How Many Pallets Fit in a Truck? (Semi-Trailer, Rigid Truck, Container)
August 18, 2026 · 7 min read
A standard semi-trailer carries 33 Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) loaded on the floor, with no stacking, the reference figure used across the road transport industry (source: Mecalux, Palembal, Ecopalette). This number then varies depending on the type of vehicle (rigid truck, van, shipping container), the type of pallet used and how the load is organized. Here's how to read this figure and adapt it to your own logistics flow.
How many pallets fit in a truck? The answer in one figure
The figure used across the entire transport and packaging industry is that of the EPAL Euro pallet: 1200 × 800 mm, 144 mm high, an empty weight of around 25 kg, a dynamic load of 1,500 kg and a static load of 4,000 kg (UNE-EN 13698-1 standard). Loaded on the floor, with no stacking, in a standard semi-trailer, this pallet allows 33 units per truck to be transported.
This figure of 33 pallets is the one you will consistently find quoted by pallet and logistics professionals, because it corresponds to the most common configuration in French road transport: Euro pallets, loaded in a single layer, with no stacking.
Table: pallet capacity by vehicle type
The number of pallets a vehicle can carry depends directly on the length and width of its loading floor. The only standardized figure widely documented by the industry concerns the semi-trailer; for other vehicle sizes, capacity varies too much by vehicle model and carrier to give a single reliable figure.
| Vehicle type | Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard semi-trailer | 33 pallets on the floor, no stacking | Industry reference figure (source: Mecalux, Palembal, Ecopalette) |
| Rigid truck | Lower capacity than a semi-trailer, not standardized in our sources | Depends directly on the length of the chassis floor |
| Van / light commercial vehicle | Reduced capacity, not standardized in our sources | Limited by the vehicle's usable volume and GVW |
| 20'/40' shipping container | Not precisely documented in our sources | To be confirmed with the freight forwarder; ISPM 15 treatment (heat-treated wood, wheat-stamp marking) also applies for any export outside the EU |
Why doesn't this table give a figure for the rigid truck, the van and the container? For the sake of accuracy: unlike the semi-trailer, there is no single, widely documented loading standard for these vehicle sizes, and the number of pallets depends on the exact model of the vehicle or container. For a reliable calculation, your carrier or freight forwarder remains the best source, based on the method described below.
Euro pallet vs. industrial pallet: a different load
The type of pallet used directly changes the number of units that can be transported. The Euro pallet (1200 × 800 mm) is not the only reference on the market.
- Euro / EPAL pallet: 1200 × 800 mm, static load 4,000 kg, the most common in France (94% of the pallet fleet is wood).
- American / ISO pallet: 1200 × 1,000 mm, a load of around 1,500 to 2,000 kg; its larger footprint mechanically reduces the number of units that fit in the same vehicle compared with the Euro pallet.
- Half pallet: 800 × 600 mm.
- Quarter pallet: 600 × 400 mm.
The principle is simple: the larger a pallet's footprint, the fewer fit into a given loading floor, and vice versa for smaller formats, subject to admissible load limits.
The factors that change the number of pallets per truck
The figure of 33 pallets per semi-trailer corresponds to a specific configuration: floor loading, no stacking, with Euro pallets. Several factors change this in practice.
Stacking pallets
Stacking pallets on two levels can, in theory, significantly increase the number of units loaded into the same vehicle. But this practice is constrained by the dynamic load of the Euro pallet (1,500 kg): the pallet underneath must be able to support the weight of the one above without exceeding it, and the vehicle's usable height must allow for it. Stacking therefore depends as much on the strength and contents of each pallet as on the truck itself.
The type of pallet loaded
As seen above, an industrial pallet (1200 × 1,000 mm) takes up more floor space than a Euro pallet: for the same floor, it reduces the number of units transported.
Gross vehicle weight (GVW)
Available volume isn't always the limiting factor: the vehicle's total laden weight can be reached before the floor is full, particularly with dense goods. In that case, the number of pallets actually loaded is lower than the theoretical floor-space capacity.
Floor length and width
This is the most obvious factor: a rigid truck, shorter than a semi-trailer, structurally carries fewer pallets; a van carries even fewer. With no floor dimensions standardized across all models, the calculation has to be done case by case based on the vehicle used by your carrier.
Loading and unloading faster: from human to robot
Knowing how many pallets a truck holds is only part of the logistics equation: the time needed to load and unload them weighs just as heavily on how a loading dock is run.
The road transport industry's contractual standard allows for around 1 hour to load and 1 hour to unload a full semi-trailer of 33 pallets. This loading/unloading is also governed by a mandatory written safety protocol between the shipper/consignee and the carrier (articles R4515-4 to R4515-11 of the French Labour Code).
Against this standard, automated loading/unloading systems can cut this time down to a few minutes. The market illustrates this trend: STILL, for example, unveiled the AXL 15 iGo in 2026, a dock-focused autonomous pallet truck (1,500 kg, 2 m/s, 3D Visual SLAM + LiDAR navigation) able to load and unload trucks with no dedicated infrastructure, at a rate of 30 pallets in 35 minutes working in tandem — a world first unveiled at the LogiMAT 2026 trade show.
This automation of the loading dock follows the same logic as automating handling inside the warehouse, driven by autonomous pallet trucks such as the autonomous pallet truck, which move pallets between storage and the dock with no infrastructure work or wire guidance.
FAQ
How many Euro pallets fit in a semi-trailer?
A standard semi-trailer carries 33 Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm), loaded on the floor with no stacking. This is the reference figure used across the entire transport and packaging industry in France for this vehicle type, regardless of the type of goods being carried.
Can pallets be stacked to load more into a truck?
Yes, in theory, if the vehicle's usable height allows it. But the dynamic load of the Euro pallet (1,500 kg) limits what the pallet underneath can support: stacking therefore depends on the weight and nature of the goods, not just the truck.
How many pallets fit in a rigid truck or a van?
Fewer than a semi-trailer, but there is no documented standardized figure: capacity depends directly on the length of each model's loading floor. Your carrier remains the best source for a precise calculation: ask them for the exact floor dimensions before planning any load.
How long does it take to load 33 pallets into a truck?
The industry's contractual standard allows for around 1 hour to load and 1 hour to unload a full semi-trailer. This benchmark is often used as a reference in freight contracts to calculate any dock delay penalties. Recent automated loading systems cut this time down to a few minutes.
What's the difference between a Euro pallet and an industrial pallet for loading?
The Euro pallet measures 1200 × 800 mm, the industrial/American pallet 1200 × 1,000 mm. The latter takes up more floor space: for the same truck floor, it mechanically reduces the number of units that can be transported. This format choice therefore directly affects the actual capacity of each load.
Related reading
- Euro pallet dimensions: the complete guide, all the measurements and loads for the Euro pallet used in this calculation.
- Euro pallet price: new, used, deposit-based, to cost out the pallets that make up your load.
- How long does it take to load/unload a semi-trailer?, the detail behind the loading time mentioned above.
- Automating a warehouse with no conveyors or construction work, how to streamline the pallet route between storage and the dock.
- Autonomous pallet truck: a complete overview, the autonomous pallet truck that moves your pallets to the loading dock.
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