Truck Loading Calculator
Pick the trailer and pallet size to see how many pallets fit on the floor, with stacking and payload checked.
At a glance
Truck Loading Calculator estimates how many pallets fit a 53 ft or 48 ft trailer or a box truck, turned or straight, stacked or not, and checks the load's weight limit.
- The tool shows pallet count, best floor pattern, and whether space or payload limits the load.
- It runs in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded.
- It is free to use, with no account or sign-up.
- A 53 ft dry van is about 630 × 100 × 110 in inside, with payload up to about 45,000 lb.
- Straight loading of 48 × 40 in pallets in a 53 ft van gives 26 pallets; turned gives 30.
Sources: Truck (Wikipedia) (checked 2026-10-15) · Dry Van Dimensions & Capacity Guide (Hale Trailer) (checked 2026-10-15)
How to use the truck loading calculator
Set the Unit switch to “Metric” or “US / imperial”. Typed values convert when you switch.
Choose a trailer or truck, such as “53 ft dry van” or “26 ft box truck”. For exact numbers from your own equipment, choose “Custom size” and enter the inside length, width and height.
With “Custom size”, also enter the maximum payload; the listed trailers use typical payloads.
Choose a pallet size, such as “48 × 40 in (GMA, North America)” or “1200 × 800 mm (EUR / EPAL 1)”. For another size, choose “Custom size” and enter the pallet length and width.
Enter the height of a loaded pallet, with the pallet and goods together.
Enter the weight of a loaded pallet. Use the gross weight, with the pallet included.
If the goods can be stacked, tick “Pallets can be stacked”. Under “More options”, set “Pallets high at most”.
Read the results: Pallets that fit, Floor positions, Pallets high, Best floor pattern, Floor length used, Total weight, Maximum payload, Payload used and Limited by.
Open “How it was calculated” under the result to see each step with your numbers.
To start quickly, click one of the preset buttons: “48×40 pallets, 53 ft van”, “EUR pallets, 53 ft van”, “26 ft rental truck” or “Stacked 2 high, 53 ft van”. “Reset” restores the example values.
“Print / save result” prints a one-page sheet with your inputs, results, steps and the date; save it as a PDF from the print dialog. “Copy link” copies a link that reopens the same inputs.
How many pallets fit in a 53 ft trailer?
A 53 ft dry van is about 630 × 100 × 110 in inside, with a payload of up to about 45,000 lb (Hale Trailer’s published dry van dimensions). With 48 × 40 in pallets, the tool’s default example fits 30 pallets, all on the floor and turned. The tool multiplies floor positions by pallets high: 30 positions × 1 high = 30 pallets. Check your own trailer’s inside size, because the count changes with your numbers.
How many pallets fit in a 26 ft box truck?
U-Haul publishes the inside of its 26 ft truck as 26 ft 2 in × 8 ft 2 in × 8 ft 3 in (314 × 98 × 99 in) with a 12,859 lb maximum load. Choose the “26 ft rental truck” preset to see the count for your pallet size. As a rough check by hand, 48 × 40 in pallets turned with the 40 in side along the length give 7 rows of 2, or 14 floor positions, before any stacking. Straight loading gives 6 rows of 2, or 12 positions. Other companies’ 26 ft trucks differ, so enter your truck’s size under Custom if you have it.
What is the difference between straight and turned pallets?
Straight loading puts the 48 in side of a 48 × 40 in pallet along the trailer. Turned loading puts the 40 in side along the trailer. In a 53 ft van, straight loading gives 2 across by 13 rows, which is 26 pallets. Turned loading gives 2 across by 15 rows, which is 30 pallets. The tool tests both patterns and shows the better one as “Best floor pattern”.
Can pallets be double stacked in a trailer?
Yes, if the goods are stackable and two loaded pallets fit under the inside height. Tick “Pallets can be stacked” and set “Pallets high at most” under “More options”. Stacking doubles the floor positions only when both conditions are met. The “Pallets high” result shows how many loaded pallets fit one above another, and it is 1 in the default example.
How much weight can a 53 ft trailer carry?
A 53 ft dry van carries up to about 45,000 lb (Hale Trailer), which the tool uses as its “Maximum payload” in the default example. The tool divides the maximum payload by the weight of one loaded pallet to get the most pallets allowed by weight. In the example, 45,000 lb ÷ 1,000 lb = 45 pallets at most, so space (30 pallets) is the limit, not weight. Heavy freight often reaches the payload limit first. Legal gross and axle weights on the road also apply, so check them with the axle weight and bridge formula calculators.
Sources
Data and rules used by this tool (checked October 2026):
Frequently asked questions
Is this truck load calculator free?
Yes. The tool is free to use, and you do not need an account or sign-up.
Are my numbers uploaded anywhere?
No. The tool runs in your browser, and nothing you type is uploaded.
What does “Limited by: Space” mean?
It means the trailer runs out of floor room or stacking height before it reaches the weight limit. In the default example, the floor holds 30 pallets, while the payload would allow up to 45.
Can I use the results in a quote or shipping plan?
Yes. The results may be used in commercial work such as quotes, invoices and shipping plans, without attribution. Confirm rates, rules and limits with your carrier, broker or the applicable regulation first, because the results are an estimate.
How many EUR pallets fit in a 53 ft trailer?
Choose “1200 × 800 mm (EUR / EPAL 1)” or press the “EUR pallets, 53 ft van” preset; the tool tries straight, turned and mixed patterns on the trailer floor and shows the best count with a floor plan. The answer depends on the trailer’s inside width, so use Custom size with your own trailer’s measurements for an exact figure.
Why is the floor length used shorter than the trailer?
The floor length used counts from the nose of the trailer to the end of the last row of pallets. Any space left behind it is free for more freight, which is also what LTL carriers measure in linear feet.
Related tools
- Pallet calculator: use it to work out pallet counts and sizes before you enter them here.
- Pallets in a container: use it when your pallets are going into a shipping container instead of a truck.
- Container loading calculator: use it to plan how cargo fills a container’s floor and height.
- Shipping container dimensions: use it to look up inside sizes for common containers.
- Freight linear feet calculator: use it to convert your load into linear feet of trailer floor space.
- Warehouse space calculator: use it to estimate how much storage space your pallets need.
- Trucking cost per mile calculator: use it to estimate what a trucking trip costs per mile.
- Fuel surcharge calculator: use it to estimate the fuel surcharge added to a freight bill.