Truckload Calculator — FTL Qualification Check
Determine if your shipment qualifies for full truckload pricing or should move LTL. Check weight, pallet count and volume against standard 53-ft trailer limits.
Quick answer: A 53-ft dry van: 45,000 lbs payload, 26 pallet positions, 2,385 ft³. If you hit 80%+ on any constraint, get an FTL quote — it may be cheaper than LTL.
🚛 Truckload Calculator
Optional
Recommendation
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Weight Utilisation
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Pallet Utilisation
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How to Use This Calculator
- Enter shipment weight — total pounds including pallets and packaging.
- Enter pallet count — total pallets in the shipment.
- Review utilisation — any metric above 80% is a signal to get an FTL quote alongside your LTL rate.
Worked Example
A shipper has 22 pallets weighing 32,000 lbs for a 53-ft trailer.
- Weight util: 32,000 ÷ 45,000 = 71.1%
- Pallet util: 22 ÷ 26 = 84.6%
- Decision: Pallet count is at 84.6% — definitely get an FTL quote
Frequently Asked Questions
A standard 53-ft dry van trailer has a payload capacity of approximately 44,000–47,000 lbs depending on the trailer tare weight and the truck's GVW rating. Most practical loads cap at 45,000 lbs to allow for tare weight variation.
26 standard 48×40 inch pallets in a single layer. If pallets can be double-stacked, up to 52. Turning pallets sideways can sometimes fit 28–30.