The National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™ announced today that on Monday, June 3, 2024, the Freight Classification Development Council (FCDC) will conduct a public meeting as part of the NMFTA Summer Meeting in Louisville, KY. The meeting will be held to discuss proposals for amending the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC®) and Class IT®, as listed in FCDC Docket 2024-2. All industry professionals are invited to attend and submit a written statement sharing feedback on the proposed changes.
“It is our priority to equip the shipping community with all of the knowledge necessary to navigate through the current classification system,” said Keith Peterson, director of operations for NMFTA. “Not only do we want them to know how the process works, but we also would like to instill confidence in each professional as they set out to ensure that the supply chain operates smoothly as unforeseen disruptions and challenges occur.”
The National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)® is a system that classifies less-than-truckload (LTL) freight based on its ‘transportability’. It has been in existence since 1936, derived from the classification used by the rails. The FCDC reviews the commodity or commodity group’s density, handling, stowability, and liability and provides one or more of 18 classes for those provisions. This includes proposals for amending or establishing the classification of commodities, commodity descriptions, classes, rules, packaging, and any other classification related provision in the NMFC subject to the jurisdiction of the FCDC.
Understanding the NMFC is crucial for all industry professionals, and this public meeting is an excellent opportunity for professionals to deepen their knowledge and contribute to its development.
It's essential that shippers and NMFC users place an accurate item number and freight class on a bill of lading to avoid accessorial charges, as well as a reweigh or remeasurement that changes the class or NMFC code, as this can lead to additional fees and delays.
A summary of the Docket 2024-2 changes is below:
• Continued consolidation of groups of items
o Foodstuffs, frozen
o Carpets or Carpeting
o Hardware Group
• Various items are canceled or established for clarification and simplification
o Asbestos Group
o Filtering Media
o Hairpins
o Abrasives
o Numismatic Exhibits
• Packaging amendments
• Various cancelations and obsolete provisions
“Through our efforts to educate and encourage the shipping community to become involved with these changes, the industry must understand that it’s important that we continue to simplify, streamline, and modernize the classification system,” said Adam Mercer, classification development manager for NMFTA. “This system needs to be as streamlined and user-friendly as possible, and hearing the industry's thoughts on the changes already made and up for consideration helps us make the best decisions possible.”
Industry professionals interested in attending are invited to join in person and may also submit a written statement. All written statements may be submitted by mail or email, and they must be received by the FCDC no later than 5:00 pm ET, Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
The FCDC requests that all statements include essential information relating to the transportation characteristics–density, handling, stowability, and liability–of the product(s) involved. Statements can also include information relevant to packaging materials or methods concerning proposed packaging amendments. All written submissions received by the deadline will be included in the respective public docket file and posted on the NMFTA website. FCDC representatives will also review and discuss all received statements at the public meeting. Written statements may also be emailed to fcdc@nmfta.org.
For more information about the docket or how to submit a written statement, connect with Nicole Jones, classification support specialist at NMFTA, at nicole.jones@nmfta.org or by calling 571-527-2681.
To learn more about NMFTA, visit www.nmfta.org.
