Measuring Palletized & Non-Palletized Freight

It is crucial that freight is measured properly in order to determine the accurate freight class. 

Below you will find two examples for how to measure palletized and non-palletized freight. 

How to Measure Non-palletized Freight

If the length is 25 inches, the width is 24 inches and the height is 23 inches, multiply them as follows:

1. 25 X 24 X 23 = 13,800 cubic inches.
2. Convert cubic inches to cubic feet by dividing the cubic inch total by 1,728—the number of cubic inches in one cubic foot. For example: 13,800 divided by 1,728 = 7.98 cubic feet.
3. Dividing the weight of the shipment by the number of cubic feet will provide the density. For example: 90 pounds divided by 7.98 = 11.27 pounds per cubic foot.

How to Measure Palletized Freight

If the pallet is 46 inches long, 42 inches wide and 6 inches high, add the height of the pallet to the height of the shipment (23 inches) for a combined height of 29 inches.

1. 46 X 42 X 29 = 56,028 cubic inches.
2. Next, convert the inches total to cubic feet by dividing 56,028 by 1,728 = 32.42 cubic feet.
3. The density then equals the weight 120 (90 pounds for the shipment and approximately 30 pounds for the pallet) divided by the cubic dimension: 120 divided by 32.42 = 3.70 pounds per cubic foot.