Pallet counts for a 53 ft trailer, by size

The assumption

An inside floor of 630 by 98 inches, one layer, pallets within the floor edge. Real trailers differ by a few inches, and real loads may overhang, interlock or stack two high. The numbers compare sizes with each other; they do not predict a particular load.

The six sizes

Rows along the trailer x pallets across = pallets on the floor
Size	Long side along	Short side along	Best
48 x 40	13 x 2 = 26	15 x 2 = 30	30
42 x 42	15 x 2 = 30	15 x 2 = 30	30
48 x 48	13 x 2 = 26	13 x 2 = 26	26
48 x 45	13 x 2 = 26	14 x 2 = 28	28
48 x 42	13 x 2 = 26	15 x 2 = 30	30
800 x 1200 mm	13 x 3 = 39	20 x 2 = 40	40

A worked example

A 48 x 40 pallet laid long side along the trailer takes 48 inches of length, so 13 rows fit in 630 inches. Across the 98-inch width, 40-inch pallets fit 2 abreast, because three would need 120. That gives 13 x 2 = 26.

Turned the other way, 40 inches along means 15 rows, and 48-inch pallets fit 2 across, giving 30. Turning the pallets gains 4 spaces.

48 x 40, short side along: 30

A square pallet shows a different pattern. A 48 x 48 pallet has no long side and short side to swap, so it takes 48 inches of length per row either way and the floor holds 26. The 42 x 42 pallet fits 30, because 42 inches divides into the 630-inch floor in whole rows and leaves little waste. A footprint that divides evenly into the floor wastes the least trailer.

What the table misses

Stacking two high doubles the count only if the load and the roof allow it.
Loading pins and door gear may take a few inches.
A pallet with overhang can break the width rule.
Weight limits can fill the trailer before the floor does.

See pallet weight for the limits that matter, and sizes for each footprint.

Using the table in a request

State the size, the layers and the orientation you plan, then compare with the table. If your planned count is higher than the table, find out why: you may be overhanging pallets, stacking higher or using a longer trailer. If it is lower, you may be leaving gaps that a different turning would fill. Counting on paper first prevents a surprise at the dock.

Overhang and the law of the trailer

Some carriers allow a small overhang at the rear, and some forbid it. Overhang can raise a count but breaks the one-layer, no-overhang assumption. Check the carrier's rule before planning for it, and never rely on a count that needs more width than the trailer has.

Why two across

The inside width of a trailer, about 98 inches, holds two pallets of 40 or 48 inches side by side with a little space, but never three. That fixed limit explains why the counts in the table jump in steps of two and why the shortest side along the trailer wins.