Freight
53 foot trailer: pallets and length rules
Independent site, not a government agency or a customs broker. General information, not legal advice or customs advice.
Enter your carrier’s inside length and width: the pallet count for that trailer, with a federal rule to keep in mind.
Pallets in a trailer
Pallets, simple pattern
30
| Per level | 30 |
| Lengthwise | 26 |
| Crosswise | 30 |
The inside size is an example to replace: no federal rule fixes it, so ask the carrier.
The rule we read sets no inside size for a 53-foot trailer, and we state none as a fact. 23 CFR 658.13 says that states may not limit a semitrailer in a truck tractor-semitrailer combination to less than 48 feet on the National Network, or 28 feet for each trailer in a twin set, with grandfathered lengths for some states. Above that federal floor, length depends on state rules, which we did not read, so a route can matter. Read on November 2, 2026. Our tool leaves the inside length and width to you, because they depend on the equipment. The figures already in the fields are an example to replace. From those, the tool counts whole pallets per level, both ways round, and multiplies by the levels you enter.
Freight density
Density
9.4 lb/ft³
| Volume | 53.3 ft³ |
Density only. The class itself comes from the NMFC, a licensed publication we could not read: ask your carrier for the class.
Rates read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
What the rule covers
| Item in 23 CFR 658.13 | What it says, in short |
|---|---|
| Single semitrailer, truck tractor combination | States may not set a limit below 48 feet |
| Each trailer in a twin set | States may not set a limit below 28 feet |
| Longer trailers | Depends on state law, and grandfathered lengths |
| Inside size | Not set |
Why the figures in the fields are only examples
We could not read a federal or other official source that gives an inside size for a 53-foot trailer, and carriers’ pages refused our reader. So the numbers in the fields are placeholders for arithmetic, and a carrier’s real figure replaces them. A difference of two inches in width can change how a pallet row fits, so do use the real figure.