Calculate how many linear feet your LTL freight needs from pallet count, size, and stackability, and check whether it triggers the linear foot rule.
LTL Linear Feet Formula
Linear feet measure how much trailer floor length your freight uses. Standard pallets load two across a dry van, so the calculator counts rows of pallets and multiplies by the length of the side that runs down the trailer:
LF = ceil(P / R) * L / 12
Pallets that fit across the trailer come from the trailer width and the shorter pallet side:
R = floor(W / S)
When you know the space and want to fill it, the calculator turns the formula around to return a pallet count:
P = floor(LF * 12 / L) * R * H
Variables:
- LF is the linear feet of trailer floor the shipment occupies
- P is the number of pallets in the shipment
- R is how many pallets fit side by side in one row
- L is the pallet length loaded down the trailer, in inches (the longer side)
- S is the shorter pallet side that sits across the trailer, in inches
- W is the inside width of the trailer, in inches (about 102 for a dry van)
- H is the stack height, meaning how many pallets are stacked on top of each other
- 12 converts inches of trailer length into feet
For a standard 48 by 40 inch GMA pallet, two fit across a 102 inch trailer and the 48 inch side runs down the trailer, so every pair of pallets adds 4 linear feet. Pick “Linear feet my pallets need” to go from a pallet count to trailer feet, or “Pallets that fit in a space” to go the other way. The stackable setting divides the floor count by your stack height, since a double stacked shipment covers half the floor. Marking freight as stackable when it is not is a common cause of carrier reweigh and rebilling, so only use it when the top pallet can safely bear load.
Once the shipment reaches the carrier’s linear foot threshold, usually 10 feet, many carriers apply the linear foot rule and bill a deemed weight instead of the real weight:
Deemed Weight = LF * 1000
You are then charged on the greater of your actual weight or the deemed weight, which is why light but bulky freight gets expensive fast.
Linear Feet and the Linear Foot Rule by the Numbers
This first table shows the linear feet for common pallet counts using 48 by 40 inch pallets, two across, both single stacked and double stacked. Round up to the next whole foot, because carriers bill in whole linear feet.
| Pallets | Rows (2 across) | Single stack | Double stacked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 4 ft | 4 ft |
| 4 | 2 | 8 ft | 4 ft |
| 6 | 3 | 12 ft | 8 ft |
| 8 | 4 | 16 ft | 8 ft |
| 10 | 5 | 20 ft | 12 ft |
| 12 | 6 | 24 ft | 12 ft |
| 14 | 7 | 28 ft | 16 ft |
The second table is the part most linear feet tools leave out: what the linear foot rule actually bills. Deemed weight is the linear feet times 1,000 pounds. Your freight is billed on this figure whenever it is heavier than your real weight, so use it to judge whether a shipment has outgrown standard LTL and should move as volume LTL or partial truckload.
| Linear feet occupied | Deemed weight (1,000 lb/ft) | Share of a 53 ft trailer |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft | 10,000 lb | 19% |
| 12 ft | 12,000 lb | 23% |
| 16 ft | 16,000 lb | 30% |
| 20 ft | 20,000 lb | 38% |
| 24 ft | 24,000 lb | 45% |
| 28 ft | 28,000 lb | 53% |
Example Problems
Example 1: Find the linear feet for a pallet shipment.
You have 10 non stackable 48 by 40 inch pallets. Two fit across, so you have 10 divided by 2, or 5 rows. Each row is 48 inches deep, giving 5 times 48, or 240 inches. Divide by 12 to get 20 linear feet. Because 20 feet is past the 10 foot threshold, the carrier can bill a deemed weight of 20 times 1,000, or 20,000 pounds, even if the freight weighs less.
Example 2: Find how many pallets fit a set space.
A broker offers you 24 linear feet of partial truckload space. That is 24 times 12, or 288 inches of trailer length. Each 48 inch row uses 288 divided by 48, or 6 rows, and each row holds 2 pallets, so 12 pallets fit on the floor. If the freight double stacks, the same 24 feet holds 24 pallets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate linear feet for LTL freight?
Count your pallets, divide by how many fit across the trailer (two for standard 48 by 40 inch pallets), and round up to a whole number of rows. Multiply the rows by the pallet length that runs down the trailer, usually 48 inches, then divide by 12 to convert to feet. Ten pallets give five rows, which is 240 inches, or 20 linear feet. If the freight can be safely stacked, divide the floor pallet count by the stack height first.
What is the linear foot rule and when does it apply?
The linear foot rule lets a carrier bill a large shipment on the space it blocks rather than its actual weight. Most carriers trigger it when freight occupies about 10 or more linear feet, or roughly five single stacked pallets, and then charge a deemed weight of 1,000 pounds for every linear foot. A shipment taking 15 feet would be billed as 15,000 pounds. You pay the greater of your real weight or the deemed weight, so bulky, lightweight freight is the most exposed to it.
How many pallets fit in a 53 foot trailer?
A 53 foot trailer holds 26 standard 48 by 40 inch pallets loaded flat and straight, two across in 13 rows. Turning pallets in a pinwheel pattern can raise that to about 28 to 30, and double stacking can bring the total to 52 if the load and the freight allow it. The linear feet calculator’s pallet mode returns the flat, two across figure so your estimate matches how most carriers plan and bill the space.
