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LTL Resources

Everything free on LearnLTL in one place: calculators, real downloadable templates, and practical guides on classification, pricing, and billing.

Calculators & tools

Calculator

Freight Class Calculator

Pallet dimensions and weight in, density and estimated NMFC class out — on the current 13-tier density scale effective July 19, 2025, with the full table.

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Official Source

NMFTA / ClassIT+ Lookup

The authoritative source for NMFC classification. Use this for the true item number and class — our calculators are estimates, this is the real database.

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Live Rates

Compare LTL Rates

Ready to price a real shipment? Get live carrier rates on our sister site, GetLTLRates.

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LTL guides

Practical, no-signup articles written from operating experience — the same material the certification course teaches, in free form.

6 min read

How LTL Rates Are Calculated: Base Rates, Discounts, and FAK

An LTL rate isn't one number — it's built from a base tariff, your discount, weight breaks, fuel, and accessorials. Here's how the pieces fit together.

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6 min read

LTL Accessorial Charges: The Complete List (and How to Avoid Surprises)

Accessorials are the extra services that quietly inflate an LTL invoice. Here's what the common ones mean, when they apply, and how to keep them off your bill.

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5 min read

LTL vs. Truckload (FTL): When to Use Each

Should your shipment move LTL or full truckload? Here's the practical breakdown by weight, pallet count, cost, transit time, and handling risk.

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6 min read

How to Read a Bill of Lading (BOL): A Field-by-Field Guide

The BOL is the contract that governs your shipment. Learn what each field means, which ones drive your rate, and the errors that cause billing adjustments.

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5 min read

LTL Fuel Surcharges Explained: How to Read the Line Item

The fuel surcharge is often 20–30% of an LTL invoice. Here's how carriers set it from the DOE diesel index, and how to sanity-check the number on your bill.

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5 min read

How to Calculate Freight Density (and How It Affects Freight Class)

Density drives freight class for most LTL shipments. Learn the exact formula, a worked example, and the packaging mistakes that quietly raise your class.

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6 min read

What Is Freight Class? The NMFC System Explained

Freight class is the single number that most affects an LTL rate. Here's what the NMFC classes mean, the four factors that set them, and how to find the right one.

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Downloadable templates

Each one mirrors an example from The Complete Guide to LTL Shipping, filled out realistically so you can see exactly how the fields should look.

Chapters 2 & 17

Sample Bill of Lading

A fully filled-out BOL showing correct commodity descriptions, NMFC numbers, freight terms, and special instructions.

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Chapters 2 & 17

Blank Bill of Lading

A clean, print-ready BOL template for your own shipments — pair it with the filled example to see what goes in each field.

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Chapter 25

Sample Letter of Authority

A ready-to-adapt LOA for shippers authorizing a broker or consultant to negotiate on their behalf — scoped correctly.

Download .docx →
Chapters 8–12

Annotated Sample Invoice

A real invoice walkthrough, line by line — base rate, discount, fuel surcharge, and accessorials — with plain-language notes.

Download .docx →
Overcharge Recovery

Invoice Dispute Guide

A step-by-step playbook for challenging incorrect LTL invoices — reweighs, reclassifications, accessorials, and fuel.

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Chapter 15

Carrier Scorecard Template

Track on-time performance, claims frequency, and invoice accuracy by carrier — with a composite score that auto-calculates.

Download .xlsx →
Chapter 22 & Appendix D

Claims Documentation Checklist

A fillable, step-by-step checklist for the exact moment a damage or shortage claim needs to be filed.

Download .docx →

Want the full system, not just the pieces?

The certification course puts all of this in order — seven graded sections from fundamentals to advanced strategy, with a verifiable certificate at the end.

See the certification →