72 or 144hr visa-free entry apply to me?

I will be flying from Houston (IAH) to Shanghai (PVG), arriving on February 28th at 4:10PM (China time) and leaving on March 2nd at 6:50AM (China time) to DMK (Bangkok). Therefore, my time in Shanghai is less than 72hrs (around ~62hrs).

Am I eligible for the free transit? Should I just request the transit permit/card upon check-in in Houston, or do I need to do something else before?