How to Calculate Freight Density

Freight density represents the relationship between a package's volume and weight.

The freight density measures how heavy a package is relative to the size of the package. A package with a high freight density weights a lot relative to its size, such as densely packed books. A package with a low freight density weighs little relative to its size, such as a box filled with Styrofoam. When negotiating freight rates with shipping companies, you may need to know the freight density of the packages you plan to send.

Things You'll Need

• Scale
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Measure the length, width and height of the object in inches with a measuring tape.

2. Multiply the length times the width times the height to calculate the volume of the package. For example, if the package measures 20 inches by 26 inches by 30 inches, multiply 20 by 26 by 30 to find the volume equals 15,600 cubic inches. If you need the volume in cubic feet, divide the number of cubic inches by 1,728. For example, divide 15,600 by 1,728 to get approximately 9.03 cubic feet.

3. Weigh the freight in pounds on a scale.

4. Divide the weight of the package by the volume of the package to find the freight density. Completing the example, if the package weights 120 pounds, divide 120 by 9.03 to get a freight density of 13.29 lbs. per cubic feet.

References

• Freight Quote: Freight Density
• YRC: Shipment Density
• Con-Way: Calculate Cargo Density