How loading metres are calculated
A truck's load floor is 2.4 m wide. A loading metre is one metre of floor length across that full width, 2.4 m² of floor space. Goods take up loading metres in proportion to their footprint:
LDM = L (m) · W (m) ÷ 2.4 · number of pallets ÷ stacking factor
Chargeable weight = max(gross weight, LDM · kg per ldm)
Worked example
20 Euro pallets, not stackable, weigh 400 kg each. Each pallet takes 1.2 × 0.8 ÷ 2.4 = 0.4 ldm, so the load needs 8.0 ldm, 59 % of a 13.6 m trailer. With a factor of 1,850 kg per ldm, the haulier charges for 14,800 kg although the load only weighs 8,000 kg. If the pallets could be stacked two high, the load would take 4.0 ldm and be charged at 8,000 kg.
Loading metres per pallet
| Pallet | Size | LDM each | Per 13.6 m trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euro pallet (EPAL) | 120 × 80 cm | 0.40 | 33 |
| Industrial pallet | 120 × 100 cm | 0.50 | 26 |
| Half pallet | 80 × 60 cm | 0.20 | 66 |
| US pallet | 48 × 40 in (122 × 102 cm) | 0.52 | 24 – 26 |
The trailer column is the practical number on a standard 13.6 m × 2.48 m semi-trailer; the calculator shows the mathematical maximum, which is slightly higher.
Common trailer sizes
- Semi-trailer: 13.6 ldm, about 24 t payload
- Swap body: 7.45 or 7.82 ldm
- 7.5 t truck: about 6 ldm, 2.5 to 3 t payload
- Mega trailer: 13.6 ldm with 3 m inside height for voluminous goods