Equipment Shipping Cost Calculator
Shipping one crated piece of equipment costs $180 to $350 under 500 miles and $350 to $900 cross country on most LTL lanes, all in. Pick the equipment type, enter the crated weight and size, and the calculator returns the live Warp rate for your lane, the freight class from density, and the two tariff rules that decide whether the unit is covered and whether it is accepted at pickup.
What each equipment type ships as
Defaults in the calculator come from the how to ship guide for each type. The class range is what the density usually lands in; the packaging column is what the Warp tariff needs to see at pickup. Every row links to its full guide.
Reviewed September 2026. Rules quoted from the Warp LTL tariff, items 130 and 140.
The two rules that decide the claim
Item 130, crating.Machines, machinery, equipment, and used auto parts must be fully crated: the unit enclosed in a rigid crate and secured to the skid inside it. Shrink wrap, blankets, straps, banding alone, or an open skid isn't a crate. Freight in this category that moves uncrated or partially crated travels at the shipper's risk, and no claim for damage, shortage, or loss on it is paid.
Item 140, fluids.Warp doesn't accept any engine, transmission, machine, or piece of equipment that has liquids in it. Oil, coolant, fuel, hydraulic fluid, and every other liquid must be fully drained and every open port capped or plugged before pickup, with "Fluids Drained" noted on the bill of lading. A unit that still holds liquid can be refused at pickup or at the dock.
Liability on a crated, drained unit is $2.50 per pound up to $1,000 per shipment. Above that, add freight insurance at booking.
Why the rate is per pallet position, not per class
Terminal LTL carriers price equipment by freight class, then add fuel, liftgate, limited access, and appointment fees on the invoice. Warp routes through its own cross docks and prices the pallet position: one all in rate that covers pickup, handling, line haul, and delivery, with liftgate, residential, appointment, and fuel at $0. A 1,500 pound machine on a 48 by 48 skid is one position whether its density says class 60 or class 85.
Positions are what change the price. A crate longer or wider than 48 inches spills into a second position, and a unit taller than 96 inches doesn't fit an LTL trailer door at all, which is why the calculator asks for the crated size and says so instead of pricing a shape that can't move.
how much does it cost to ship machinery
Shipping one crated machine by LTL costs about $180 to $350 under 500 miles and $350 to $900 cross country on Warp, all in, with liftgate and fuel at $0. A machine over about 2,500 pounds or wider than 48 inches takes two pallet positions and prices accordingly. The calculator on this page returns the live rate for your lane once you enter the crated weight and size.
Equipment shipping cost FAQ
How much does it cost to ship equipment?
Shipping a single crated piece of equipment by LTL freight runs about $180 to $350 under 500 miles and $350 to $900 cross country on Warp, all in. The rate is set by pallet positions, weight, and lane distance, not by freight class. The calculator above returns the live bookable rate for your lane and crate size.
What freight class is machinery?
Machinery is usually class 50 to 85 because it is dense, and NMFC 133100 covers machinery NOI. The class comes from density: weight in pounds divided by the crated volume in cubic feet. The calculator reads the class from the weight and size you enter. On Warp the class doesn’t change the price, because the rate is per pallet position.
Does equipment have to be crated to ship LTL?
On the Warp LTL tariff, machines, machinery, equipment, and used auto parts must be fully crated: enclosed in a rigid crate and secured to the skid inside it. Shrink wrap, blankets, straps, or an open skid don’t count. Uncrated or partially crated units travel at the shipper’s risk and are excluded from liability coverage. Factory cartoned units such as HVAC condensers, fitness equipment, and appliances ship on a pallet in their sealed carton.
Can I ship an engine or a machine with oil in it?
No. Warp doesn’t accept engines, transmissions, machines, or equipment that hold oil, coolant, fuel, hydraulic fluid, or any other liquid. Drain the unit, cap or plug every open port, and write “Fluids Drained” on the bill of lading. A unit that still holds liquid can be refused at pickup or at the dock, and if it leaks in transit the shipper is responsible for the cleanup.
Is heavy equipment shipping the same as machinery shipping?
No. Heavy equipment shipping usually means excavators, loaders, and other rolling stock that move on a flatbed or lowboy, which Warp doesn’t offer. This calculator prices crated or palletized machinery, restaurant, medical, HVAC, fitness, and similar equipment that fits an LTL trailer: up to 96 inches tall on a pallet position.
What does the equipment shipping rate include?
Pickup, cross dock handling, line haul, and delivery. Liftgate at either end, residential delivery, delivery appointment, and fuel are $0 on the Warp tariff, so the rate the calculator shows is the rate on the invoice. Inside delivery and two person delivery are extra where they apply.
How is equipment covered in transit?
Warp liability is $2.50 per pound up to $1,000 per shipment, and only on a fully crated unit. For equipment worth more than that, add freight insurance at booking; the freight insurance calculator on this site prices it.
What if my equipment is too tall or too heavy for a pallet?
Units taller than 96 inches or wider than a trailer don’t fit LTL. The quote form linked from the calculator prices the same lane as a dedicated box truck or full truckload, which is usually the right answer for one oversize unit.
Ship the machine, not the surcharges
One all in rate per pallet position. Liftgate, residential, appointment, and fuel at $0. Crate it, drain it, book it.