What size truck do I need for the freight I want to haul?
Enter how many standard pallets a typical load has, its weight, and whether you have a CDL driver. This answers what size truck you need: a 26 ft box truck, a hotshot or a tractor-trailer, with room left in each.
What size truck do I need?
EXAMPLE VALUES, REPLACE WITH YOURSPayload for each setup (from the spec sheets you're looking at)
SETUPS THAT FIT
26 ft box truck
10/12 pallets · 1,000 lb left
Fits
Hotshot, 40 ft deck
10/20 pallets · 6,000 lb left
Fits
Tractor + 53 ft trailer
10/26 pallets · 35,000 lb left
Needs a CDL driver
We dispatch 26 ft box trucks and up. We don't dispatch cargo vans, sprinters or box trucks shorter than 26 ft.
A 26 ft box truck fits your freight with 2 pallet positions to spare. We dispatch 26 ft boxes and up.
By Edwin Horton · Updated
How the truck size finder works
It compares three common small-business setups at equal weight: a 26 ft box truck, a hotshot with a 40 ft deck, and a tractor pulling a 53 ft trailer. Each is checked against your freight two ways: floor space and weight.
- Pallet positions = (deck length in inches ÷ 48) rounded down × 2 across, for standard 48 × 40 inch pallets
- Fits = your pallets ≤ positions, and your weight ≤ the payload you enter for that setup, and a CDL driver is available when the setup requires one
- Recommended = the smallest setup that fits
EXAMPLE A typical load is 10 pallets weighing 9,000 lb, and you don't have a CDL driver yet. A 26 ft box truck has 12 pallet positions; with a 10,000 lb payload from the spec sheet you're looking at, it fits with 2 positions and 1,000 lb to spare. The hotshot fits too, and the tractor-trailer would need a CDL driver. The smallest setup that fits is the box truck.
Payloads are yours to enter from the spec sheets of the actual trucks you're considering, because they vary a lot with body, liftgate, sleeper and fuel tanks.
Which truck fits your freight
A 26 ft box truck fits: good for local and regional freight with many stops and dock-or-liftgate deliveries. Check the GVWR: at 26,000 lb or less, a non-CDL driver can run it Non-CDL straight truckGVWR 26,000 lb or less (no placarded hazmat, under 16 passengers)A single vehicle with GVWR of 26,000 lb or less falls outside Groups A and B; it needs a CDL only for placarded hazmat or 16+ passengers (49 CFR 383.91 and 383.5).49 CFR 383.91Checked Oct 2026.
Only a hotshot fits: freight that's long, heavy or needs side or crane loading usually goes on a flatbed. Hotshot combinations often cross into CDL territory, so check yours with the hotshot GCWR and non-CDL weight checker.
Only a tractor-trailer fits: you need a CDL driver and a bigger budget. Interstate weight tops out at 80,000 lb gross without permits Interstate weight limits80,000 lb gross; 20,000 lb single axle; 34,000 lb tandem23 CFR 658.17: 80,000 lb maximum gross vehicle weight on the Interstate System (the bridge formula can lower it), 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem. Heavier loads need state overweight permits.23 CFR 658.17Checked Oct 2026. See what payment the freight can carry with the how much truck can I afford calculator, and for box trucks, the box truck business profit calculator.
Freight fits something smaller than a 26 ft box: we don't dispatch below 26 ft, and we'd rather tell you now.
Learn more
Our guide to trucking equipment compares the main truck and trailer types and what each costs to run. Curious how the biggest carriers set up their fleets? See the largest trucking companies in the US. When you're running two or more trucks, our small fleet dispatch desk handles every equipment type at the same fee.
Before you buy, talk to two or three shippers or brokers about the freight you'd haul, and ask what equipment they book for it. The answer can save you from a truck that fits the freight on paper but not the docks, liftgate needs or delivery addresses in your area.
Size for the typical load
- Count pallets on your typical load, not the biggest one
- Weigh a typical load or use the bill of lading weights
- Take payloads from the spec sheets of trucks you could buy
- Check the GVWR before assuming a box truck is non-CDL
Truck size questions
01How many pallets fit in a 26 ft box truck?
About 12 standard 48 by 40 inch pallets loaded two across, depending on the box's inside length and width and how the pallets are turned. Measure the inside of the box you're considering.
02How many pallets fit in a 53 ft trailer?
About 26 standard pallets two across, single-stacked. More fit if freight can be stacked, but weight usually becomes the limit first with dense freight.
03Does a 26 ft box truck need a CDL?
Only if its GVWR is 26,001 lb or more, or it hauls placarded hazmat. Many are built at 26,000 lb or less to avoid the CDL requirement. Check the door sticker before you buy.
04Do you dispatch smaller box trucks or vans?
No. We dispatch 26 ft box trucks and up, and we don't dispatch cargo vans, sprinters or box trucks shorter than 26 ft. If your freight fits something smaller, this tool will say so, but we can't dispatch it.
05Is a hotshot or a box truck better for a new business?
It depends on the freight near you. Box trucks fit palletized local and regional delivery; hotshots fit equipment, building materials and urgent loads that need an open deck. Look at what moves in your area before you buy.
Pick the setup, then keep it loaded
We dispatch 26 ft box trucks, hotshots and tractor-trailers. You approve every load.
4% for 2+ trucks, 5% for one, 7% while your MC is new