Pallet Dimensions

How many pallets fit in a trailer?

A 53 ft dry van fits 26 standard 48 × 40 in pallets loaded straight in one layer, 28 pinwheeled, or 30 turned with the 48 in sides across the trailer. Double-stacked, it takes 52 straight, if the freight can stack and the load stays under the trailer’s weight limit.

Checked November 14, 2026 against Anderson Trucking Service, NTG, Mercer Transportation and C.H. Robinson.

Pallets per trailer

48 × 40 in pallets
The counts carriers and brokers publish. The calculator below works the same floor out from each trailer’s inside size.
TrailerLoadedPalletsSource
53 ft dry van13 rows of two, the 40 in sides across the trailer.Straight, one layer261516171819
53 ft dry vanOne pallet straight and one turned in each row.Pinwheeled, one layer28151620
53 ft dry van15 rows of two, the 48 in sides across. Needs at least 96 in of clear width.Turned, one layer30151621
53 ft dry vanOnly if the freight stacks and the weight allows.Straight, double-stacked52161719
48 ft dry vanTwelve 48 in rows need 576 in of floor. On a 47 ft 5 in to 47 ft 6 in floor only 11 fit, so plan on 22 unless your pallets run short.Straight, one layer24161719
48 ft dry vanStraight, double-stacked481617

Cite this table: Pallets per trailer, Pallet Dimensions, checked November 14, 2026, https://palletdimensions.com/pallets-per-trailer/#countsDownload CSV

Work it out for your load

The count uses whole rows of straight or turned pallets. Pinwheeling, which mixes both in one row, can fit two more in a 53 ft van.

Pallets on the floor

30

Straight
26
Turned
30
Best mix
30

Single-stacked. 53 ft dry van: 630 × 98.5 × 108 in inside.

Add a weight per pallet to check the load against the payload.

Every row turned: 30 pallets on the floor, drawn to scale.

StraightTurned

Weight runs out before floor space

The federal gross limit on the Interstate is 80,000 lb for truck, trailer and load together.13 Once the tractor and trailer are counted, carriers plan around 44,000 lb of freight in a 53 ft dry van.19 Twenty-six pallets at 1,700 lb each is 44,200 lb, so heavy pallets fill the weight before they fill the floor. The calculator uses that payload as its assumption; your carrier’s figure may differ.

What changes the answer

Straight or turned
Turning 48 × 40 pallets puts the 48 in side across the trailer: 15 rows of two instead of 13. It needs at least 96 in of clear width, which a 53 ft dry van has and a reefer only just has.16
Inside length
Inside lengths vary by maker. A 48 ft van’s 47 ft 5 in to 47 ft 6 in floor takes 11 straight rows of 48 in pallets, not the 12 often quoted.
Stacking
Double-stacking needs freight that bears the weight above it, and a loaded height under half the inside height, about 54 in in a dry van.
Overhang and bracing
Pallets with product hanging over the edge take the room of a bigger pallet. Load bars and air bags take a few inches too.

Questions about loading pallets

How many pallets fit in a 53 ft trailer?

26 standard 48 × 40 pallets loaded straight, 28 pinwheeled, or 30 turned, in one layer. Double-stacked, 52.

How many pallets fit in a 48 ft trailer?

Carriers quote 24 straight and 48 double-stacked. On a typical 47 ft 6 in inside floor, 22 straight or 28 turned is what the floor math gives.

What does turned or pinwheeled mean?

Turned means every pallet sits with its 48 in side across the trailer. Pinwheeled means each row has one pallet straight and one turned, which uses the width better than straight rows.

Can I fit more pallets by stacking?

Only if the freight can carry the weight above it and the load stays under the trailer’s payload. Stacking doubles the count, not the weight allowance.

Sources

  1. Composite dry van, Hyundai Translead. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  2. Dry van brochure, Hyundai Translead. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  3. 53 ft HyCube dry van build sheet, Hyundai Translead (sheet hosted by Hale Trailer). Primary source. Read November 14, 2026. Factory build sheet on a dealer’s server, not the maker’s own site.
  4. DuraPlate dry van product sheet, Wabash. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  5. DuraPlate HD dry van product sheet, Wabash. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  6. Dry van specifications, Utility Trailer. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026. The spec table lists several models; model headers did not survive reading, so some values may belong to one model.
  7. 4000D-X Composite 100 features, Utility Trailer. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  8. 48 ft dry van build sheet, Hyundai Translead (sheet hosted by Hale Trailer). Primary source. Read November 14, 2026. Factory build sheet on a dealer’s server, not the maker’s own site.
  9. HT ThermoTech refrigerated van, Hyundai Translead. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  10. Refrigerated van brochure, Hyundai Translead (hosted by CT Power). Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  11. Reefer specifications (3000R), Utility Trailer. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  12. Everest reefer brochure, Great Dane. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  13. Size and weight: questions and answers on federal weight limits, FHWA Office of Freight Management and Operations. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  14. Size and weight: questions and answers on federal size limits, FHWA Office of Freight Management and Operations. Primary source. Read November 14, 2026.
  15. How many pallets fit in a trailer, Anderson Trucking Service. Read November 14, 2026.
  16. Standard pallet size, NTG. Read November 14, 2026.
  17. How many pallets fit in a truck, Mercer Transportation. Read November 14, 2026.
  18. Truckload equipment guide, C.H. Robinson. Read November 14, 2026. Its appendix rows read as unlabelled runs of numbers; which figure is which column was worked out, not printed.
  19. Dry van dimensions and capacities, Hale Trailer. Read November 14, 2026. Trailer dealer and lessor.
  20. Pinwheel pallet loading, Hale Trailer. Read November 14, 2026.
  21. Trailer guide, Freight Sidekick. Read November 14, 2026.
  22. 48 and 53 ft dry van trailers, Penske Truck Rental. Read November 14, 2026.
  23. 53 ft refrigerated trailer, Penske Truck Rental. Read November 14, 2026.
  24. 23 CFR 658.17 Weight (text of the regulation), Cornell Law School LII. Read November 14, 2026. A reproduction of the federal regulation on a law school site.
  25. 23 CFR 658.15 Width (text of the regulation), FindLaw. Read November 14, 2026. A reproduction of the federal regulation on a legal publisher’s site.