Linear Feet Freight Calculator
Calculate how many linear feet of trailer your pallets take up, loaded straight or turned, single or double stacked, and the share of a 53-ft trailer used.
Linear feet is the length of trailer floor a shipment takes up, measured from the nose of the trailer toward the doors. LTL carriers use it to price large or non-stackable shipments and to decide when freight should move as a volume or full truckload shipment. This calculator works out the linear feet for your pallets, how many fit side by side, and how much of the trailer is used.
How to use this tool
- Enter the number of pallets and their length and width in inches.
- Choose whether the pallets can be stacked two or three high.
- Pick the loading direction: straight, turned, or whichever uses less floor.
- Check the trailer’s inside width and its length.
Formula
Floor positions = pallets ÷ stack height, rounded up
Rows = floor positions ÷ pallets per row, rounded up
Linear feet = rows × pallet length along the trailer (in) ÷ 12
Pallets per row is how many fit across the trailer’s inside width. A part-filled last row still blocks that length of floor, so it counts in full.
Example
Six 48 × 40 in pallets that cannot be stacked, loaded straight (48-in side along the trailer): two fit across a 100-in-wide trailer, so they make 3 rows × 48 in = 144 in = 12 linear feet, about 23% of a 53-ft trailer. Turned so the 48-in side runs across, each row is only 40 in long and the same pallets take 10 linear feet. At the entered clear inside dimensions, 26 straight-loaded or 30 turned pallets fit geometrically. Door clearance, loading access, cargo height and weight are separate checks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate linear feet for pallets?
Divide the pallet count by the number that fit side by side (usually 2), round up, multiply by the pallet length in inches and divide by 12. Two standard 48 × 40 pallets loaded straight take 4 linear feet.
When does a carrier charge by linear feet?
The threshold and charge depend on the carrier’s linear-foot, cubic-capacity or minimum-charge tariff. This geometric result does not establish the billable charge; check your actual agreement before booking.
Does stacking reduce linear feet?
Yes. Double stacking halves the floor positions, so the linear feet roughly halve too — but only if the freight can bear the weight and the carrier accepts stacked pallets.
Should I load straight or turned?
Turned loading fits more 48 × 40 pallets but needs pallets that a forklift can pick up from the long side, and it can slow loading and unloading. Many shippers load straight unless floor space is tight.
Last updated: 2026-10-30