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Linear footage calculator for LTL freight
Use this linear footage calculator — a practical truck trailer foot calculator — to turn pallet dimensions into floor space, compare orientations, apply stacking, and check pounds per linear foot against an LTL linear foot rule.
- 53, 48, and 28 ft trailers
- Auto orientation and stacking
- Mixed loads
- No signup or uploads
Trailer & load
One line per size or product. Results update as you type.
Units & conversion
Auto-converts when you switch.
Edit any trailer dimension to match your equipment. Width and height change how many units fit across and high.
Start from a typical load
Replaces the lines below.Add handling units and a trailer to get started.
Quick answer
Ten 48 × 40 × 48 in GMA pallets at 500 lb each use 16.67 linear feet in a 53 ft dry van — 31.4% of the floor and 300 lb/LF. Turned 48 in down, the load needs 20 ft. Stacked two high with the 40 in side down, it uses 10 ft.
Assumes 100 in usable width, no row gap, and the 40 in side down unless noted.
The method
How to calculate linear feet of a shipment
Linear footage is the length of trailer floor a load occupies from nose to doors. When two pallets fit across, they share a row, so it is not the sum of every unit laid end to end.
Start with the side running front to back — the row depth. Divide usable width by the side running across to count units per row. Divide floor positions by that count, round up to rows, multiply by row depth, add gaps, and divide by 12.
The calculator compares both orientations, packs mixed lines into shared rows, and caps stacks at usable height. It is a planning estimate, not a CAD load plan.
Units per row
floor(usable width ÷ side across) = across
Rows
ceil(floor positions ÷ across) = rows
Linear feet
(rows × row depth + gaps) ÷ 12 = LF
Weight per linear foot
total gross lb ÷ LF = lb/LF
Capacity
How many pallets fit in a 53 foot trailer?
A 53 ft dry van is commonly planned at 636 in of usable floor length and 100 in of usable width. With 48 × 40 × 48 in GMA pallets 2 across and no gaps, the floor fits 30 pallets with the 40 in side down or 26 with the 48 in side down. Two-high stacking can double either count if product and height allow.
Those are floor-position counts, not a promise. Overhang, gaps, load bars, axle limits, and odd pallet sizes reduce the real number.
| Trailer | Usable L × W × H | Floor area | Cube | Pallets, 40 in down | Pallets, 48 in down | 2-high (40 in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 636 × 100 × 110 in | 442 ft² | 4,049 ft³ | 30 | 26 | 60 |
| 48 ft dry van | 576 × 100 × 110 in | 400 ft² | 3,667 ft³ | 28 | 24 | 56 |
| 28 ft pup trailer | 336 × 100 × 110 in | 233 ft² | 2,139 ft³ | 16 | 14 | 32 |
GMA pallet capacity at two across, no gaps, and 48 in high. Two-high doubles the 40 in down count and assumes 96 in of stack height fits under the usable trailer height. Real counts fall with overhang, gaps, and weight limits.
Rating rules
What is the 10 linear foot rule for freight?
The “10 linear foot rule” is industry shorthand, not a universal tariff. Some LTL carriers apply a linear-foot rate basis, minimum, or capacity threshold around 10 to 12 feet of floor. Other tariffs start at 15, 18, or 21 feet, or use cubic capacity or weight instead.
Six 48 × 40 × 48 in GMA pallets show how easily a load crosses the line. Two across, they need three rows: 10 ft with the 40 in side down, 12 ft with the 48 in side down. Stacked two high, 6.67 ft — if the product can bear the load.
Use this LTL linear foot rule calculator to measure your floor length, then confirm the threshold in your carrier’s rules tariff or quote.
Six pallets · 40 in down
10 ft
Three rows of two — exactly 10 ft.
Six pallets · 48 in down
12 ft
Eight inches deeper per row — over 10 ft.
Six pallets · 2-high
6.67 ft
Three positions in two rows.
Mode
When does LTL turn into volume freight?
There is no single switch from LTL to volume freight. As a planning guide, LTL usually ends around six pallets, 8–12 linear feet, or 5,000 lb. Volume and partial shipments commonly run to roughly 24 pallets or 32 linear feet. Full truckload becomes sensible around 24–28 linear feet or 30,000 lb in a 53 ft van.
The ranges overlap because density, cube, transit time, and carrier network matter as much as floor space. A dense six-pallet load may still be LTL; a light 20-pallet load may cube out a trailer.
| Mode | Typical planning trigger | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| LTL | Under roughly 6 pallets, 12 linear feet, or 5,000 lb | Shared trailer, terminal handling, and accessorials still apply. |
| Volume / partial | About 6–24 pallets or 12–32 linear feet | Dedicated trailer space or a partial; pricing shifts toward space. |
| Full truckload | About 24–28+ linear feet or 30,000+ lb | Whole trailer; cube, weight, and route planning take over. |
Planning ranges only. Carrier tariffs, service commitments, and negotiated contracts set the actual mode and price.
Worked example
Ten GMA pallets, three answers
The canonical example is ten 48 × 40 × 48 in GMA pallets at 500 lb each in a 53 ft dry van. Both rotations fit two across, so orientation changes only row depth. Stacking two high halves the floor positions but leaves 5,000 lb and 533.33 ft³ unchanged.
That is why a linear footage calculator should compare orientations instead of assuming the longest side runs down the trailer.
Read the full linear feet walkthrough for mixed loads and the lb/LF check.
| Load | Down | Across | Rows | Floor | lb/LF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 in side down | 48 in | 2 | 5 | 20 ft | 250 |
| 40 in side down auto | 40 in | 2 | 5 | 16.67 ft | 300 |
| 40 in side down, 2-high | 40 in | 2 | 3 | 10 ft | 500 |
Same 5,000 lb load and 533.33 ft³ of cube. Stacking changes floor use, not cube. lb/LF rises when the same weight fits in fewer feet.
