Volumetric Information
A carton of pillows and a carton of bolts take the same space on a vehicle. Volumetric weight is how that space gets priced.
The rule
You are billed on the greater of what the consignment actually weighs and what its volume is worth — never on both.
Volumetric weight, per carton
(Length × Breadth × Height in cm) ÷ Divisor
Measure the outside of the packed carton, not the goods inside. Round any dimension up to the next whole centimetre.
Chargeable weight, per consignment
max(total actual, total volumetric, carrier minimum)
The comparison is made once across the whole consignment, on the totals — not carton by carton. Mixing dense and light cartons therefore works in your favour.
Divisors by mode
| Mode | Divisor | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|
| Express (air) | 5,000 | Priority air lanes, metro pairs |
| Standard parcel (surface) | 5,000 | Everyday domestic parcels |
| Surface freight | 4,500 | Palletised and boxed freight |
| Part-truckload | 4,000 | Heavy and industrial consignments |
Worked example
Two manifest lines on a surface freight booking, divisor 4,500, carrier minimum 20 kg.
| Line | Cartons | Dimensions (cm) | Weight each | Actual | Volumetric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 40 × 30 × 25 | 12.00 kg | 36.00 kg | 20.00 kg |
| 2 | 2 | 60 × 50 × 40 | 8.00 kg | 16.00 kg | 53.33 kg |
| Total | 5 | — | — | 52.00 kg | 73.33 kg |
Chargeable weight: 73.33 kg
Volumetric (73.33 kg) exceeds actual (52.00 kg), so freight is billed on 73.33 kg. The 20 kg carrier minimum does not bind here because both figures are already above it. Line 1 on its own would have been billed on its actual weight — it is the light, bulky cartons on line 2 that carry the consignment over.Per-carton arithmetic
Line 2: 60 × 50 × 40 = 120,000 cm³. Divided by 4,500 that is 26.67 kg per carton, and two cartons make 53.33 kg. The quantity multiplies both the actual and the volumetric figure for the line.Why the divisor is worth shopping
The same five cartons come to 66.00 kg on a divisor of 5,000, 73.33 kg on 4,500 and 82.50 kg on 4,000 — a 25% spread in chargeable weight before a single rate is compared. This is why every booking is rated across the whole panel rather than one carrier.How this shows up when you book
- Enter one manifest line per carton type, with the quantity on that line and the weight and dimensions of a single carton. Do not enter line totals.
- The total box count is the sum of the quantities across all lines — three lines of 50, 51 and 52 cartons is a 153-box consignment, not a 3-box one.
- Each line shows its own volumetric figure as you type, so you can see which cartons are driving the chargeable weight before you commit.
- Every carton gets its own tag and its own barcode regardless of how the lines are grouped.
- Re-weighing happens at the first hub. If the measured weight or dimensions differ from what was declared, the consignment is repriced on the measured figures and you are notified.
Declare the packed dimensions
The commonest repricing cause is measuring the goods rather than the carton. Pallets are measured including the pallet; anything wrapped is measured over the wrap.See it on a real consignment
Book a shipment and the chargeable weight is worked out live as you add cartons, across every carrier on the panel.