Pallets decide how much freight a van can carry long before weight does. A standard 48 by 40 inch pallet can go in two ways, and the difference between them is four pallets in a 53 ft trailer. This calculator works out the straight, turned and best mixed layouts, then tells you how many linear feet your pallets need.
How it is calculated
Rows run across the trailer from the nose to the doors.
- Straight row: pallet length runs along the trailer. Pallets across = inside width ÷ pallet width, rounded down. Row length = pallet length.
- Turned row: pallet length runs across. Pallets across = inside width ÷ pallet length, rounded down. Row length = pallet width.
- Best layout: every mix of turned and straight rows that fits the inside length is tried, and the one with the most spots wins.
- Layers: two if the pallets are stackable and two of them clear the inside height; otherwise one.
- Linear feet = length of the rows your pallets use, from the nose, ÷ 12.
Standard pallets in common equipment
| Equipment | Inside size used | Straight | Turned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 630 × 101 in | 26 | 30 |
| 48 ft dry van | 570 × 101 in | 22 | 28 |
| 53 ft reefer | 618 × 98 in | 24 | 30 |
| 26 ft box truck | 311 × 97 in | 12 | 14 |
Turned loading needs at least 96 inches of inside width for two 48 inch sides across. Most 53 ft vans have it; check older or heavily lined trailers. A 26 ft box truck is our smallest; we don't dispatch anything shorter.
Worked example
22 pallets, 48 × 40, 50 inches tall, not stackable, in a 53 ft van. The best layout is all turned rows, 2 across. Eleven rows of 40 inches use 440 inches, about 36.7 linear feet, leaving roughly 16 feet of floor for another shipment. Make them stackable and they take 6 turned rows instead: 20 linear feet.
Reading the result
- Fits with feet to spare: room for a partial on the same trip, or for the trailer load planner to spread the weight.
- Fits exactly: check the door opening and the pallets' overhang; tight loads damage freight.
- Doesn't fit: split the load or go to a longer trailer. The 48 ft vs 53 ft trailer guide covers where each one runs.
Weight is the other half. A full floor of heavy pallets can be legal on gross weight and still overload an axle group, which the tandem slide calculator helps with. How long the whole rig gets with a 53 ft trailer is in semi truck length with a 53 ft trailer, and pulling a shipper's preloaded trailer is covered by power only dispatch.
Inside sizes vary by trailer. Results are estimates from the numbers you enter.
SOURCES
- Wabash, DuraPlate dry van product sheet: 53 ft x 102-3/8 in x 13 ft 6 in; interior width 101 in sidewall to sidewall; interior height 110-1/4 in front, 111-1/4 in rear (checked 2026-10)
- Penske Truck Rental: 22 to 26 ft box truck, non-CDL: interior up to 25 ft 11 in x 8 ft 1 in x 8 ft 7 in, up to 1,700 cu ft, up to 10,000 lb payload (varies by make, model, year) (checked 2026-10)