How many pallets fit in a 53-foot trailer?

A 53-foot dry van holds 26 standard 48x40 pallets loaded two across in thirteen rows, or up to 52 if they can be double-stacked. Weight can cap it first: payload tops out around 44,000-45,000 lb.

How many pallets fit in a 20-foot container?

A 20-foot ocean container holds about 10-11 standard 48x40 GMA pallets on the floor, or about 11 Euro pallets (1200x800 mm). A 40-foot container holds about 20-21 GMA pallets or 23-24 Euro pallets.

How many pallets fit in a 48-foot trailer?

A 48-foot trailer holds about 24 standard 48x40 pallets on the floor (twelve rows, two across), or up to 48 double-stacked.

How many pallets fit on a truck double-stacked?

Double-stacking doubles the floor count when the product and door height allow it: about 52 in a 53-foot van and 48 in a 48-foot trailer. It requires sturdy, flat-topped pallets and product that won't crush under a second pallet.

How Many Pallets Fit in a Truck or Container?

A 53′ dry van holds 26 standard 48×40 pallets on the floor — two across, thirteen rows — or up to 52 double-stacked. A 48′ trailer holds 24. A 20′ ocean container takes 10–11, a 40′ takes 20–21. Those are floor counts for GMA pallets loaded straight; turning them or using Euro pallets changes the math. Here’s how each number is derived — with the free calculator one click away.

Trucks: the 53-foot van

A 53′ dry van floor is about 636 in long × 98 in wide. Standard 48×40 pallets go two across (40 in + 40 in = 80 in, inside the 98 in width) with the 48 in dimension running lengthwise: 636 ÷ 48 = 13 rows × 2 = 26 pallets. If the product can bear a second pallet on top, that doubles to 52. Turn the pallets (48 in across) and you fit differently — but 26 is the workhorse number.

Two across, thirteen deep. Almost every 53' floor plan starts from 26 and adjusts.

Other trailers

A 48′ trailer (576 in) gives 12 rows → 24 pallets. A 28′ pup (336 in) gives 7 rows → 14. A 26′ box truck holds about 12. Double-stacking doubles any of these when the freight and the door height allow it — usually needing sturdy, flat-topped pallets and product that won’t crush.

Ocean containers

A 20′ container’s interior is ~232 in long × 92 in wide, fitting about 10–11 GMA pallets on the floor. A 40′ (~474 in) fits about 20–21; a 40′ high-cube the same floor count but more stack height. Euro pallets (1200×800 mm) fit tighter — about 11 in a 20′ and 23–24 in a 40′. The Container Load tool does the fit.

Why the real number varies

These are clean floor counts. In practice, pallet overhang, non-standard sizes, load bars, bracing, and whether you can double-stack all move the number. Weight can cap it too — a 53′ van tops out near 44,000–45,000 lb of payload, so 26 heavy pallets may hit the weight limit before the floor fills. See the pallet calculator guide for how pallet build feeds truckload fit.