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LTL linear feet calculator: trailer space by pallet count, orientation and stacking
Enter pallet dimensions, count, weight and whether they stack, and see the linear feet of trailer the shipment occupies, drawn to scale, in both orientations, and tested against the linear-foot threshold you choose.
Source: Trailer interiors as published by equipment makers; FedEx Freight 100-Y and ODFL 100-Q rules tariffs · FedEx Freight 100-Y effective January 5, 2026 with revisions to October 1, 2026; ODFL 100-Q effective October 5, 2026 · Free, no signup
| Orientation | Pallets across | Rows | Linear feet | Floor loaded | Share of trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 in side along the trailer, 40 in across | 2 | 3 | 12.0 ft | 12.0 ft | 45% |
| 40 in side along the trailer, 48 in acrossbest | 2 | 3 | 10.0 ft | 10.0 ft | 38% |
Floor loaded, this shipment takes 10.0 linear feet, 2.0 ft under the 12 ft threshold you set. Thresholds are the carrier’s to set and they differ. Two published examples: FedEx Freight (FXF 100-Y, items 613 and 614, Cubic Capacity and Density): A shipment over 750 cubic feet with an average density under 4 lb per cubic foot is rated at 6 lb per cubic foot at class 150, with a 50% discount or the customer’s own, whichever is greater. Pallets that cannot be stacked are cubed at a minimum height of 84 in. Unitized shipments over 14 linear feet have their cube taken from the linear dimensions of the whole shipment, and linear feet are measured as floor loaded regardless of whether the freight could be stacked. Old Dominion (ODFL 100-Q, item 390, Capacity Load): Freight that uses 20 linear feet or more of a pup trailer, regardless of weight, or weighs 20,000 lb or more, is a capacity load and rated at the capacity-load minimum charge per mile. Your agreement may name a different figure, and many do; the number that matters is the one in your rules tariff or contract. Trailer dimensions are typical interiors and vary by an inch or two between units.
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Send your LTL invoices and rules tariff. We will find the shipments rated under linear-foot, cubic capacity or capacity-load rules, check each against the published criteria, and show what a different pallet pattern or carrier would have cost.
How do I calculate linear feet for LTL freight?
Linear feet is the length of trailer floor an LTL shipment occupies. To calculate it, divide the trailer’s interior width, about 99 inches, by the pallet dimension that runs across the trailer to get pallets per row, divide the pallet count by that to get rows, and multiply rows by the pallet dimension that runs along the trailer, in inches, then divide by 12. Six 48 by 40 inch pallets loaded two across take three rows: 10 linear feet with the 40 inch side along the trailer, 12 feet turned the other way. Carriers measure linear feet floor loaded, as if nothing were stacked, and each sets its own threshold for when a shipment stops being rated as ordinary LTL: FedEx Freight cubes unitized freight over 14 linear feet on its linear dimensions and applies a cubic capacity minimum over 750 cubic feet under 4 lb per cubic foot; Old Dominion treats 20 linear feet of a pup as a capacity load.
Worked example
Six 48 by 40 by 48 inch pallets at 1,000 lb each, not stackable, in a 28 ft pup 99 inches wide: two pallets fit across either way, so there are three rows. With the 40 inch side along the trailer the shipment takes 120 inches, 10 linear feet, 38% of the pup. Turned so the 48 inch side runs along the trailer it takes 144 inches, 12 feet. Turning the pallets saves 2 linear feet, which against a 12 ft threshold is the difference between an LTL rating and a linear-foot rating. The shipment is 320 cubic feet at 18.8 lb per cubic foot; cubed at the 84 inch minimum height FedEx Freight applies to unstackable freight it is 560 cubic feet at 10.7 lb per cubic foot.
Published rates, not your agreement
The layout assumes rectangular pallets loaded in straight rows, two high at most when stackable, in a trailer of typical interior width; real loading, pinwheeling, and freight from other shippers in the same trailer change what a carrier actually uses. The threshold is yours to set because the carriers’ rules differ and contracts often change them. The two rules quoted are examples, not a survey of every carrier, and the tool does not price the resulting charge.
Source: Trailer interiors as published by equipment makers; FedEx Freight 100-Y and ODFL 100-Q rules tariffs. FedEx Freight 100-Y effective January 5, 2026 with revisions to October 1, 2026; ODFL 100-Q effective October 5, 2026.
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