What the FXF 100 rules say in plain terms
FedEx Freight's cubic capacity and linear foot provisions sit in the FXF 100 rules tariff series. They work as two separate tests, either of which can re-rate a shipment:
- Cubic capacity. A shipment of 750 cu ft or more with a density under 6.0 PCF is rated on a minimum density weight rather than scale weight.
- Linear feet. A shipment occupying a set length of trailer, in a range of 10 to 15 linear feet in the issues we reviewed, can be rated on a linear-foot minimum charge that scales with miles.
Feeding both tests is the height rule. A pallet over 60 in tall, or any pallet marked non-stackable, is calculated at 96 in. The 60 in line is not arbitrary: two 60 in pallets need 120 in of clearance, and a dry van's usable height is roughly 96 to 110 in, so anything taller than 60 in cannot share its column with a second pallet.
Cube test: tariff cu ft ≥ 750 AND tariff PCF < 6.0
Linear foot test: rows × unit length ÷ 12 ≥ the published LF line
FedEx Freight does not publish the 350 cu ft tier that XPO, Saia, ABF and Estes use. Light freight under 750 tariff cu ft rates on scale weight at FedEx Freight as long as it stays short of the linear foot line, which in practice means under 10 to 12 LF.
The 60 in line, inch by inch
For a single 48×40 pallet, two inches either side of 60 change the tariff cube by more than half:
| Pallet height | Actual cube | Tariff cube (stackable label) | Can double stack under 96 in? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 in | 53.3 cu ft | 53.3 cu ft | Yes, two high |
| 58 in | 64.4 cu ft | 64.4 cu ft | No, single high |
| 60 in | 66.7 cu ft | 66.7 cu ft | No, single high |
| 62 in | 68.9 cu ft | 106.7 cu ft | No, imputed to 96 in |
| 72 in | 80.0 cu ft | 106.7 cu ft | No, imputed to 96 in |
Note the middle band. A 58 or 60 in pallet keeps its real cube for the cube test but still takes a full floor position, because a second unit will not fit above it. That band is where a shipper fixes the cube rule and keeps the linear foot exposure.
Run your load against the FXF 100 rules
- 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.
Worked example: nine skids at 62 in
Nine 48×40 skids of boxed commercial filters, 62 in tall, 380 lbs each, declared stackable. Lane length 1,100 miles.
| Measure | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cube | 48 × 40 × 62 ÷ 1,728 × 9 | 620.0 cu ft |
| Total weight | 380 × 9 | 3,420 lbs |
| Actual density | 3,420 ÷ 620.0 | 5.52 PCF (Class 175) |
| Tariff cube (62 in is over 60 in) | 48 × 40 × 96 ÷ 1,728 × 9 | 960.0 cu ft |
| Tariff density | 3,420 ÷ 960.0 | 3.56 PCF |
| Linear feet | 5 rows (2 across) × 48 in ÷ 12 | 20 LF |
| Cube test | 960 ≥ 750 and 3.56 < 6 | Fires |
| Linear foot test | 20 LF against a 10–15 LF line | Fires |
| Synthetic weight at 6 PCF | 960.0 × 6 | 5,760 lbs |
Two inches over the line add 340 cu ft of phantom cube and take the shipment from under the 750 cu ft trigger to well over it. Indicative engine figures: about $1,179 rated cleanly at Class 175, about $1,909 re-rated on the synthetic weight, about $1,258 as a spot volume LTL quote and about $1,444 on a direct partial truckload. These are planning numbers, not quotes.
Trimming to 58 in: cube fixed, floor space not
Restack the same filters to 58 in, still nine skids at 380 lbs:
| Measure | At 62 in | At 58 in |
|---|---|---|
| Tariff cube | 960.0 cu ft | 580.0 cu ft |
| Tariff density | 3.56 PCF | 5.90 PCF |
| Cube test (750 / 6) | Fires | Clears |
| Linear feet | 20 LF | 20 LF |
| Linear foot test | Fires | Still fires |
The trim removes the cube rule but the skids still sit single high in five rows. At 20 LF the load is over every published FedEx Freight linear foot line, so it can still be rated on floor space. A linear-foot minimum charge priced per mile is not something our engine models exactly; treat the engine's clean-rate figure for the 58 in version as a floor, not an expectation.
To stay inside class-rated LTL the load would need to drop to 48 in so units double stack, which puts nine skids in three rows (12 LF), still at or above the low end of the range. Below 10 LF is the zone where FedEx Freight's rules leave light freight alone.
Loads that live in the 10 to 15 LF band
The linear foot rule matters most for shipments too light to trip the cube rule but long enough to fill a third of a pup trailer. With 48×40 units loaded two across, here is how unit count maps to linear feet:
| Units | Single high (over 48 in or non-stackable) | Double stacked (48 in or less, stackable) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 LF | 4 LF |
| 6 | 12 LF | 8 LF |
| 8 | 16 LF | 8 LF |
| 10 | 20 LF | 12 LF |
| 12 | 24 LF | 12 LF |
Read across: five or six single-high pallets reach 12 LF, inside the FedEx Freight range. Double stacking eight pallets keeps them at 8 LF. That is why the height that allows stacking, 48 in or less for two units under a 96 in ceiling, is worth more than any other packaging change on a FedEx Freight shipment.
Turning pallets so the 40 in side runs along the trailer shortens each row from 48 to 40 in, but only if the load can be pinwheeled or loaded three across in a wider trailer; carriers load to suit their trailer, not your diagram. The linear foot calculator compares straight and pinwheel footprints so you can see the range before you tender.
How FedEx Freight compares with other single-tier carriers
| Carrier | Cube trigger | Linear foot line | Height handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx Freight | 750 cu ft / 6 PCF | 10–15 LF | Over 60 in or non-stackable at 96 in |
| Old Dominion | 750 cu ft / 6 PCF | 15 LF | 48–60 in or non-stackable at 96 in |
| R+L Carriers | 750 cu ft / 6 PCF | 12 LF | Full height when no top weight |
| TForce Freight | 750 cu ft / 6 PCF | See UPGF 102 | Non-stackable at 96 in |
For long, light loads between 10 and 15 LF, Old Dominion's 15 LF line is the most forgiving among the national carriers. See ODFL Item 610-1 and the R+L and TForce comparison.
Checking FXF 100 before you dispute
FedEx Freight reissues the FXF 100 series like every carrier reissues its rules tariff, and the current issue governs. The linear foot line, the per-mile minimum and the density weight can all move between issues, so the range quoted on this page is a planning range, not the text of the item you will be billed under. Before disputing, download the issue in force on the ship date and find the cubic capacity and linear foot items.
- Request the inspection record with dimensioner photos.
- Check the height reading. A 60 in pallet read as 61 in crosses the line; a tape measure photo at pickup settles that.
- Check the row count. Linear feet should follow from unit length and how many fit across; pinwheeled loading changes the count. The linear foot calculator shows both.
Then use the W&I dispute guide to file.
