6 - 8 pcf · NMFC density scale
The rating for freight at 6 - 8 pounds per cubic foot on the current 13-band NMFC density scale. Typically boxed clothing, small household goods.
Class 125 covers 6 - 8 pcf: boxed clothing, housewares, and a lot of e-commerce freight. Densities around 6 - 7 pcf come out as class 150 on the obsolete guideline; the current scale puts them at 125, so if a quote says 150 on density grounds, re-run the numbers.
Worked example. A standard pallet: 48 × 40 × 48 in, 370 lb. That is 53.3 cu ft and 370 lb → 6.94 pcf → class 125. Run your own numbers →
Band edges are inclusive at the bottom, exclusive at the top: exactly 6 pcf is class 125, but just below it the class gets more expensive — 5.99 pcf rates class 175. A few pounds of packaging or an inch of pallet height can move a borderline shipment across that line.
Freight class runs from 50 (densest, cheapest per pound) to 400 on the current density scale. Class 125 is band 9 of 13.
Either side of this band: denser freight (8 - 10 pcf) rates class 100, which is cheaper; lighter freight (4 - 6 pcf) rates class 175, which costs more.
The full table is on the freight class chart, and the calculator works out density and class from your dimensions, including multi-pallet shipments.