When it comes to shipping and transporting goods, there are a lot of different terms that you need to be familiar with. Today, we're going to focus on three of the most important terms: tare weight, net weight, and gross weight. Freight trucking companies will use all three of these weights when quoting prices and determining how much your shipment will cost. In this blog post, we'll discuss these concepts in more detail and explain how US gross weight trucking regulations apply to them. Read on to learn more!
What Is the Tare Weight?
Tare weight is the weight of an empty container before it's filled with goods. When shipping and transporting goods, tare weight is an important factor to consider because it affects the total shipping costs. The tare weight will be different for different types of containers, so it's important to know the tare weight of the particular container you're using.
Consider this tare weight example. A standard 20-foot container has a tare weight of 5,000 pounds, while a 40-foot container has a tare weight of 8,000 pounds. Tare weights can also vary depending on the type of material the container is made from. So when you're shipping goods, make sure you know the tare weight of your container so you can accurately calculate the total shipping costs.
What Is the Net Weight?
The net weight of a product is the weight of the product itself, without any packaging or other materials. This is the weight that you would typically see on the label of a food item or other packaged goods. When shipping products, the net weight is important to consider because it will affect how much your shipment weighs overall. Tare weight vs net weight can be a bit confusing, but remember that tare weight is the weight of the empty container and net weight is the weight of the product itself.
To calculate the total shipping weight of your shipment, you need to add together the net weights of all the products you're shipping. For example, let's say you're shipping 100 boxes of cereal, and each box has a net weight of 12 ounces. The total net weight of your shipment would be 1200 ounces or 75 pounds.
What Is the Gross Weight?
The gross weight of a shipment is the total weight of the products and the packaging, including the tare weight of the container. Gross and net weight are two important factors that trucking companies consider when quoting prices for shipping. But it's important to understand the difference between net and gross weight. Remember, net weight is the weight of the product itself and gross weight is the total weight of the products and packaging. Gross vs net weight can be a bit confusing, but the main thing to remember is that gross weight includes the tare weight of the container.
To calculate the gross weight of a shipment, you need to add together the net weights of all the products, the tare weight of the container, and the weight of the packaging material. Here's a gross net weight example. Let's say you're shipping the same 100 boxes of cereal from the previous example. But this time, each box weighs 16 ounces, including the weight of the packaging. The tare weight of the container is still 5000 pounds. So the gross net weight of your shipment would be 16,000 ounces or 1000 pounds.
US Gross Weight Trucking Regulations
In the United States, there are federal regulations that govern how much weight a truck can carry on the highway. These regulations are known as gross weight trucking regulations. The maximum gross weight for a tractor-trailer is 80,000 pounds, including the weight of the products, packaging, and the tare weight of the trailer.
If a truck exceeds this gross weight limit, the trucking company can be fined. So understanding net weight vs gross weight is crucial here. Likewise, understanding net vs gross weight can’t be overlooked. And if the weight exceeds the limit by a certain amount, the driver can be charged with a crime. So it's important for trucking companies to accurately calculate the gross weight of their shipments before hitting the road.
Oversized freight trucking has its own set of regulations. If a shipment is too large to fit within the dimensions of a standard trailer, it's considered oversized freight. And there are special permits and regulations that apply to oversized freight shipments.
Conclusion
Tare weight, net weight, and gross weight all play an important role in the shipping process. Tare weight is the weight of an empty container and it's important to know the tare weight of your container so you can accurately calculate shipping costs. The net weight is the weight of the product itself and it's important to include the net weight when calculating the total shipping weight of your shipment. The gross weight is the total weight of the products, packaging, and the tare weight of the container.
And finally, it's important to know the gross weight of your shipment so you can comply with US trucking regulations. Oversized freight has its own set of regulations, so if you're shipping oversized freight, be sure to research the regulations before shipping.
The top Texas freight shipping company is Cowtown Express with over 35 years of experience in the shipping industry. If you need help calculating the gross weight of your shipment, or if you have any questions about shipping, contact Cowtown Express today to get your free quote.
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