foundation · Logistics & Supply Chain
Trailer Cube Utilization & Density Pricing
Meet the worker
Dispatcher Hank — LTL Dispatcher
8 a.m. load planning
Hank must decide whether a 53-ft trailer is profitable. Cargo: 18 pallets at 60 ft³ each. Trailer cube: 3,816 ft³.
What they'll need
- Trailer cube spec
- Pallet count & cube
- Rate sheet
How it's done — step by step
- 1
Compute used cube
18 × 60 = 1,080 ft³ loaded.
- 2
Utilization %
1,080 / 3,816 = 28.3%. That's a deadhead loss.
- 3
Set the threshold
Most LTL carriers won't dispatch under 65% utilization without a premium rate.
- 4
Decide: partial or wait
Either combine with another shipment or hold for tomorrow's pickups.
53-ft dry van: 3,816 cu ft usable. You're loading 26 pallets at 48×40×60 in. Compute pallet cube, total cargo cube, % utilization. Then re-price as LTL: density = weight ÷ cube; freight class is set by lbs/cu ft.
45%
53′ van
Cu ft / pallet
66.7
Used cu ft
1733
Utilization
45%
Tap Show next step to reveal the math one piece at a time.
Worked Example
26 pallets in a 53-ft van
Given: Pallet = 48 × 40 × 60 in; van = 3,816 cu ft
- 1
Pallet volume (cu in)
48 × 40 × 60 = 115,200