Road equipment
The 53 ft dry van is the standard long-haul trailer in North America. It is closed, loads through the rear doors and is longer than a European 13.6 m trailer.
A 53 ft dry van trailer measures 16.00 × 2.49 × 2.77 m inside (52 ft 6 in × 8 ft 2 in × 9 ft 1 in), carries up to 20,000 kg and holds 40 Euro pallets in one layer.
vs 13.6 m curtainsider trailer: −6.9 cm height, −2.38 m length, −19.1 m³ volume, +4,000 kg payload. Open the comparison unit
Inside, a 53 ft dry van trailer is 16.00 m long, 2.49 m wide and 2.77 m high. The rear door opening is 2.44 m wide and 2.64 m high.
| 53 ft dry van trailer | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Inner length | 16,002 mm | 52 ft 6 in |
| Inner width | 2,489 mm | 8 ft 2 in |
| Inner height | 2,769 mm | 9 ft 1 in |
| Door width | 2,438 mm | 8 ft 0 in |
| Door height | 2,642 mm | 8 ft 8 in |
| Floor area | 39.8 m² | 429 ft² |
| Volume | 110.3 m³ | 3,895 ft³ |
Empty, a 53 ft dry van trailer weighs 6,600 kg (14,551 lb). Its payload is 20,000 kg (44,092 lb). Builders publish slightly different figures, so check the plate on your own unit. On the road the legal payload also depends on the tractor, the axle loads and local rules.
| 53 ft dry van trailer | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | 20,000 kg | 44,092 lb |
| Empty weight | 6,600 kg | 14,551 lb |
A 53 ft dry van trailer holds 40 Euro pallets in one layer and 50 stacked two high.
| Pallet or carton | One layer | Stacked two high |
|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet 1,200 × 800 mm | 40 | 50payload |
| Industrial pallet 1,200 × 1,000 mm | 32 | 40payload |
| GMA pallet 1,219 × 1,016 mm | 30 | 38payload |
| Carton 600 × 400 × 400 mm | 960Stacked to the roof | |
Counts marked payload stop at the 20,000 kg payload, not at the space.
Assumptions
16.00 × 2.49 × 2.77 m inside (52 ft 6 in × 8 ft 2 in × 9 ft 1 in). The rear door opening is 2.44 × 2.64 m.
40 Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) and 32 industrial pallets (1,200 × 1,000 mm) in one layer. Stacked two high: 50 and 40, at 1.20 m a pallet.
Up to 960 cartons of 600 × 400 × 400 mm at 15 kg each, stacked to the roof.
They are typical values. Builders differ by a few millimetres and kilograms. In Cargo Marshal you can add your own equipment type with your exact numbers and use it in a load plan like a built-in one.
Yes. Pick it in a load plan, add your cargo and press Calculate. Cargo Marshal places every piece, checks the payload and gives the warehouse a loading checklist. The 14-day trial needs no card.
Paste your packing list, press Calculate and see how every piece goes in.