Shipper | Market updates 2 min. read
NMFC changes: Key insights and how to prepare
Significant changes to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) codes will take effect in July 2025, reshaping the landscape of Less-than-Truckload (LTL) shipping. Revisions will impact roughly 40% of all NMFC numbers and create uncertainty for shippers who must adapt to protect their freight costs and ensure compliance.
Understanding the NMFC changes and the implications is crucial for optimizing your shipping processes. To help you stay informed, we put together an overview of what’s changing with the NMFC and what it could mean for your business.
What are the NMFC changes in 2025?
The upcoming NMFC changes, imposed by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), will introduce several key modifications to streamline and modernize LTL shipping, including:
- Freight without handling, stowability and liability issues will be classified using a standardized density scale.
- Freight requiring special handling, stowability, or liability considerations will have unique identifiers.
- Commodity listings will be condensed and updated for better clarity.
According to the NMFTA, these changes aim to simplify and enhance the NMFC system. By adopting a standardized approach based on density, handling, stowability and liability, the NMFC will become easier to understand. The revisions will streamline the classification process, with the goal of gaining greater efficiency and more accurate pricing of your shipments.
4 tips to navigate the NMFC changes
How do you maintain accurate rates to avoid shipment delays and unnecessary costs? Here are 4 tips for navigating the NMFC classification changes:
Understand the impacts to your commodity
As many commodities transition to density scale, shippers should audit their current commodity classification, packaging method and shipping documentation to prevent unexpected costs. Misclassifying freight can lead to reweighs, reclassifications and costly delays.
Educate and ensure NMFC compliance
Make sure that all team members involved in freight shipping — whether in procurement, warehouse operations, or logistics — are familiar with the upcoming NMFC updates. Not understanding the changes could lead to inaccurate class selection, unnecessary expenses and shipment delays. Educate shipping personnel to prepare bill-of-ladings (BOL’s) with the updated freight class if this is still a manual process for your business.
Evaluate cost changes
These NMFC changes may impact and increase your LTL shipping rates. Schneider’s LTL experts are available to collaborate with your team to ensure invoice accuracy and minimize reclassification charges that providers may be blindly passing on to you.
Conduct a Supply Chain Analysis
An LTL provider that looks at your entire supply chain is more likely to find opportunities to save on shipping costs. Beyond the tariff, there may be opportunities to create a more efficient process when weighing, palletizing, packaging or loading products, determining freight class, handling claims or solving invoice discrepanciess.
Technology and expertise to keep you ahead
In navigating the changes with the NMFC system, businesses can stay ahead by adopting technology to help streamline operations and enhance efficiency across supply chains.
Simplify your LTL shipping experience with FreightPower®, where you can quote and book a load, track freight, access load documentation and connect with a transportation expert. From start-up to business as usual, Schneider will deliver the tools, technology and team that make your lives easier as we work together to solve problems, not create them.
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