Logistics 101

If you want to post a freight offer on our freight exchange, it is important to know exactly how much space your goods will take up in the truck in order to better calculate transport costs. 

Don’t have any experience calculating loading metres? Don’t worry, we’ll explain how to do it step by step here.

What are loading metres?

Loading metres indicate how much space your freight requires on the loading area of a truck. You can also find more information on this in our Transport Lexicon.

Here’s how to calculate loading metres:

Calculating loading metres is easy if you know the dimensions of your packages. 

The formula is: length (in metres) x width (in metres) / 2.4 m

The figure ‘2.4 m’ here represents the standard width of a typical articulated truck (40 tonnes). 

We can illustrate this with the example of a Euro pallet (EPAL):

The European logistics industry widely uses Euro pallets (EPAL) measuring 1.20 m x 0.80 m. In plant and mechanical engineering, on the other hand, so-called industrial pallets are frequently used. These have slightly larger dimensions of 1.20 m x 1.00 m.

If we apply the above formula to the EPAL Euro pallet, we get the following formula:

1.20 m (length) x 0.80 m (width) / 2.4 m = 0.4 loading metres

This means that a Euro pallet requires 0.4 loading metres on the loading area of a truck. You then only need the number of pallets to be transported and this will give you the final loading metres. 

Peculiarities and special cases

Note: the calculation method for loading metres applies primarily to standardised packages that are transported on pallets. Of course, there are also cage pallets, roll containers or similar, where this formula cannot be used.

If, for example, you are transporting bulky or non-standardised goods, such as machines, pipes, components or similar, the above formula cannot be used. In these cases, we recommend that you determine the longest side of your goods. This allows for more precise planning and ensures that the available space in the truck is used optimally.

The number of pallets that fit into a truck depends on two main factors:

1. Vehicle type: the size and loading area of a truck vary depending on the model.

2. Pallet type: Euro pallets and industrial pallets have different dimensions.

As a general rule, 33 Euro pallets fit into a 40-tonne articulated truck, arranged in three rows of 11 pallets each. If your pallets are stackable, you can fit even more freight in.