CWT (Hundredweight) Calculator
Calculate LTL freight cost from CWT rates. Inputs: total weight, per-CWT rate, fuel surcharge percentage, and carrier minimum charge. Output: line haul, fuel cost, total cost, and per-pallet equivalent.
How to use: Enter total shipment weight, your carrier's per-CWT rate (from their tariff or rate sheet), the current fuel surcharge percentage, and the carrier minimum charge. The calculator shows the full breakdown and the equivalent per-pallet cost for comparison.
How this works: CWT (hundredweight) pricing is the legacy LTL model — the carrier bills (total weight / 100) × per-CWT rate, plus fuel surcharge, with a minimum charge floor. The same shipment can be reclassified at the terminal (density check, class verification), which is the #1 source of LTL invoice surprises.
Warp alternative: Per-pallet pricing skips the CWT math entirely. The rate at booking is the invoice — no class to verify, no density to measure, no fuel surcharge added later, no minimum-charge floor. Compare your CWT total above against an instant Warp per-pallet quote.
How CWT pricing works
CWT (hundredweight) is the unit LTL carriers use to price freight under the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) tariff. The formula: chargeable weight in CWT × per-CWT rate for the assigned freight class = line haul. Fuel surcharge (typically 25-35% of line haul) is added on top. If the computed total falls below the carrier minimum charge (commonly $100-$200), the carrier bills the minimum instead.
The per-CWT rate varies by freight class (50 to 500 under NMFC), origin/destination ZIP pair, and the carrier's tariff. Each carrier publishes their own tariff — base rates vary wildly across carriers for the same lane and class. The same shipment can be rebilled at a higher class after the carrier's terminal inspects the freight (density check, NMFC code verification), which is the #1 source of LTL invoice surprises.
CWT example: 1,000-pound shipment
A 1,000-lb shipment at a $25 per-CWT rate produces 10 CWT × $25 = $250 line haul. A 30% fuel surcharge adds $75 (line haul × 30%) for a subtotal of $325. If the carrier minimum is $200, the $325 stands as the total. If it were $150, the carrier would bill $200 instead. Accessorial charges (liftgate, residential, inside delivery, reweigh) get added on top of this CWT base.
For 2 pallets at $325 total, per-pallet equivalent is $162.50. Compare this against an instant Warp per-pallet quote on the same lane — Warp's rate is all-inclusive (fuel, accessorials, residential included) so the per-pallet number is the invoice, not the starting line.
When to use CWT vs per-pallet
CWT is the right framing when comparing carrier rate quotes against an existing tariff, auditing invoices for class- or weight-based rebills, or verifying that a carrier's quoted rate matches the contracted class. CWT is not relevant for per-pallet networks like Warp, parcel carriers (FedEx, UPS, USPS), or FTL where the rate is per-load.
For shippers running consistent freight on known lanes, the variance built into CWT pricing (fuel changes weekly, accessorials are post-billed, class can be reclassified at the terminal) often turns a quoted $400 shipment into a $600+ invoice. Per-pallet pricing eliminates the variance — the same input always produces the same output, and the output is the invoice.
Warp does not use CWT pricing
Warp prices freight by the pallet. There is no CWT math, no per-CWT rate to verify against a tariff, no class-based reclassification at the terminal, and no minimum-charge floor. You enter the lane, the pallet count, and the weight per pallet — and get a flat per-pallet rate that includes pickup, cross-dock handling, line haul, fuel, and delivery accessorials. For shippers tired of CWT-based invoice surprises, per-pallet pricing is the structural fix.
CWT calculator FAQ
What is CWT in freight shipping?
CWT stands for hundredweight — a freight pricing unit equal to 100 pounds. LTL carriers price shipments per CWT under the legacy National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) tariff. For a 1,000-lb shipment at a $25 per-CWT rate, the line haul is 10 CWT × $25 = $250 before fuel surcharge and accessorials.
How do you calculate CWT for shipping?
CWT = total weight in pounds divided by 100. Multiply CWT by the per-CWT rate to get line haul. Add fuel surcharge (typically 25-35% of line haul). Compare against the carrier minimum charge — if your computed total is below the minimum, the carrier bills the minimum instead.
What is the difference between CWT and per-pallet pricing?
CWT pricing varies by weight, freight class, density, fuel surcharge, and minimum charge. The same shipment can be rebilled at a different class after the carrier inspects it at the terminal. Per-pallet pricing charges a flat rate per pallet regardless of weight, class, or density — the rate at booking is the rate on the invoice.
What is a typical fuel surcharge percentage?
LTL fuel surcharges typically range from 25% to 35% of line haul, indexed weekly against the EIA national diesel average. Each carrier publishes their own fuel surcharge table. Diesel volatility means the percentage changes weekly; the fuel surcharge on your invoice is rarely the percentage you saw at quote.
What is a minimum charge in LTL freight?
A minimum charge is the floor a carrier bills regardless of how small the computed line haul + fuel total is. For LTL, minimum charges typically range from $100 to $200 per shipment. Small shipments (under ~400 lbs depending on the per-CWT rate) often hit the minimum charge — making per-pallet pricing dramatically cheaper for light shipments.
Skip the CWT math
Warp quotes by pallet with all-inclusive pricing. No CWT calculations, no class reclassification, no fuel surcharge added at invoice. The rate at booking is the rate on the invoice.