How to optimally load a trailer and container

A well-planned load means fewer trips, a lower transport cost per unit, and safer goods. In this guide we show how many pallets fit in a trailer and a container, how to distribute the weight across the axles, and how to eliminate empty space.

How many pallets fit in a standard trailer?

A typical curtain-side trailer has a load space of about 13.6 m long × 2.45 m wide. That allows you to position:

If the height and weight of the goods allow double-stacking, the number of pallet spaces doubles - that's the simplest way to increase trailer utilization.

How many pallets fit in a container?

The container's bottleneck is its 2.35 m width - two EUR pallets placed lengthwise (2 × 800 mm) leave a free strip that is worth filling with loose parcels.

Weight distribution across the axles

The number of pallets isn't everything - where you place the heavier goods matters too:

• Heavier pallets closer to the center and over the axles, lighter ones at the ends.
• Avoid concentrating mass on one side - it risks exceeding the axle load.
• In a container, distribute the weight evenly along the entire length to avoid overloading one end.

How to avoid empty space

• Mix sizes wisely - larger and heavier items on the bottom, smaller ones fill the gaps and the upper layers.
• Use the leftover strip along the width - loose parcels instead of air.
• Plan double-stacking wherever the goods and the height allow it.
• Calculate first, then load - a 3D simulation reveals empty spaces before they show up at the loading dock.