Determining Billable Weight
This page is intended to help our customers better understand billable weight depending on the mode of transportation. The following modes of transportation are addressed here:
- Trucking
- Courier
- Air Freight
- Ocean Freight
Trucking
Please note that this section applies specifically to trucking shipments. For information on how to determine the billable weight of a courier or air freight shipment, please refer to the applicable section.
Billable weight for trucking shipments is determined by the higher of the actual weight, and cubic weight.
In order to determine the cubic weight, we must first calculate the volume that the shipment occupies, measured in cubic feet (otherwise known as “cube”). We must perform the following calculation to determine the cubic footage occupied by a shipment:
(Height x Length x Width)/1728
It is important to note that height, length and width must be in inches for this calculation to work.
We then take the assumption that the density will be 10 lbs per cubic foot. As such, in order to calculate our “cubic weight”, we must multiply our cubic footage calculated above by a factor of 10.
Example: We would like to calculate the billable weight for a given shipment. Let’s assume that we have a shipment of 3 skids with a total weight of 1,500 lbs. The skids have the following dimensions:
- 48x70x55 inches
- 48x80x25 inches
- 48x60x34 inches
If we wanted to calculated the cubic weight for this shipment, we would need to perform the following calculation:
1. [(48x70x55)/1728] x 10 = 1,070 lbs
2. [(48x80x25)/1728] x 10 = 556 lbs
3. [(48x60x34)/1728] x 10 = 567 lbs
Our total cubic weight would then be equal to 2,193 lbs. Given that our cubic weight is higher than our actual weight, our billable weight would be based on our cubic weight.
Courier
Please note that this section applies specifically to courier shipments. For information on how to determine the billable weight of a trucking or air freight shipment, please refer to the applicable section.
Billable weight for courier shipments is determined by the higher of the actual weight and dimensional weight.
In order to determine the dimensional weight in pounds, we must perform the following calculation:
(Height x Length x Width)/139
It is important to note that height, length and width must be in inches for this calculation to work. If we have our measurements in centimeters rather than inches, we can use the following calculation to determine our dimensional weight in kilograms.
(Height x Length x Width)/5000
Example: We would like to determine the billable weight of a courier shipment of a box with an actual weight of 25 lbs, with the dimensions 10x20x20 inches.
First we must calculate the dimensional weight as follows:
[(10x20x20)/139] = 29 lbs
Based on the above, we have calculated dimensional weight of 29 lbs, which is higher than the actual weight of 25 lbs. As such, the billable weight for this shipment will be 29 lbs.
Air Freight
Please note that this section applies specifically to air freight shipments. For information on how to determine the billable weight of trucking or courier shipments, please refer to the applicable section.
Billable weight for courier shipments is determined by the higher of the actual weight and dimensional weight.
In order to determine the dimensional weight in pounds, we must perform the following calculation:
(Height x Length x Width)/166
It is important to note that height, length and width must be in inches for this calculation to work. If we have our measurements in centimeters rather than inches, we can use the following calculation to determine our dimensional weight in kilograms.
(Height x Length x Width)/6000
Example: We would like to determine the billable weight of a crate being shipped via air-freight with an actual weight of 550 lbs, with the dimensions 70x90x20 inches.
First we must calculate the dimensional weight as follows:
[(70x90x20)/166] = 759 lbs
Based on the above, we have calculated dimensional weight of 759 lbs, which is higher than the actual weight of 550 lbs. As such, the billable weight for this shipment will be 759 lbs.
Ocean Freight
Please note that this section applies specifically to ocean freight shipments. For information on how to determine the billable weight of trucking, courier or air freight shipments, please refer to the applicable section.
Ocean freight differs from trucking, courier and air freight shipments as it is billed based on the cubic meters occupied by the shipment rather than the weight.
In order to determine the cubic meters occupied by a shipment, we must perform the following calculation:
Height x Length x Width
It is important to note that height, length and width must be in meters for this calculation to work.
Example: We would like to determine the cubic meters of a crate being shipped via ocean freight with the dimensions 170x82x110 centimeters. We must perform the following calculation:
1.70m x 0.82m x 1.10m = 1.534 cubic meters
Aeromax Logistics Inc. 