Home › Guides › Pallet capacity
How many pallets fit in a trailer, truck or container
Pallet count is never one fixed number. It depends on the pallet footprint, whether your load overhangs, and which pattern the dock crew can actually work with at both ends. The figures below are planning baselines, not guarantees.
Last reviewed: August 2026
Pallet capacity by equipment
| Equipment | GMA 48×40 straight | GMA turned or pinwheel | Euro 1200×800 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 26 | 28–30 | ~32 |
| 48 ft dry van | 24 | 26 | ~29 |
| 28 ft pup trailer | 14 | 14–16 | ~17 |
| 26 ft box truck | 12 | 12 | ~14 |
| 24 ft box truck | 10 | 10–12 | ~13 |
| 20 ft box truck | 8 | 8 | ~10 |
| 16 ft box truck | 6 | 6 | ~8 |
| 20 ft container | 10 | 10–11 | 11 |
| 40 ft container | 20 | 20–21 | 23–25 |
| 40 ft high cube | 20 | 20–21 | 23–25 |
| 45 ft high cube | 22 | 23–24 | ~27 |
A high cube container has the same floor as its standard equivalent, so its single-tier pallet count does not change. What it buys you is height, which matters only if you are stacking or if your loaded pallets are tall.
The three patterns and what each costs you
Straight
Every pallet in the same orientation, 40 inch side across the width, two abreast. Two pallets consume 80 inches of a 98 to 100 inch trailer, and each row consumes 48 inches of length. This is the default because it is fast, it is obvious to the crew, and forks approach from a consistent direction.
Turned
Rows rotated so the 48 inch side runs across the width. A single turned pallet takes 48 inches of width and only 40 inches of length, so a turned row is eight inches shorter than a straight one. You cannot fit two turned pallets abreast in a 100 inch trailer, so turned rows are used selectively to close out a trailer rather than as a whole-load pattern.
Pinwheel
Alternating orientations within a group, typically four pallets arranged so two run one way and two the other. It closes the gaps that straight loading leaves and it interlocks the load against shifting. It also takes longer to build, needs a crew that knows the pattern, and needs the receiving dock to be willing to break it down the same way.
Overhang changes the arithmetic immediately
The counts above assume the load sits inside the pallet footprint. Product that overhangs by even two inches per side turns a 48×40 pallet into an effective 52×44, and two of those abreast need 88 inches instead of 80. In a trailer that is survivable. In a container at 92.5 inches internal, it is the difference between fitting and not.
Overhang also invites damage. An unsupported edge is the first thing a forklift catches and the first thing to crush when something is stacked on top.
Standard pallet footprints
| Pallet | Footprint (in) | Footprint (mm) | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMA / North American | 48 × 40 | 1219 × 1016 | US grocery, retail and general freight |
| Euro 1 (EPAL) | 47.2 × 31.5 | 1200 × 800 | European road and rail |
| Euro 2 | 47.2 × 39.4 | 1200 × 1000 | European industrial, closest to GMA |
| Square | 48 × 48 | 1219 × 1219 | Drums and cylindrical goods |
| Automotive | 48 × 45 | 1219 × 1143 | Automotive parts supply |
| Telecom | 42 × 42 | 1067 × 1067 | Telecom equipment |
Box trucks need a pallet jack, not a forklift
Most box truck floors are not rated for a forklift, and a truck without a dock has no way to get one aboard regardless. Loading is done with a pallet jack, which means the pallets must be oriented with the fork pockets facing the rear door. For a standard 48×40 GMA pallet, that means the 48 inch side runs across the truck width.
Plan the orientation before the first pallet goes on. Discovering halfway through a load that the pockets face the wall means unloading everything you have already built.
Get the real count for your pallets
Rather than working from a rule of thumb, enter your actual pallet dimensions, quantities and weights. PCTS runs the placement across every allowed orientation, gives you floor, side, door and 3D views, and prints a loading sequence sorted back to front.
Open the load plannerFrequently asked
How many pallets fit in a 53 foot trailer?
26 standard 48×40 pallets loaded straight, two across in 13 rows. Turned rows or a pinwheel pattern can raise that to 28 or 30 when the interior width and the dock crews both allow it.
How many pallets fit in a 40ft container?
Around 20 to 21 GMA pallets in a single tier, or 23 to 25 Euro pallets. A 40ft high cube holds the same number on the floor since the footprint is identical; the extra height only helps if you stack.
How many pallets fit in a 26ft box truck?
Twelve standard pallets, two across in six rows. Payload usually runs out before floor space does, so check the weight before you plan for a full 12.
Does stacking double my pallet count?
Only if the freight is stackable, the top pallet clears the ceiling, and the combined weight stays inside the payload limit. A 53ft trailer with nine feet of interior height will take two tiers of 48 inch loaded pallets comfortably; a box truck with 96 inches often will not.
Why do published pallet counts disagree with each other?
Because they assume different interior widths, different pallet footprints and different loading patterns, and most do not say which. Treat any single published number as a starting estimate and calculate against your own dimensions.