What Item 233 says in plain terms
XPO's LTL rules tariff still carries the CNWY prefix from its Con-way history. Item 233 of CNWY 199 is the cubic capacity minimum charge. It has two tiers:
- Tier 1: 350 cu ft or more at an average density under 3.0 PCF.
- Tier 2: 750 cu ft or more at an average density under 6.0 PCF.
When either tier applies, XPO overrides scale weight. The shipment is rated on cubic feet multiplied by 6 PCF at the applicable class with a restricted discount, or at a flat cubic minimum charge, whichever the item specifies for that tier. Any unit marked do not stack, cone-topped or over 60 in tall is cubed to 96 in before the tiers are tested.
Tier 2: tariff cu ft ≥ 750 AND tariff PCF < 6.0
Tariff cu ft uses 96 in for non-stackable or > 60 in units
The tier 1 trigger is what sets XPO apart from Old Dominion, FedEx Freight, R+L and TForce. A shipment of 400 cu ft of empty containers, foam or ductwork rates on scale weight at those carriers if it stays under their linear foot lines. At XPO it falls straight into Item 233.
Item 233 is a cube rule. Our engine also screens XPO loads at 12 linear feet, the common line for space-based rating across national carriers; XPO's linear foot and capacity provisions sit elsewhere in the same tariff, so read them alongside Item 233 when a load runs long.
Test your load against both XPO Item 233 tiers
- 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.
The 60 in line and the 96 in imputation
XPO's height line is 60 in. Above it a unit is treated as unstackable whether or not it carries a label, because two units of that height cannot share the space under a 96 in ceiling. Below it the label and the top surface decide. The table shows how much tariff cube a single 48×40 skid carries at common heights:
| Skid height | Stackable, flat top | Do not stack label | Phantom cube |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 in | 44.4 cu ft | 106.7 cu ft | 62.2 cu ft |
| 50 in | 55.6 cu ft | 106.7 cu ft | 51.1 cu ft |
| 60 in | 66.7 cu ft | 106.7 cu ft | 40.0 cu ft |
| 62 in | 106.7 cu ft (over 60 in) | 106.7 cu ft | 37.8 cu ft |
| 72 in | 106.7 cu ft (over 60 in) | 106.7 cu ft | 26.7 cu ft |
Every non-stackable 48×40 skid costs 106.7 cu ft of tariff cube however short it is. Four of them are 426.7 cu ft, already past the 350 cu ft tier 1 line. That is the arithmetic behind most XPO re-bills on small orders.
Worked example A: four short skids trip tier 1
Four 48×40 skids of boxed light fixtures, 50 in tall, 250 lbs each, marked do not stack because the cartons crush. Lane length 900 miles.
| Measure | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cube | 48 × 40 × 50 ÷ 1,728 × 4 | 222.2 cu ft |
| Actual density | 1,000 ÷ 222.2 | 4.50 PCF (Class 175) |
| Tariff cube at 96 in | 48 × 40 × 96 ÷ 1,728 × 4 | 426.7 cu ft |
| Tariff density | 1,000 ÷ 426.7 | 2.34 PCF |
| Linear feet | 2 rows × 48 in ÷ 12 | 8 LF |
| Tier 1 test | 426.7 ≥ 350 and 2.34 < 3.0 | Fires |
| Synthetic weight | 426.7 × 6 | 2,560 lbs |
On actual dimensions this load is 222 cu ft at 4.5 PCF and nowhere near either tier. The do not stack label alone adds 204.4 cu ft of phantom cube and drops the density under 3 PCF. Indicative engine figures: about $303 rated cleanly at Class 175, about $785 re-rated under tier 1. If the same four skids ship with a flat rigid top and no label, the engine shows no rule and the clean $303 stands. Those are planning numbers, not quotes.
Worked example B: ten tall skids trip both tiers
Ten 48×40 skids of fiberglass enclosures, 72 in tall, 300 lbs each. Lane length 900 miles. At 72 in the units are over XPO's 60 in line, so they are cubed to 96 in with or without a label.
| Measure | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cube | 48 × 40 × 72 ÷ 1,728 × 10 | 800.0 cu ft |
| Actual density | 3,000 ÷ 800.0 | 3.75 PCF (Class 250) |
| Tariff cube at 96 in | 106.67 × 10 | 1,066.7 cu ft |
| Tariff density | 3,000 ÷ 1,066.7 | 2.81 PCF |
| Linear feet | 5 rows × 48 in ÷ 12 | 20 LF |
| Tier 1 and tier 2 | 1,066.7 ≥ 750 at 2.81 PCF | Both fire |
| Synthetic weight | 1,066.7 × 6 | 6,400 lbs |
The carrier rates 6,400 lbs instead of 3,000. Indicative engine figures: about $1,298 rated cleanly, about $1,864 re-rated, about $1,029 as a spot volume LTL quote and about $1,181 on a direct partial truckload. At 20 LF this load fills most of a 26' box truck and is a natural partial truckload candidate, where tall fiberglass also avoids forklift handling at two cross-docks.
Which loads belong on an XPO bill
XPO is competitive on dense freight and on light freight that stays small. The tier 1 trigger narrows the light-freight window more than at carriers that publish only the 750 tier. A simple screen:
| Your load | XPO Item 233 risk | Better choice |
|---|---|---|
| Under 350 tariff cu ft, under 12 LF | None | XPO is fine |
| 350–749 tariff cu ft at 3 PCF or more | None on cube | XPO is fine if under 12 LF |
| 350–749 tariff cu ft under 3 PCF | Tier 1 | Old Dominion if under 15 LF, or spot volume LTL |
| 750+ tariff cu ft under 6 PCF | Tier 2 | Direct partial truckload |
Run your exact load in the engine above with the carrier set to XPO and then to all carriers. If the badge changes colour, the carrier choice matters for that load.
Freight that most often trips tier 1 at XPO
Tier 1 is a light-freight rule. It bites on commodities that run under 3 PCF once measured at their tariff height, which covers more than ultra-light foam:
- Empty containers and packaging: gaylords of bottles, nested pails, corrugated sheets. Often 2 to 3 PCF on real dimensions before any imputation.
- HVAC duct and fittings: spiral duct, plenums and flex duct bundles, usually tall and impossible to stack.
- Assembled furniture and seating: chairs, sofas, cabinets, where the shape of the top rules out stacking.
- Boxed light fixtures and lamps: cartons that crush, which earn the do not stack label honestly.
- Fiberglass and rotomolded plastics: tanks, enclosures and housings, tall and hollow.
For any of these, count the units before you tender. Four non-stackable 48×40 skids are 426.7 tariff cu ft; three are 320. If your density at 96 in is under 3 PCF, three non-stackable skids is the largest XPO shipment that stays under tier 1. The low-density class guide covers the freight classes these commodities fall into.
Before you dispute an Item 233 charge
XPO reissues CNWY 199 periodically, as every carrier reissues its rules tariff, and the current issue governs. Tier thresholds, the class used for the synthetic weight and the cubic minimum charge figures can change. Pull the issue in force on your ship date and check the item text before you file.
- Request the inspection record. Ask for the W&I certificate with the dimensioner scan and photos.
- Rebuild the arithmetic. Recompute tariff cube, density and tier from the scanned dimensions. Errors in quantity or a misread height are the common winners.
- Challenge the stackability call only with evidence. Photos showing a flat, rigid, unlabelled top under 60 in at pickup carry weight; a claim that fragile cartons were really stackable does not.
The W&I dispute guide covers the filing, and the bill of lading checklist covers what to write so the next shipment is rated right the first time.
