My freight got reclassified. What do I do now?

It can happen to the best of us: a freight carrier says your shipment has been reclassified and will have an additional accessorial fee tacked onto it. But what does freight reclassification mean, and why does it happen?

If you've ever asked yourself these questions, you're in luck! We've created a Freight Reclassification Guide to walk you through the ins and outs of freight classification and how to best avoid having your shipment reclassified.

Why does freight reclassification happen?

Some small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) attempt to guess their freight's class, and others may enter a lower class in an attempt to save money on freight shipping. Other SMBs may simply not accurately calculate their class.

Freight carriers inspect shipments, and if the wrong freight class code was used when obtaining a shipping quote, the carrier has to reclassify the freight with the correct code.

The Impacts of LTL Reclassification

Regardless of the reason for the incorrect code, less-than-truckload (LTL) reclassification incurs additional charges and can also lead to shipping delays.

You should do everything possible to honestly and accurately assign the freight class on each shipment. Besides an incorrect National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) code, other common reasons for LTL reclassification include an incorrect weight listed in the documentation, an inadequate description, or the wrong pallet size being used to calculate the class. You can minimize the chances of a reclassification by ensuring your freight scale is accurate, knowing your pallet size and including a clear and complete description of the shipment in the bill of lading (BOL).

If a LTL reclassification does happen, we can walk you through your options and the best way to obtain a positive outcome!

Get a master class on freight class from the experts.

As you can see, a freight reclass can be complicated! Download our guide on coping with freight reclassification, then reach out to us for a complimentary, customized shipping assessment to make sure you're at the top of the class when it comes to freight class codes and every other important aspect of your business shipping.