Glossary · updated October 31, 2026
Cargo Classification
Also known as: Cargo Carried, Commodity Classification
By Korey Sharp-Paar · Reviewed by the Fast Trucking Compliance team
Definition
Cargo classification is the checklist on the MCS-150 where a carrier marks the types of freight it hauls. Categories include general freight, refrigerated food, household goods, building materials, livestock, hazardous materials and others. FMCSA uses cargo classifications to understand a carrier’s exposure and to flag commodities, such as hazmat, that carry extra requirements. Accurate cargo data keeps the public carrier snapshot meaningful to the brokers, shippers and insurers who read it. A change in what the carrier hauls is a reason to update the MCS-150 rather than wait for the next biennial update.
Read more
MCS-150 Operation Classification and Cargo Boxes ExplainedWhat each MCS-150 checkbox means - Authorized For-Hire, Exempt For-Hire, Private Property, the passenger boxes, cargo classifications, hazmat, and vehicle types - and the mis-checks that put a carrier under the wrong oversight.
Related terms
- Operation Classification(Operation Type)
- Hazardous Materials(Hazmat)
- MCS-150(Motor Carrier Identification Report)