LTL Freight Shipping

LTL shipping companies may charge by weight or by mileage. When charging by weight, pricing can start at $50 per hundred pounds, though the cost may decrease per pound with heavyweight shipping. The average LTL cost per mile usually starts between $2-3 per mile.

LTL rates are typically calculated using a weight-based scale. A unit of measurement known as the hundredweight (CWT), sometimes referred to as the centum weight, is used to factor pricing. The more a shipment weighs, the lower rate-per-hundred pounds it will have.

The basics of LTL freight pricing by density It relies on a simple formula that evaluates the length, width, and height of a shipment and calculates the weight in pounds, arriving at a measurement of pounds per cubic foot (PCF) for the shipment.

Shipping a 300 lb package costs a significant amount, generally ranging from under $200 to over $1,000, depending heavily on distance (local vs. interstate), carrier ( UPS / FedEx vs. freight), speed (ground vs. overnight), and using discount platforms like PirateShip, with rates potentially starting around $135-$160 for ground and increasing for faster/longer shipments. USPS can't handle items this heavy, so it's often UPS, FedEx, or LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) freight carriers.