call FreightCenter’s Customer Service department at 800.716.7608. and send us a copy of your bill. Our staff will work to resolve the issue and appropriately credit the charges. We ask our shippers to give their drivers a copy of FreightCenter’s automated BOL with every shipment to help prevent this from happening.