Freight calculators & planning tools

A result near a limit, or a load you have never shipped before, is worth a second look before it books. These details let us check it against the actual trailer and carrier:

• Piece count, plus the length, width, height and weight of each handling unit
• Whether the freight can stack, turn or ride on its side
• How it loads and unloads: dock, forklift, liftgate or crane
• Pickup and delivery access, appointments and hours
• The commodity, so equipment and class can be confirmed

Nothing is booked until you approve the rate.

For standard 48 x 40 pallets on the floor of a 53-foot dry van, the usual figure is 26 loaded straight or 30 turned. Stacking can roughly double that; the individual trailer and the weight limit can lower it. Check your own pallets with the Trailer Capacity Calculator, or read how many pallets fit in a 53-foot trailer.

It is how much of the trailer floor’s length your freight takes up, measured from the front toward the doors. It matters most for freight that cannot be stacked and for partial loads, and LTL carriers can apply their own linear foot rules. Estimate it with the Linear Feet Calculator.

Multiply the greatest length, width and height of the handling unit in inches, multiply by the number of identical units and divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. Then divide the total weight by the cubic feet, or let the Freight Density Calculator do it.

No. The NMFC changes that took effect July 19, 2025 expanded the standard density scale from 11 to 13 subprovisions and moved more than 2,000 items toward density-based classification. The class still comes from the correct NMFC item, and items with handling, stowability or liability concerns may not follow density. Send us the commodity and we’ll confirm it.

Often, yes: in a 53-foot dry van, 26 standard 48 x 40 pallets loaded straight become 30 turned. Check that the pallets can be picked up from the turned side and the freight can travel that way. The truck and pallet loading guide covers the loading patterns.

Start with the Equipment Selector. It suggests a starting point among dry van, reefer, flatbed, box truck and cargo van from what you ship, its weight, temperature needs and loading access. The Equipment Guide covers 20 trailer and truck types. Still not sure? Send us the details.