Dry van shipping uses standard enclosed trailers without climate control to transport general freight, packaged goods, and non-perishable cargo. These trailers measure 48-53 feet long, 8.5 feet wide, and hold 24-26 pallets with payload capacity up to 45,000 pounds. Dry vans are the most common trailer type in trucking—fully enclosed on all sides with swing or roll-up doors, providing weather protection and cargo security for manufactured goods, retail products, and palletized freight.
Dry vans represent 75% of all trailers on North American roads, providing unmatched carrier availability in every market. This massive fleet ensures you can always find capacity even during peak shipping seasons, with competitive rates from extensive carrier competition. Coast-to-coast coverage reaches virtually every business location.
Fully enclosed trailers protect cargo from rain, snow, wind, dust, and road debris throughout transit. Solid walls and locking rear doors provide security against theft and tampering. Your freight stays dry, clean, and secure from origin to destination without exposure to elements.
Dry vans handle the widest range of general freight—from palletized goods and crated machinery to furniture, electronics, textiles, and consumer products. Standard interior dimensions (53ft × 8.5ft × 9ft) accommodate 26 pallets or 3,800-4,000 cubic feet of cargo with 45,000 lbs payload capacity.
As the most common trailer type, dry vans offer the lowest full truckload rates for standard cargo. No specialized equipment costs, temperature control fuel, or unique handling requirements mean you pay only for transportation. Competitive pricing from abundant carrier availability maximizes value.
A standard 53-foot dry van accommodates 26 standard pallets (48×40 inches) in a single-stack configuration—13 rows of 2 pallets wide. 48-foot trailers hold 24 pallets. Actual capacity depends on pallet dimensions and stacking configuration.
Maximum legal weight is 80,000 lbs total (tractor + trailer + cargo). With tractor and empty trailer weighing ~35,000 lbs, this leaves 42,000-45,000 lbs payload capacity. Weight must be distributed to keep axle weights within legal limits: 12,000 lbs steer axle, 34,000 lbs drive axles, 34,000 lbs trailer axles.
Rear swing doors open to 102 inches wide × 110 inches tall, providing full-width access to the trailer interior. Standard loading dock height is 48-52 inches, matching trailer bed height for easy forklift loading and unloading.
53-foot trailers provide 3,800-4,000 cubic feet of cargo space (52.5ft × 8.5ft × 9ft interior). Calculate your cargo's cubic feet: Length × Width × Height ÷ 1728 = cubic feet. Ensure total cubic footage doesn't exceed trailer capacity even if weight limit isn't reached.
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Dry van shipping uses standard enclosed trailers (48-53 feet long) without climate control to transport general freight and palletized goods. Trailers hold 24-26 pallets with 42,000-45,000 lbs capacity, providing weather protection and security for non-perishable cargo.
Use dry vans for standard palletized freight not requiring temperature control, full truckload volumes (10+ pallets), non-perishable goods needing weather protection, and locations with loading dock access. Dry vans are ideal for retail products, consumer goods, electronics, and manufactured items.
A 53-foot dry van holds 26 standard pallets (48×40 inches) in single-stack configuration. 48-foot trailers hold 24 pallets. 40-foot containers hold 18-20 pallets. Actual capacity varies by pallet size and loading pattern.
53-foot standard: 53ft × 8.5ft wide × 13.5ft tall exterior. Interior: 52.5ft × 8.5ft × 9ft (3,800-4,000 cubic feet). Door opening: 102in × 110in. 48-foot trailers are 5 feet shorter with proportional interior space.
Maximum legal weight is 80,000 lbs total (tractor, trailer, cargo combined). Payload capacity is typically 42,000-45,000 lbs after accounting for tractor and empty trailer weight (~35,000 lbs). Axle weight limits must also be observed.
Dry vans cannot ship temperature-sensitive perishables requiring refrigeration, hazardous materials needing specialized trailers, oversized cargo exceeding interior dimensions, or freight requiring open-deck access (flatbed/step deck). Use specialized equipment for these loads.
While loading docks are standard for dry van loading/unloading, liftgate service can be arranged for locations without docks. However, liftgates have weight limits (typically 3,000-5,000 lbs) and may not accommodate all palletized freight.
Dry van rates are the most competitive full truckload option due to abundant capacity. Pricing depends on distance, weight, seasonality, fuel surcharges, and market demand. Rates typically range $1.50-$3.00 per mile but vary by lane and market conditions.
