Freight reclassification

Reviewed October 25, 2026. Named sources and dates

Find what changed on the invoice

Class or item

Compare the original and revised class. Ask which commodity provision, density band or rating rule supports the change.

Dimensions or weight

Match the carrier’s figures to the packed shipment. Check pallet count, units, overhang, total height and gross weight.

A separate service

Check whether the difference is an accessorial charge such as liftgate or redelivery. A new service line is a different issue from a changed class.

Carrier example: XPO CNWY 199-AK.3, Item 26, pages 21–22, permits inspections and rating changes. Effective August 17, 2026; reviewed October 25, 2026.

Recalculate the changed input

Suppose a hypothetical pallet was quoted at 48 × 40 × 48 in and 800 lb gross weight. Its volume is 53.333… ft³ and its density is exactly 15 lb/ft³. Under this site’s public density scale, that is the lower boundary of class 70.

If the finished height is actually 49 inches, its volume becomes 54.444… ft³ and density becomes about 14.694 lb/ft³. That falls in class 85. The one-inch difference is enough to cross a boundary; it does not by itself establish that the carrier’s measurement is right or wrong.

Enter the two sets of measurements in the freight class calculator to isolate their effect. Class is selected using unrounded density. Then confirm whether that density scale governs the shipment’s commodity provision. NMFTA’s June 19, 2025 density explanation and current NMFC guidance are the sources for this distinction, checked October 25, 2026.

Prepare a record the reviewer can follow

Keep the explanation tied to one shipment reference. These are preparation suggestions; your carrier may require a particular form or additional evidence.

Match the documents

Put the quote, original bill of lading, revised freight bill and shipment reference together. Identify the disputed line and the original versus revised information.

Request the basis

Ask for the inspection or measurement explanation and the applicable rating provision. Distinguish a physical measurement from a minimum rated dimension.

Support the measurements

Use dated photographs of the packed load, weighing records and packing documents where available. Show how each record connects to the shipment that moved.

Support the description

Provide relevant product and packaging specifications. A product’s unpacked dimensions may differ from the loaded pallet measurements.

State the correction

Explain the particular figure or description you believe is incorrect and why. Keep copies of the submission, its reference number and the carrier’s response.

For XPO, tariff Item 23, pages 18–19, describes information supporting an overcharge claim; Item 205, pages 31–32, addresses bill-of-lading corrections. A newly typed bill of lading does not replace supporting records. These are provisions of the August 17, 2026 XPO tariff, reviewed October 25, 2026.

Use the right review process

XPO’s claims and refunds instructions separate overcharge claims from cargo loss or damage claims and describe a rebuttal route for a denied overcharge claim. Check your carrier’s process, payment terms, filing requirements and applicable deadlines before submitting. This guide does not establish a deadline or guarantee a refund.

If the uncertainty concerns the correct commodity classification, NMFTA’s interpretation guidance describes using photographs, dimensions, construction details and typical packaging. A classification interpretation and a carrier billing review answer different questions. Keep the carrier’s invoice reference in the billing correspondence.

For future loads, the pallet shipping guide and measurement worksheet help assemble consistent records before pickup. Browse the freight guides for the next step.