A freight quote and a freight invoice are frequently different numbers, and the gap is almost always explained by something the shipper could have declared up front. Here is what actually determines what you pay to move a pallet of network hardware.
Freight class and density
LTL pricing runs on the National Motor Freight Classification, which assigns a class from 50 to 500. Lower class costs less. Class is driven mainly by density — pounds per cubic foot — along with stowability, handling and liability.
Network hardware is awkward here. A pallet of switches is dense and classes low. A pallet of IP phones in retail cartons is mostly air and classes high. Two shipments of identical dollar value can differ by 40% in freight cost for this reason alone.
| Typical shipment | Approx. density | Typical class |
|---|---|---|
| Switches, UPS units, rack gear | 15–22 lb/ft³ | Class 70–85 |
| IP phones in retail cartons | 6–9 lb/ft³ | Class 125–150 |
| Access points, small accessories | 4–7 lb/ft³ | Class 150–175 |
| Cabling, patch panels | 18–30 lb/ft³ | Class 60–70 |
If you under-declare class to get a cheaper quote, the carrier reweighs and reclasses in transit and bills the difference plus an inspection fee. It is not a strategy.
The four charges that surprise people
- Residential delivery. If the ship-to is a house, a home office, or a unit in a residential building, this applies regardless of what the sign on the door says. Typically $90–$180.
- Liftgate. If there is no loading dock and no forklift, the truck needs a liftgate. Not every truck has one, so it must be requested at booking. Typically $75–$150. Booking it late costs more than booking it early.
- Limited access. Schools, churches, military bases, self-storage, construction sites and farms all attract this. It surprises people because these do not feel like unusual destinations.
- Reconsignment and redelivery. Changing the address after pickup, or nobody being there on the first attempt. Both are avoidable and both are expensive.
Practical decisions that move the number
- Consolidate. Two pallets on one BOL is materially cheaper than two shipments a fortnight apart. If you know what you need in six weeks, buying it now often costs less in total.
- Watch the 150 lb line. Under roughly 150 lb, small parcel usually wins. Over it, LTL usually wins. Shipments that sit right on the boundary are worth pricing both ways.
- Ship to a commercial address with a dock. If you have any choice at all, this removes two of the four charges above.
- Use your own carrier account if you have one. Negotiated rates frequently beat anything a distributor can get you, and we are happy to ship collect.
How we quote it
Freight goes on the quote with the goods, before you commit. We class the shipment properly rather than optimistically, and we ask about dock access, liftgate and residential status at quote stage — which is why the quote form asks for a ship-to ZIP. Accessorials that we did not know about will still bill through, but that is a much shorter list when the questions get asked up front.
Small parcel goes UPS or FedEx Ground with tracking the day it leaves. LTL gets a BOL and a PRO number the same day, and we tell you the carrier rather than making you find out when it arrives.