What an FAK clause actually does
FAK stands for freight all kinds. It is a clause in a carrier pricing agreement (or a broker's contract with a carrier) that rates a band of actual NMFC classes at one class. A shipper moving mixed commercial freight might negotiate "actual class 50 to 85, rate as 70; actual class 92.5 to 125, rate as 100". The freight is still classed by density or by its NMFC item. The FAK only changes which column of the carrier's base rate table the bill uses, and the discount then applies to that rate.
FAK is valuable because it removes surprises on mixed bills and lets a shipper price product without knowing every SKU's density. But it is a pricing promise inside a larger document. Pricing agreements are typically written as subject to the carrier's rules tariff, and the rules tariff is where cubic capacity, linear foot and capacity load items live. When one of those items applies, it generally sets the charge on its own terms.
Three ways an FAK stops applying
- The freight falls outside the band. If the band is 50 to 125 and an inspection reclasses the freight at 175 or 250, the FAK no longer covers it and actual class applies. Low-density classes are usually excluded from FAK entirely.
- The freight falls under the density floor. Many FAK clauses only apply above a stated density, commonly somewhere between 6 and 10 PCF. A load below the floor rates at actual class even if the class number is inside the band.
- A rules tariff item takes over. Cubic capacity minimum charges (350 cubic feet at under 3 PCF, or 750 cubic feet at under 6 PCF, depending on the carrier), linear foot rules (typically 12 to 15 feet) and capacity load or volume items replace the class-based charge with a synthetic weight, a per-foot charge or a minimum. Depending on the carrier and the agreement, the discount may be restricted or not apply at all.
The third one causes the largest re-bills, because it does not care which class is on the bill or which class the freight really is. It looks at tariff cube and tariff density, which include the 96-inch imputation for non-stackable and over-60-inch units.
Worked example: 12 pallets of casework quoted at FAK 100
A millwork shop ships twelve 48 × 40 pallets of assembled base cabinets on Old Dominion, about 1,000 miles. Each pallet is 80 inches tall, weighs 350 lbs and is marked do-not-stack. The shipper's agreement rates actual classes 92.5 to 125 as FAK 100, and the shipping clerk writes class 100 on the bill.
| Step | Math | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Physical cube | 48 × 40 × 80 ÷ 1,728 × 12 | 1,066.7 cu ft |
| Weight | 350 × 12 | 4,200 lbs |
| Actual density and class | 4,200 ÷ 1,066.7 | 3.94 PCF, class 250 |
| Tariff cube at 96 in | 48 × 40 × 96 ÷ 1,728 × 12 | 1,280 cu ft |
| Tariff density | 4,200 ÷ 1,280 | 3.28 PCF |
| ODFL 100 Item 610-1 test | 1,280 ≥ 750 and 3.28 < 6 | Applies |
| Synthetic weight | 1,280 × 6 lbs | 7,680 lbs |
| Linear feet | 6 rows × 48 in ÷ 12 | 24 LF |
Three things went wrong at once. The freight was never class 100: at 3.94 PCF it is class 250, outside the FAK band. The shipment is also over 750 cubic feet at under 6 PCF on tariff cube, so the cube rule applies regardless of class. And at 24 linear feet it is well past the 15-foot linear rule.
| Basis | Indicative charge |
|---|---|
| What the clerk expected: 4,200 lbs at FAK 100 | about $777 |
| Actual class 250, no cube rule | about $1,943 |
| Cube rule: 7,680 lbs synthetic, discount restricted, inspection fee | about $2,374 |
| Spot volume LTL on 24 LF | about $1,274 |
| Direct partial truckload on 24 LF | about $1,453 |
All figures come from our indicative cost model, not a carrier's rates. The point is the shape: the FAK quote was never a real price for this load, and the honest comparison is between the cube-rule bill and modes priced on space. For finished casework that cannot be stacked, a direct partial truckload also removes two or three forklift touches at cross-docks.
See whether your FAK survives the cube rule
- Safe — tariff cube, density and linear feet stay under the carrier's cube and linear-foot rules.
- Tier 1 — 350 cu ft or more under 3 PCF (XPO, Saia, ABF, Estes): synthetic weight of 6 lbs per tariff cubic foot.
- Re-bill — 750 cu ft or more under 6 PCF, or linear feet at the carrier's rule: book volume LTL or direct partial truckload.
