Industrial & logistics · Reference
A 53 ft dry van is 53 ft × 102 in × 13 ft 6 in outside and ~52 ft 6 in × 99 in × 110 in inside, holding 26–30 pallets; the EU standard is a 13.6 m tautliner at 33 EUR pallets.
A dry-van trailer is specified by exterior Length × Width × Height, but loading is governed by the smaller interior L × W × H and the rear door opening.
| Dry van | Exterior L × W × H | Interior L × W × H | Rear door (W × H) | Std 48×40 pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 53 ft × 102 in × 13 ft 6 in (16.15 × 2.59 × 4.11 m) | 52 ft 6 in × 98.5–100 in × 108–110 in (16.0 × 2.5 × 2.79 m) | 98–100 in × 94–96 in (2.49–2.54 × 2.39–2.44 m) | 26–30 (single layer) |
| 48 ft dry van | 48 ft × 102 in × 13 ft 6 in (14.63 × 2.59 × 4.11 m) | 47 ft 6 in × 98.5–100 in × 108–110 in (14.48 × 2.5 × 2.79 m) | ≈ 98–100 in × 94–96 in (2.49–2.54 × 2.39–2.44 m) | 22–24 (single layer) |
Source: O Trucking — Dry Van Dimensions & Specs (48ʹ and 53ʹ)
| Legal dimension | Federal rule / limit |
|---|---|
| Maximum vehicle width | 102 in / 2.6 m (108 in only in Hawaii) |
| Maximum height | No federal limit — states set 13 ft 6 in to 14 ft (4.11–4.27 m) |
| Min. semitrailer length states must allow | 48 ft / 14.63 m (a 53 ft semitrailer runs the Interstate nationwide) |
| Max. semitrailer length on the National Network | No federal cap on the semitrailer itself |
Source: FHWA — Federal Size Regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles
| Internal spec | Standard tautliner | Mega (high-volume) |
|---|---|---|
| Internal length | 13,600 mm (44 ft 7 in) | 13,600 mm (44 ft 7 in) |
| Internal width | 2,400–2,480 mm (7 ft 10 in–8 ft 2 in) | 2,400 mm (7 ft 10 in) |
| Internal height | 2,600–2,700 mm (8 ft 6 in–8 ft 10 in) | 3,000–3,050 mm (9 ft 10 in–10 ft) |
| EUR pallets (single layer) | 33 | 33 |
| Max payload | 24–26 t (52,900–57,300 lb) | 22–24 t (48,500–52,900 lb) |
Source: CalCargo — Trailer Dimensions in Europe: 13.6m, Mega, 33 Pallets
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About 52 ft 6 in long, 98.5–100 in wide and 108–110 in high (16.0 × 2.5 × 2.79 m) per trailer-maker specs; the rear door opening is a little smaller at roughly 98–100 in wide × 94–96 in high.
About 26–30 standard 48×40 in pallets in a single layer (26 turned, up to 30 straight-loaded). A 48 ft van fits 22–24 and a 40 ft van fewer still.
No. US federal law sets no maximum length on the semitrailer itself on the Interstate/National Network; states must allow at least 48 ft and cannot impose an overall combination-length cap there.
Insulation — about 4 in in the front wall, 3 in in the rear doors and 2 in in the side walls — cuts inside width to roughly 8 ft 1.5 in and volume to ~3,000 cu ft, versus ~3,800–4,000 cu ft for a dry van.
A standard tautliner is ~13,600 mm long, 2,400–2,480 mm wide and 2,600–2,700 mm high inside, holding 33 EUR pallets; mega trailers raise interior height to ~3,000 mm for volumetric freight.
Every figure on this page is traced to a named source, linked under each table. Standard sizes come from published standards and established industry references; where a size is a typical range or varies by manufacturer, we say so. Sizes vary by region, model and revision — treat these as the standard reference, and confirm the exact spec of the item you are selling.
