Any company that ships large amounts of product needs to be intimately familiar with calculating the number of shipping pallets that will fit in a truckload. This information is critical for ensuring efficient and cost-effective shipping operations. But where to start?
A few key factors come into play when making these calculations, which we’ll discuss more in this blog post. But it all comes down to knowing your pallets, knowing your trucks, and knowing the fundamentals of load optimization. Armed with this information, you’ll be able to confidently estimate the optimal number of pallets to include in your next Service Express full truckload shipment!
Know Your Pallets
Especially if you’re shipping large or heavy items, you may be curious about how many shipping pallets can fit into a full truckload. The first point to consider is that pallets come in various shapes and sizes and are classified by their size, the material they’re made of, and other metrics. Either way, there are a few main types of pallets common across a variety of industries. Each one serves a specific purpose, and since they are critical to getting your products where they need to go efficiently, you want to be sure you’re using the most suitable option.
As we’ll see in the following section, pallet size matters because the trucks used to transport them have finite interior dimensions. Once they’re topped off, that’s it. The other limiting factor to take into consideration is weight. At least in the United States, truckloads are generally capped at a weight of 45,000 pounds, so the weight of your products also plays a role in determining how many pallets the truck in question can accommodate.
Crunching these numbers can seem daunting, given the number of variables involved. Fortunately, experienced shipping professionals, like those at Service Express, have the knowledge to assist with calculating the appropriate number of pallets to fill a full truckload for your upcoming haul.
Know Your Trucks
Once you or your shipping partner has determined the optimal pallet type, the next step is deciding which kind of truck and trailer is best equipped to safely and securely move your freight.
The kind of truck selected will have unique characteristics that must be accounted for, from internal dimensions to weight limitations. One of the most important of these, when determining how many pallets will fit in a full truckload, is the interior dimensions of the truck’s trailer.
A trailer’s length generally ranges from 40 to 53 feet, but most trailers used for general freight are around 48 feet long. The width of a trailer is usually about 8.5 feet wide, with a height of approximately 13 feet. As can be seen, each selection adds additional complexity to what at first appeared to be a reasonably straightforward question. In situations like these, it pays to have the backing of seasoned shipping professionals with the experience and know-how needed to put all the right pieces together.
These Pallets Aren’t Going To Stack Themselves…
The average full truckload can accommodate between 40 and 50 pallets, depending on the specific dimensions of the truck. But to reach that number, there will be some stacking involved.
How many pallets can be stacked on each other? The answer will depend primarily on the interior height of the trailer and the weight limit that each pallet can safely bear.
Service Express: Your Full Truckload Pallet Professionals
So, what did we learn? We talked about trucks and pallets and touched briefly on stacking considerations. Still, the most critical takeaway is to make sure you have a knowledgeable and experienced shipping partner in your business’s corner.
There’s no one more qualified than Service Express when it comes to full truckload freight. Contact us today to request a quote and find out all the benefits Service Express can add to your current shipping process.