Which carrier rules can override your FAK
Every national LTL carrier publishes a cube or capacity item. Thresholds and mechanics differ slightly; the matrix below summarises them. Carriers reissue rules tariffs and the current issue governs, so confirm the item in force before relying on any threshold.
| Carrier | Rules tariff item | Cube / LF trigger | Height imputation | Re-rating mechanism |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion | ODFL 100 Item 610-1 | ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF; ≥ 15 LF | Non-stackable or 48–60 in+ units cubed to 96 in | 6 lbs × cu ft at class 125/150 or minimum floor; FAK discount voided |
| XPO | CNWY 199 Item 233 | Tier 1 ≥ 350 cu ft under 3 PCF · Tier 2 ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF | "Do not stack", cone-top or > 60 in cubed to 96 in | Cube × 6 PCF at applicable class with restricted discount, or flat cubic minimum |
| Saia | SAIA 170 Item 111 | ≥ 350 cu ft under 3 PCF or ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF | Forced 96 in on non-stackable / irregular tops | Synthetic density weight floor + W&I inspection fee |
| FedEx Freight | FXF 100 series | ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF, or 10–15+ LF | Over 60 in or non-stackable calculated at 96 in | Minimum density weight or linear-foot minimum charge |
| ABF Freight | ABF 111 Item 616 / 611 | ≥ 350 cu ft under 3 PCF or ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF | Full trailer height (96–102 in) when top-loading restricted | 6 lbs/cu ft synthetic weight or cubic minimum schedule |
| Estes | EXLA 105 | ≥ 350 / ≥ 750 cu ft low-density; 12–15 LF | Non-stackable assessed full 96 in | Re-billed as capacity load / volume rate, contract discount stripped |
| R+L Carriers | RLCA 100 | ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF or ≥ 12 LF | Full height imputed when freight cannot bear top weight | 750–1,000 lbs per LF synthetic floor + W&I correction |
| TForce Freight | UPGF 102 | ≥ 750 cu ft under 6 PCF | 96 in imputation on non-stackable skids | Synthetic weight adjustment + reclassification fee |
Summary of carrier rules tariff provisions as indexed by Cubic Transport. Carriers reissue rules tariffs; the current issue on the carrier's site governs any bill.
Notice that Old Dominion, FedEx Freight, R+L and TForce rely on the 750 cubic foot, under 6 PCF test, while XPO, Saia, ABF and Estes add a 350 cubic foot, under 3 PCF tier that catches smaller, lighter shipments. An FAK that works on one carrier can fail on another for the same load. The per-carrier pages, such as ODFL Item 610-1, go through each item.
Reading a cube re-bill against your FAK
When a corrected invoice arrives on a shipment you expected to rate at FAK, check it in this order before calling anyone:
- Which item was applied? The invoice or inspection report should name the rules tariff item (for example a cubic capacity or linear foot item). If it only shows a new class, the issue is reclassification, not a cube rule, and the FAK band question comes first.
- Tariff cube or physical cube? Recompute the cube with and without the 96-inch imputation. If the rule only applies because stackable units were cubed to the ceiling, that is a dispute point.
- Does the threshold really trip? Check both numbers: total tariff cube against 350 or 750 cubic feet, and tariff density against 3 or 6 PCF. A shipment at 742 cubic feet does not meet a 750 cubic foot test.
- Was the discount handled as your agreement says? Some agreements keep part of the discount under a cube item; some do not. Compare the invoice line by line with the clause.
If all four check out, the bill is probably right and the fix lies upstream, in packaging, stackability or mode.
Contract language worth negotiating
You cannot negotiate a carrier's rules tariff away, but you can negotiate how your agreement interacts with it. Points we see shippers win when they come with measured data:
- Cube rule measured on physical cube for stackable freight. Ask that the 96-inch imputation applies only to units actually marked do-not-stack, not to every unit over a height threshold.
- A defined density floor. A floor stated in PCF is predictable. A floor stated as "class 125 or better" invites disputes when the freight sits on a tier boundary.
- Discount retained under the cube item. Some agreements keep part of the discount when a cube or linear item applies. It is worth asking for.
- A volume quote path. Agreement that shipments over a stated cube or linear footage will be quoted as volume rather than billed as penalised LTL.
Brokers price against the same rules tariffs. A broker quote that ignores cube rules on a 1,000 cubic foot load is not a better price; it is a re-bill that has not arrived yet.
Shipping habits that keep FAK working
- Class from density, every time. Write the class the density supports and let the agreement translate it to the FAK class. A bill showing class 100 on 3.94 PCF freight tells the inspector where to look.
- Stackable by design. A flat, rigid top turns a 96-inch imputation into real height. The crating guide prices that trade-off.
- Know your thresholds per carrier. Run large loads through the calculator against the carrier you actually tender to.
- Move large light loads off class-rated LTL. Over about 750 cubic feet of tariff cube or 12 linear feet, price a volume LTL vs. partial truckload comparison before tendering.
If a re-bill has already arrived, the W&I dispute guide covers how to check it and when to challenge it.
