Linear feet calculator
Enter your pallet size and count to get the linear feet of trailer space your freight takes and the mode that usually fits. This free tool from GET Express runs in your browser and needs no login.
Enter the pallet count, and the linear feet appear here.
– ftlinear feet
How the linear feet calculator works
- Count how many fit across. A 53 foot trailer is about 100 inches wide inside, so 40 inch wide pallets sit two across.
- Count the rows. Divide the pallets by how many fit across, and round up. Stacked freight takes half the floor spots.
- Multiply by the pallet length. Each row takes one pallet length of the trailer. Rows × length in inches ÷ 12 gives linear feet.
Here is one worked through. Ten 48 by 40 pallets make five rows of two. Five rows at four feet each is 20 linear feet, about 38 percent of the trailer.
How many linear feet of trailer space do pallets take?
These are 48 by 40 pallets loaded two across in a 53 foot trailer.
| Pallets | On the floor | Stacked two high |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 ft | 4 ft |
| 4 | 8 ft | 4 ft |
| 6 | 12 ft | 8 ft |
| 8 | 16 ft | 8 ft |
| 10 | 20 ft | 12 ft |
| 12 | 24 ft | 12 ft |
| 16 | 32 ft | 16 ft |
| 20 | 40 ft | 20 ft |
| 26 | 52 ft | 28 ft |
How many pallets fit in a 53 foot trailer?
Standard 48 by 40 pallets, loaded two across with the 48 inch side running along the trailer. Inside sizes vary by trailer, so treat these as planning numbers, not a load plan.
| Trailer | Inside length, about | Pallets on the floor | Stacked two high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 52 ft 6 in | 26 | 52 |
| 48 ft dry van | 47 ft 6 in | 24 | 48 |
Why linear feet change the price
LTL tariffs carry linear foot rules. A shipment that takes up a large share of the trailer stops pricing like LTL, because the carrier can no longer fill the space around it. At that length, volume LTL or a partial truckload is usually the cheaper way to ship.
Questions shippers ask
How do I calculate linear feet for freight?
Work out how many pallets sit side by side, then count the rows. A 53 foot trailer is about 100 inches wide inside, so 48 by 40 pallets load two across. Ten pallets make five rows, and five rows at four feet each is 20 linear feet.
How many linear feet is a pallet?
A 48 by 40 pallet loaded two across uses about two linear feet, so a pair takes roughly four.
Does stacking reduce linear feet?
Yes, if the freight genuinely stacks and you say so on the bill of lading. Freight marked stackable that cannot be stacked gets rebilled.
How many pallets fit on a 53 foot trailer?
About 26 standard 48 by 40 pallets loaded two across, which is 13 rows at four feet. Turning the pallets can fit a few more.
Skip the math entirely
Skip the linear feet calculator and send us the shipment: we work out the space, the mode, and the rate. You just tell us what and where.