Major changes are coming to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) methodology and ratings, effective July 19. If you’re unsure what this means or how it might impact your shipping operation, join the club.
But officials at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), which runs the NMFC, say rest assured that its changes are designed to make classification less complex, thereby improving workflows and efficiency.
Any significant change will require shippers to learn and understand a lot about the seemingly arcane nature of NMFC classifications, ratings and how correctly rating a shipment can result in the most efficient shipping rate in an economically deregulated industry.
NMFTA has been trying to gather as much feedback as possible and share the necessary information with plenty of lead time to prepare. But the changes are slated to begin July 19 with about one-third of NMFC ratings to change.
Why is NMFC changing? Simply put, it’s time. Some of these ratings’ categories and classifications had their roots in the 1930s when shipping, trucking and computations were a lot different –and a lot more regulated across interstate commerce.
Officials say they met with those using the NMFC to gather feedback on common frustrations. They determined that the number of single-class items currently in the NMFC can make selecting a freight class complex for businesses that ship a wide range of products. If any of those products fall within the same density range, they could use the same class instead of multiple single-item classes that depend on the item type.
NMFC officials say what’s coming is a feasible way to streamline the NMFC and make it easier to classify items as long as there are no handling, stowability or liability concerns.
What is not changing?
The NMFC will still address special shipping considerations—handling, stowability and liability—for items that require them. It will not classify using density alone unless it makes sense for that particular item.
Pitt Ohio, a major Northeastern multi-regional less-than-truckload carrier, has been “very proactive in trying to inform customers of the upcoming changes,” Pitt Ohio VP of Pricing Shawn Galloway told LM.
In addition to a webinar in February that had over 600 registered attendees, Pitt Ohio has armed its sales reps with brochures to serve as a roadmap for customers to navigate the changes.
That roadmap consists of five key steps:
- Understanding your risk
- Attempting to reduce wasted space
- Evaluation of dimensioning technology
- Created dialogues with your carrier
- Providing the new accurate information on July 19
“As we reach out to customers, we find many of our customers are very engaged and are preparing for the changes by updating their systems and attempting to understand the impact it will have on their business,” Galloway said.
Unfortunately, he added: “There are still quite a few customers that are just going to wait and see what happens, or have no understanding of what is taking place until we inform them.”
The NMFC will still be available as a book for those who prefer it, but they will no longer be widely producing it. It can be requested on an as-needed basis. As an alternative, they are encouraging users to shift to a digital version of NMFC. ClassIT’s new iteration, ClassIT, also receives updates on using the latest search technology. NMFC officials say this will be a great companion for anyone unsure about the upcoming changes.
What else is changing? It will add two new sub-provisions to accommodate a wider range of density values. Sub-provisions 1-10 will stay as they are; sub-provision 11 will be amended, and sub-provisions 12-13 will be added.
This means the freight classes for the items you ship often may change. In other words, if you know which class you were using before and it was classed correctly, it should be fairly simple to determine the new class.
When are these changes taking effect? Docket 2025-1, which details the changes to a large number of items across the NMFC, has been released. The modifications from Docket 2025-1 appear on the supplement released in May 2025. That supplement becomes effective on July 19.
If you use a 3PL or carrier and your item class will be calculated with straight density (no handling, stowability or liability considerations), it will be crucial that you deliver accurate dimensions and weight for your shipments so the correct class can be chosen.
Shippers are advised to stay in touch with your carrier or 3PL to ensure they’re aware of what’s coming. NMFTA has also created an informative webpage available here.
