Freight all kinds (FAK): one class for mixed freight, and who it helps
Freight all kinds is a pricing shortcut for shippers who send many different products together. Instead of rating each item at its own NMFC class, the shipper and carrier agree on a single class, the FAK class, for everything covered by the agreement. This guide explains how FAK works, how it shows up on the bill of lading, who comes out ahead, and the conditions carriers attach.
The table below takes an EXAMPLE mixed shipment: three pallets with very different densities, estimated one by one, then billed at a single FAK class. Change the FAK class to see the trade.
| Pallet | lb/ft³ | Estimated band | Billed under FAK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartons of bottled cleaner | 20.3 | 70 | 70 |
| Boxed plastic storage bins | 3.9 | 250 | 70 |
| Cased paper towels | 3.8 | 250 | 70 |
| Whole shipment | 7.6 | 125 | 70 |
Light, bulky products that would estimate high get billed at the FAK class; dense ones that would estimate low get billed at it too. FAK pays off for the shipper when the high-class products make up enough of the mix.
- Cube
- 63.3 ft³
- Weight
- 487 lb
- Density
- 7.69 lb/ft³
- Class estimate
- 125
Estimate only: the carrier's tariff and your NMFC item decide. Band from the density scale in NMFC Docket 2025-1, checked 2026-10-10.
How freight all kinds works
Every LTL product has an NMFC item that sets its class, or says to use the density scale. A shipper sending mixed products would normally pay several classes on one shipment. Under an FAK agreement, the carrier bills all covered products at one class. The products keep their NMFC items; the agreement only changes how the carrier rates them. Our guide to freight class explains how classes and density work, and NMFC code lookup covers finding the right item for each product.
Who wins and who loses
FAK is an average. In the example above, a dense pallet would estimate around class 70 and two light pallets around class 250. Billed together at an FAK class of 70, the light pallets are much cheaper and the dense one costs the same. That's a good trade for the shipper. If the mix were mostly dense product, the same agreement would bring little gain. If the agreed class were set high, the dense items would cost more than they should.
The carrier's side is the mirror image: simpler billing, a predictable customer, and volume it wants, in return for rating some freight below its usual class.
How FAK appears on the bill of lading
The bill of lading still describes the freight, usually with the NMFC items, and notes that the shipment rates under the FAK agreement, often with the FAK class shown. The carrier must have the agreement on file; otherwise it will rate each item at its own class. Shippers should make sure the products on the BOL match the products the agreement covers.
Power-only carriers pull preloaded trailers full of mixed freight they never saw loaded. Our dispatchers check the weight and paperwork before an offer reaches you.
Get trailers that payConditions carriers attach
FAK agreements usually come with limits: a list of included products or product groups, a density range the shipments must stay within, sometimes a minimum volume, and exclusions for hazardous or high-value items. If shipments drift outside the range, for example lighter freight than agreed, the carrier may rate them differently. Measuring every shipment the same way, with a freight cubing solution or a careful manual method, keeps the agreement working.
FAK and the 2025 NMFC changes
When the NMFC moved many items onto the density scale in 2025, some products' normal classes changed, which changed what an FAK agreement saves. Shippers with FAK agreements negotiated before the change may want to recheck them. Our guide to the NMFC freight class changes (coming soon) explains what moved.
FAK in ocean and intermodal freight
The term isn't only used in LTL. Ocean carriers and intermodal providers also quote FAK rates: one rate per container regardless of the cargo inside, within limits on hazardous or special cargo. The idea is the same, a single rate for mixed goods, but the mechanics differ: ocean FAK is about container rates rather than NMFC classes. If you see FAK on an ocean quote, read it as a container rate, not a freight class.
A worked example
One month of mixed shipments, two waysExample
- MIXEach week: 1 dense pallet (estimates class 70) and 2 light pallets (estimate class 250)
- WITHOUT FAKEach pallet rated at its own class; the light pallets carry the high rates
- WITH FAK 70All three rated at class 70; the light pallets cost far less
- CONDITIONCarrier requires the average density to stay within an agreed range
- READWorth asking for if light products are a big share of the mix
That's an EXAMPLE built from estimates, with no rates shown, because the savings depend on your carrier's tariff and discount. Run your own mix through the estimator first.
Estimating before you negotiate
Before asking a carrier for FAK, estimate your mix: the density and band of each product, how much of each you ship, and the average. The freight class and density calculator gives each product's density and estimated band. A shipper who arrives with real numbers negotiates a better agreement.
What to check and document
Mixed freight rides in many preloaded trailers. Our power only dispatch desk checks each trailer's weight and paperwork before you accept, and you approve every load. Send an application.