Before you book
Five checks that change linear feet
Most errors come from measuring the pallet instead of the shipment. Check these before the quote:
Measure as tendered
Include the pallet deck, overhang, top caps, and wrap. A larger footprint can change the across count.
Compare both orientations
Test both orientations. The shorter row depth wins only if the across count holds.
Check stackability and height
Product strength and usable height decide. A stack that does not fit saves nothing.
Account for lost floor
Add row gaps, load bars, blocked nose space, and unusable floor. They count as linear feet too.
Match the rating basis
Confirm whether the carrier rates on linear feet, cubic capacity, or weight. Thresholds are not universal.
Secondary output
Linear feet is not freight class
Linear feet answers “how much trailer floor?”. Freight class answers “what rating basis?”. Density and class use total weight and cube, not linear feet, so a two-high stack can cut linear feet while leaving density unchanged.
For the rating side, use the freight class calculator or the 2025 class chart.
The ten-pallet example
Density
9.38 lb/ft³
2025 class
Class 100
Weight per LF
300 lb/LF
Class is rating context; linear feet is the floor plan. Neither replaces the carrier’s tariff or NMFC item.
What is linear footage in freight?
Linear footage is the length of trailer floor a shipment occupies from nose to doors. Units that fit across share a row, so it is not the sum of every pallet.
How do I calculate linear feet of a shipment?
Divide usable trailer width by the side running across to count units per row. Divide floor positions by that count, round up to rows, multiply by row depth, add gaps, then divide inches by 12.
How many pallets fit in a 53 foot trailer?
About 30 GMA pallets with the 40 in side down or 26 with the 48 in side down, two across and no gaps. Two-high stacking can double that if height allows.
What is the 10 linear foot rule for freight?
A common shorthand for a linear-foot rate basis, minimum, or capacity threshold around 10 feet of floor. Other tariffs use 12, 15, or 21 feet, or cubic capacity. Confirm your carrier’s rule.
When does LTL turn into volume freight?
Planning ranges overlap. LTL often ends around six pallets, 8–12 linear feet, or 5,000 lb. Volume or partial pricing commonly starts there and runs to about 24 pallets or 32 linear feet.
Is linear footage the same as cubic feet?
No. Linear footage measures floor length; cubic feet measures volume. Stacking can halve linear feet while leaving cube unchanged, so a load can fit the floor and still exceed trailer cube.
Does stacking reduce linear feet?
Yes, when the product can bear the load and the stack fits under the trailer’s usable height. Ten GMA pallets drop from 16.67 ft flat to 10 ft two-high.
How many linear feet is a 53 ft trailer?
About 53 linear feet, or 636 inches of typical usable floor length. Width and height are commonly planned at 100 and 110 inches, but they vary with the trailer and equipment.
Why does orientation change linear feet?
A 48 × 40 in pallet can run 48 in or 40 in down the trailer. In a 100 in wide trailer both fit two across, so the 40 in side down uses less floor.
Conversions
Linear footage conversion FAQ
Quick answers to common linear footage and linear feet conversions. For a shipment total, use the linear footage calculator above.
How to calculate linear feet for freight?
Measure the side of each handling unit that runs front to back. Count how many fit across the usable trailer width, divide the floor positions by that count, and round up to whole rows. Multiply rows by row depth, add gaps, and divide inches by 12. The calculator does this row packing for each line.
How do I calculate linear footage?
Linear footage is length measured in feet along the trailer floor. For one item, divide its length in inches by 12. For a shipment, do not add every unit end to end; units that fit across share a row, so count rows and row depth instead.
How many linear feet is a 48 inch pallet?
A 48-inch side is 4 linear feet. A standard 48 × 40 in GMA pallet is 4 ft along the 48 in side and 3.33 ft along the 40 in side. In a trailer, the floor length also depends on which side runs front to back and how many fit across.
Is 10 linear feet the same as 10 ft?
Yes. Ten linear feet is 10 feet measured along a line. In freight, “linear” makes clear the measurement is trailer floor length, not square feet or cubic feet.
What is 12 ft in linear feet?
Twelve feet is 12 linear feet. Linear feet and feet are the same unit when measuring length along the trailer floor.
What is 20 feet in linear feet?
Twenty feet is 20 linear feet. The number only changes when you convert from inches (divide by 12) or another unit.
How many linear feet is 1 ft?
One foot is 1 linear foot. Linear footage is simply length measured in feet.
How many linear feet is a 12x12?
Linear feet is one-dimensional, so a 12 × 12 measurement needs context. A 12 × 12 ft floor area is 144 square feet: one side is 12 linear feet and the perimeter is 48 linear feet. A 12 × 12 inch item is 1 linear foot per side. For freight, use the side that runs front to back.
Related
Keep checking the load
LTL rating
Freight class calculator
Density, 2025 class, and the next cheaper tier.
Parcel
Dimensional weight calculator
UPS, FedEx, and USPS billable weight.
Reference
2025 freight class chart
All 13 density tiers and the commodity-only classes.
Guide
How to calculate linear feet
Row packing, orientation, stacking, and the lb/LF check.
FreightClassHub editorial team · Updated
Trailer dimensions are planning values, not manufacturer specifications. The density scale comes from the NMFTA 2025 NMFC changes. Linear-foot and capacity rules come from individual carrier tariffs; triggers vary by carrier and contract. FreightClassHub is independent and not affiliated with the NMFTA or any carrier.