All About FreightAPI

What is a freight API? It is the programming module needed by the shopping cart company processing your online web sales, to tie to a freight carrier’s computer for real-time quotes, based on to/from zip codes, weight, size of shipment and class of freight.

FreightAPI
P.O. BOX 1145
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
Tel 1-866-427-2662
Fax 1-866-484-3722

What are Freight Classes and NMFC codes?
These terms come from the National Motor Freight Classification Handbook, issued by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc., who have categoried all types of shipped product into two identifiers. The first, a two or three digit "freight class", which most people are familiar with, is assigned to each of your products, charged at a specific rate. Secondly, to get to the freight classification, they start with a 5-6 digit code, the "NMFC code", which is much more specific to your product. The NMFC code is based on whether your product is made of iron, steel or wood, knocked-down or assembled when shipped, operated by battery or gas, a food stuff, a boat or a piece of lumber. If you would like to obtain this manual, or learn what specific code number refers to your product, please call 703-838-1810 or go to their website at www.nmfta.org. Interested in seeing a sample page of this manual? Click the image.

Easy as 1-2-3
To prepare your cart for the API, here are the simple steps to do it:

Phase One

Prepare Your Product Page - Add to your product page the following items, using radial buttons or drop down menus as you see fit. You will connect the answer for each to the API. Feel free to leave out options your business does not use. Options are numbered only for reference.
Common Carrier? (window, yes/no)
(default is yes)
If yes, these are options to be answered for common carrier products in your web site product selection...

Origin Zip Code? (window, 6 digits for Canada too, lets and nums)
What type of Business?
1. Business with dock or forklift
2. Business without dock or forklift
3. Residential or limited access
4. Trade Show
What are you shipping?
(default is new commercial)
1. New commercial goods
2. Used commerical goods
3. Household Goods
4. Fragile or unpackaged goods
5. Automobile
6. Motorcycle
How is it shipped?
(default is Pallet (48"x40")
1. Pallet (48"x40")
2. Pallet (48"x48")
3. Pallet (60"x48")
4. Pallet (enter dimensions)
5. Bags
6. Bales
7. Boxes
8. Bundles
9. Carpets
10. Crates
11. Coils
12. Cylinders
13. Drums
14. Pails
15. Reels
16. Rolls
17. Tubes/Pipes
Shipping Weight? (window, enter pounds)
Shipping dimensions? (windows, enter L,W,H)
Freight class (window, 2-3 digits)
Stackable (yes/no)
(default is no)
Hazardous? (yes/no)
(default is no)

If small package freight....
Origin Zip Code? (window, 6 digits for Canada too, lets and nums) Shipping Weight? (window, enter pounds)
Shipping dimensions? (windows, enter L,W,H)

Phase Two

Prepare Your Checkout Page - You Must Ask The Purchaser:
What is the destination?
(default is business with dock/forklift)
1. Business with dock or forklift
2. Business without dock or forklift
3. Residential or limited access
4. Trade show or ceonvention
5. Construction Site
6. Closest carrier terminal
Add a disclaimer: "Please note that incorrect answers may result in higher freight costs."

Decide what you want to list for rates - do you wish to use cheapest price only or give your customer choices and list them on the checkout page? (keep in mind the API is designed to go from line item in the cart and total. As a result, if you offer choices, many might be listed on the checkout page, should they have many items in the sale. Your choices would then be offered for every line item. Your programmer can list 2,3,5 or more options (per line item) as you wish.
(Your own programmer will total all rates used or chosen into the shipping cost cell).

Phase Three

Decide what your confirmation of order will show, for the purchaser and for the web site owner.
Do you care to list the carrier with timeframe and cost for the purchaser? Do you wish to list all rates returned on the web site owner's copy, with purchaser choice, for confirmation, and for valuable data they can use later? A great idea for your records, should a dispute arise later.

That's It! When you sign up, we send you the username and password and unique API token number for the use of the API.
HAVE FUN SELLING! We are glad we could assist in growing your business, and thank you!