How Many GMA Pallets Fit in a 53ft Trailer?
A 53ft trailer takes 30 GMA pallets on the floor in a single layer when they are loaded turned, short side down the length, or 26 loaded longways. Counts come from the 16002 x 2591 mm usable interior with no overhang and no stacking.
By pallet type
Other pallets in a 53ft trailer
GMA 1219 x 1016 pallets in other containers
The short answer
30 GMA pallets loaded turned (15 down by 2 across, short side down the length), or 26 loaded longways (13 by 2). Single tier, no overhang.
This is the classic 26 or 30 question. Loaded straight with the 48 in side down the trailer you get 13 rows of two, 26 pallets. Turn every pallet so the 40 in side runs down the trailer and 15 rows of two fit, 30 pallets, with 6 in spare across the 102 in width.
Internal dimensions used
- 53 ft Dry Van Trailer: 16002 x 2591 x 2794 mm usable interior (630 x 102 x 110 in), 20,000 kg payload.
- GMA pallet (North American 48 x 40 in): 1219 x 1016 mm footprint (48 x 40 in), 143 mm deck, 1,270 kg dynamic rating.
Usable figures sit a little under nominal to allow for corrugation, posts and the door frame; the count is a plain grid with no overhang.
Long side or short side down the trailer
Longways (1219 mm side down the length): 13 down x 2 across = 26 pallets, 155 mm spare at the doors and 559 mm across. Floor used 77.7%.
Turned (1016 mm side down the length): 15 down x 2 across = 30 pallets, 762 mm spare at the doors and 153 mm across. Floor used 89.6%.
Mixing lanes does not help here: one lane of each orientation totals 28 pallets and uses only 2235 mm of the width, so 30 loaded turned is the best floor.
What changes with double stacking
Two tiers need every loaded pallet, deck included, at or under 1397 mm in the 2794 mm interior: goods no higher than 1254 mm on a 143 mm deck. The 1524 mm load preset here (1667 mm with the deck) is one tier only. Under 1254 mm the floor count doubles to 60, if the bottom tier can carry the top.
Weight usually bites first. At the full 1,270 kg pallet rating the 20,000 kg payload caps the load at 15 pallets, before the floor is even full. Real loads run lighter, but add the total up before planning a second tier.
The same GMA pallet in the other three
| Container | Interior L x W (mm) | Longways | Turned | Best floor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Container | 5898 x 2352 | 8 | 5 | 9 mixed |
| 40ft Container | 12032 x 2352 | 18 | 11 | 20 mixed |
| 40ft High Cube | 12032 x 2352 | 18 | 11 | 20 mixed |
| 53ft Trailer (this page) | 16002 x 2591 | 26 | 30 | 30 turned |
Check it with the calculators
The calculator above is preset to this pallet and trailer; change the load height or add a pallet weight to see tiers and payload. For other pallet sizes in the same trailer, use 53ft trailer load calculator or the truck load calculator; for any pairing, the pallets per container calculator. To plan the pallet itself, see the GMA pallet calculator.