What Item 111 says in plain terms
Item 111 of the SAIA 170 rules tariff is Saia's cubic capacity and density minimum charge. It uses two tiers:
- 350 cu ft or more with an average density under 3 PCF.
- 750 cu ft or more with an average density under 6 PCF.
Saia applies a forced 96 in vertical dimension to non-stackable units and to units with irregular top surfaces, then tests those tiers on the resulting tariff cube. When a tier applies, the shipment is re-rated on a synthetic density weight floor, and a weight and inspection administrative fee is added to the corrected bill.
Synthetic weight floor = tariff cu ft × 6 lbs
Corrected bill = re-rated charge + W&I inspection fee
Item 111 is a cube and density rule. Our engine also screens Saia loads at 12 linear feet, the common line for space-based rating across national carriers; Saia's capacity and linear foot provisions sit elsewhere in SAIA 170, so read them with Item 111 when a load runs long.
The irregular-top problem
Many Saia re-bills start with freight that the shipper considered stackable. A unit counts as non-stackable at the dock when another unit cannot ride safely on it. Common reasons:
- Uneven carton heights, so the top is stepped rather than flat.
- Product shapes that crown or point: tanks, chairs, wheels, bundled tube.
- Soft tops: loose stretch wrap over cartons that would crush.
- Height over roughly 60 in, where two units cannot fit under a 96 in ceiling regardless of the top.
Square 48×48 pallets make the effect larger. Each 48×48 non-stackable unit carries 128 cu ft of tariff cube at 96 in, against 106.7 cu ft for a 48×40. Three of them already reach 384 cu ft, past the 350 cu ft tier, whatever their real height.
| Footprint | Tariff cube per unit at 96 in | Units to reach 350 cu ft | Units to reach 750 cu ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 × 40 GMA | 106.7 cu ft | 4 | 8 |
| 48 × 48 | 128.0 cu ft | 3 | 6 |
| 96 × 48 crate | 256.0 cu ft | 2 | 3 |
Run your load against Saia Item 111
- 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: five 48×48 pallets at exactly 3 PCF
Five 48×48 pallets of plastic drums, 70 in tall, 280 lbs each, shipped as stackable. Lane length 750 miles.
| Measure | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cube per pallet | 48 × 48 × 70 ÷ 1,728 | 93.3 cu ft |
| Actual cube, 5 pallets | 93.33 × 5 | 466.7 cu ft |
| Total weight | 280 × 5 | 1,400 lbs |
| Actual density | 1,400 ÷ 466.7 | 3.00 PCF (Class 250) |
| Tariff cube at 96 in (70 in is over the 60 in line) | 48 × 48 × 96 ÷ 1,728 × 5 | 640.0 cu ft |
| Tariff density | 1,400 ÷ 640.0 | 2.19 PCF |
| Linear feet | 3 rows × 48 in ÷ 12 | 12 LF |
| 350 cu ft tier | 640 ≥ 350 and 2.19 < 3 | Fires |
| Synthetic weight floor | 640.0 × 6 | 3,840 lbs |
On real dimensions the density is exactly 3.00 PCF, which is not under 3, so the 350 cu ft tier would not apply. The 70 in height removes the stackable claim, adds 173.3 cu ft of phantom cube and pulls the tariff density down to 2.19 PCF. Indicative engine figures: about $543 rated cleanly, about $1,032 re-rated with the inspection fee, about $662 as a spot volume LTL quote and about $774 on a direct partial truckload. These are planning numbers, not quotes.
What changes if you trim height or add pallets
| Variation | Tariff cube | Tariff PCF | Linear feet | Result | Indicative clean / re-rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pallets at 70 in (example) | 640.0 | 2.19 | 12 | 350 tier and 12 LF screen | $543 / $1,032 |
| 5 pallets at 60 in, flat top | 400.0 | 3.50 | 12 | Cube clears; 12 LF screen only | $543 / $670 |
| 8 pallets at 70 in | 1,024.0 | 2.19 | 16 | Both tiers and 16 LF | $868 / $1,613 |
Trimming the units to 60 in with a flat top does what it should for the cube rule: tariff cube falls to the real 400 cu ft and density rises to 3.5 PCF. The pallets still occupy three rows, because two 60 in units do not fit one above the other under 96 in, so the floor space is unchanged. Getting the units to 48 in or less is what allows double stacking and cuts the linear feet in half.
At eight pallets both tiers fire and the shipment occupies 16 LF. That is past the size where class-rated LTL makes sense for light freight; a direct partial truckload at about $879 indicative beats the $1,613 re-rate on this lane.
Saia against the other two-tier carriers
XPO, Saia, ABF and Estes all publish the 350 and 750 tiers, so on cube alone they rate light freight the same way. The differences that matter in practice:
| Carrier | Rules tariff | Distinguishing detail |
|---|---|---|
| Saia | SAIA 170 Item 111 | Forced 96 in on irregular tops; adds a W&I administrative fee |
| XPO | CNWY 199 Item 233 | Explicit 60 in height line; cubic minimum charge option |
| ABF Freight | ABF 111 Item 616 / 611 | Imputes 96 to 102 in when top-loading is restricted |
| Estes | EXLA 105 | Re-bills as a capacity load or volume rate |
The full cross-carrier view, including the single-tier carriers, is on the carrier cube rules hub.
| 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.
What to write on a Saia bill of lading
Item 111 re-bills are cheapest to prevent at the tender. A bill of lading that states the dimensions the dimensioner will read leaves nothing to correct. For each handling unit line, write:
| Field | What to enter | Why it matters for Item 111 |
|---|---|---|
| Unit count and type | 5 pallets, 48×48 | Footprint sets tariff cube per unit |
| Dimensions | L × W × H at the tallest point, overhang included | The dimensioner reads the envelope, not the pallet |
| Weight | Per unit or total, including pallet | Density is total weight over cube |
| Stackability | Stackable or do not stack, honestly | Decides 96 in imputation |
| Class | From the density at the height you declared | Avoids a separate class correction |
If the honest declaration already puts the load over a tier, do not hope the dock misses it; quote it as volume or partial truckload. The bill of lading dimensional checklist has a printable version, and the engine above prints a dimensional manifest you can attach.
One more Saia-specific habit: photograph the top of each unit at pickup. Because the forced 96 in applies to irregular tops as well as labelled units, a clear photo of a capped, flat top is the evidence that decides an irregular-top dispute. Take it from the same angle each time, with the bill of lading number visible on the label, so the photo can be matched to the shipment without argument months later when the corrected invoice arrives.
Checking SAIA 170 before you dispute
Saia reissues SAIA 170 like every carrier reissues its rules tariff, and the current issue governs. Thresholds, the inspection fee and the synthetic weight rating can change between issues. Before you dispute an Item 111 charge, pull the issue in force on the ship date and read the item.
- Get the inspection record. Ask for the W&I certificate and dimensioner photos.
- Look at the top surface in the photo. An irregular-top call is easier to contest when your pickup photo shows a flat, capped, unlabelled unit under 60 in.
- Rebuild the numbers. Confirm unit count, dimensions, tariff cube, density and the tier used.
- Fix the tender for next time. Declare the true height and stackability on the bill of lading, and tender as volume when the engine shows red.
The W&I dispute guide has the request wording.
