Freight Linear Feet Calculator

Freight Linear Feet Calculator

102″ Standard (99″ usable) 96″ Narrow (93″ usable)

Shipping Calculation Results

Total Linear Feet: 0 ft

Total Linear Inches: 0"

Pallets Side-by-Side: 0

Note: This assumes cargo is loaded on the floor and does not account for stacking.

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What are Freight Linear Feet?

In the logistics industry, "linear feet" refers to the total length of a truck's trailer occupied by cargo. This measurement is critical for Less Than Truckload (LTL) shipments because many carriers apply a "Linear Foot Rule." If your shipment exceeds a certain length (often 10, 12, or 14 feet), it may be subject to capacity surcharges or volume rates rather than standard pallet rates.

How to Calculate Linear Feet

Calculating linear feet manually involves determining how many pallets can fit across the width of the trailer and then multiplying the remaining "rows" by the length of the pallet. The standard formula used by this calculator is:

• Step 1: Determine how many pallets fit side-by-side (Trailer Width / Pallet Width).
• Step 2: Divide the total number of pallets by the side-by-side capacity.
• Step 3: Round up to the nearest whole row.
• Step 4: Multiply the number of rows by the pallet length in inches.
• Step 5: Divide the total inches by 12 to get linear feet.

Example Calculation

Imagine you have 10 standard pallets (48″L x 40″W) and you are shipping on a standard 102″ trailer. Since 102″ trailers usually have about 99″ of usable interior width, you can fit two 40″ wide pallets side-by-side (40″ + 40″ = 80″).

10 pallets / 2 side-by-side = 5 rows. 5 rows x 48 inches per row = 240 total inches. 240 inches / 12 = 20 linear feet.

Why the Linear Foot Rule Matters

Carriers use the Linear Foot Rule to protect their space. Since trailers are a finite resource, a light shipment that takes up half the trailer's floor space is just as "expensive" for the carrier as a heavy shipment taking up the same space. Always confirm your carrier's specific threshold—exceeding it without a volume quote can result in massive billing adjustments.

function calculateLinearFeet() { var palletCount = parseFloat(document.getElementById('palletCount').value); var palletLength = parseFloat(document.getElementById('palletLength').value); var palletWidth = parseFloat(document.getElementById('palletWidth').value); var trailerWidthVal = parseFloat(document.getElementById('trailerWidth').value); // Validate inputs if (isNaN(palletCount) || isNaN(palletLength) || isNaN(palletWidth) || palletCount <= 0) { alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields."); return; } // Usable width is typically 3 inches less than exterior width var usableWidth = trailerWidthVal – 3; // How many pallets fit side-by-side? var sideBySide = Math.floor(usableWidth / palletWidth); // If pallet is wider than trailer, we assume it takes the whole row width-wise if (sideBySide < 1) { sideBySide = 1; } // How many rows deep? var rows = Math.ceil(palletCount / sideBySide); // Total inches var totalInches = rows * palletLength; // Total feet var totalFeet = (totalInches / 12).toFixed(2); // Display results document.getElementById('linearFeetResult').innerText = totalFeet; document.getElementById('linearInchesResult').innerText = totalInches; document.getElementById('sideBySide').innerText = sideBySide; document.getElementById('freightResult').style.display = 'block'; } function resetFreightCalc() { document.getElementById('palletCount').value = 10; document.getElementById('palletLength').value = 48; document.getElementById('palletWidth').value = 40; document.getElementById('trailerWidth').value = 102; document.getElementById('freightResult').style.display = 'none'; }