REFERENCE
Trailer dimensions
A 53 ft dry van is about 52 ft 6 in long inside, 98.5 to 101 in wide and about 110 in high, with swing doors about 98 in wide by 110 in high. It carries 26 standard pallets loaded straight or 30 turned, and about 42,000 to 45,000 lb of freight. The tables below give the spec-sheet figures for dry vans, reefers, flatbeds, step decks, double drops, lowboys and RGNs, conestogas and pup trailers, and the pallet planner is under them.
Updated October 12, 2026
All trailer types at a glance
| Trailer | Length | Width | Freight height | Typical payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 52 ft 6 in inside | 98.5 in | 9 ft 2 in inside | 42,000 lb to 45,000 lb |
| 48 ft dry van | 47 ft 4 in inside | 98.5 in | 9 ft 2 in inside | 43,000 lb to 45,000 lb |
| 53 ft reefer trailer | 52 ft 2 in inside | 97 in | 8 ft 8 in inside | 43,500 lb to 44,000 lb |
| 48 ft reefer trailer | 47 ft inside | 97 in | 8 ft 8 in inside | 44,000 lb |
| 28 ft pup trailer | 27 ft 6 in inside | 98 in | 9 ft 2 in inside | 22,000 lb |
| 53 ft intermodal container (J.B. Hunt) | 52 ft 7 in inside | 100 in | 8 ft 11 in inside | 43,500 lb |
| 48 ft flatbed | 48 ft deck | 102 in | 8 ft 6 in to 9 ft 3 in | 48,000 lb |
| 53 ft flatbed | 53 ft deck | 102 in | 8 ft 6 in to 9 ft 3 in | 48,000 lb |
| 48 ft step deck | 48 ft deck | 102 in | 8 ft 4 in upper, 10 ft 2 in lower | 45,000 lb to 47,000 lb |
| 53 ft step deck | 53 ft deck | 102 in | 8 ft 4 in upper, 10 ft 2 in lower | 45,000 lb to 47,000 lb |
| 53 ft conestoga (flatbed) | 53 ft deck | 100 in | 8 ft under the tarp | 44,000 lb |
| 53 ft step deck conestoga | 53 ft deck | 100 in | 8 ft upper, 9 ft 8 in lower under the tarp | 41,000 lb |
| Lowboy (fixed gooseneck) | 29 ft well | 102 in | 11 ft 6 in to 12 ft | 40,000 lb |
| RGN (removable gooseneck) | 26 ft well | 102 in | 11 ft 7 in | 42,000 lb |
| Double drop, extendable | 34 ft well, 59 ft 4 in extended | 102 in | 11 ft 6 in to 12 ft | 40,000 lb |
| 40 ft hot shot (gooseneck flatbed) | 40 ft deck with a 5 ft dovetail | 102 in | 10 ft 8 in (worked out, see below) | 17,130 lb |
Inside length for enclosed trailers, deck or well length for open decks. Width is what pallets have to clear (scuff liners in vans). Freight height is the inside height, the clearance under a conestoga’s tarp, or the legal height above an open deck. Each figure comes from the spec sheets in the tables below.
Dry van and reefer trailers
| Trailer | Inside length | Inside width | Inside height | Rear door (W x H) | Typical payload | Outside (L x W x H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft dry van | 52 ft 6 in (630 in) | 101 in (98.5 in usable) | 110 in | 98 in x 110 in | 42,000 lb to 45,000 lb | 53 ft x 102 3/8 in x 13 ft 6 in |
| 48 ft dry van | 47 ft 4 in (568 in) | 101 in (98.5 in usable) | 110 in | 98.3 in x 110 in | 43,000 lb to 45,000 lb | 48 ft x 102 3/8 in x 13 ft 6 in |
| 53 ft reefer trailer | 52 ft 2 in (626 in) | 97.5 in (97 in usable) | 104 in | 98.3 in x 103.5 in | 43,500 lb to 44,000 lb | 53 ft x 102 in x 13 ft 6 in |
| 48 ft reefer trailer | 47 ft (564 in) | 97.5 in (97 in usable) | 104 in | 98.3 in x 101.8 in | 44,000 lb | 48 ft x 102 3/8 in x 13 ft 6 in |
Utility, Wabash, Great Dane and XTRA Lease spec sheets and C.H. Robinson’s equipment guide. Usable width is at the scuff liners, which is what pallets have to clear. Reefer payloads count the refrigeration unit in the trailer’s own weight.
Flatbeds and step decks
| Trailer | Deck length | Width | Legal freight height | Deck height | Typical payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 ft flatbed | 48 ft deck | 102 in | 8 ft 6 in (60 in deck) to 9 ft 3 in (51 in deck) | 51 to about 60 in | 48,000 lb |
| 53 ft flatbed | 53 ft deck | 102 in | 8 ft 6 in (60 in deck) to 9 ft 3 in (51 in deck) | 51 to about 60 in | 48,000 lb |
| 48 ft step deck | upper deck 10 ft, lower deck 38 ft | 102 in | 8 ft 4 in upper, 10 ft 2 in lower | 61.3 in upper, 40 in lower (loaded) | 45,000 lb to 47,000 lb |
| 53 ft step deck | upper deck 10 ft, lower deck 43 ft | 102 in | 8 ft 4 in upper, 10 ft 2 in lower | 61.3 in upper, 40 in lower (loaded) | 45,000 lb to 47,000 lb |
Freight height on an open deck is 13 ft 6 in less the deck height. XTRA Lease lists a 51 in deck on its flatbeds, which leaves 9 ft 3 in; AFX puts a typical flatbed deck at about 60 in, which leaves the 8 ft 6 in most carriers quote. The planner uses the conservative 8 ft 6 in, so measure your trailer’s deck when the load is tall. Step deck heights are XTRA Lease’s loaded figures (61 1/4 in and 40 in). Payloads are as quoted by carriers.
Double drop, lowboy and RGN trailers
| Trailer | Well or deck length | Width | Loaded deck height | Legal freight height | Payload | Rated capacity | Overall length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowboy (fixed gooseneck) | 29 ft well | 102 in | 18 in | 11 ft 6 in to 12 ft | 40,000 lb | 60,000 to 110,000 lb (Talbert 30-55 FG) | 48 ft |
| RGN (removable gooseneck) | 26 ft well | 102 in | 22 in | 11 ft 7 in | 42,000 lb | 55 tons in 12 ft (Fontaine Magnitude 55H) | 51 ft |
| Double drop, extendable | 34 ft well, 59 ft 4 in extended | 102 in | 22 in | 11 ft 6 in to 12 ft | 40,000 lb | 60,000 lb in 10 ft (Trail King 80MED) | 52 ft 11 in |
| 40 ft hot shot (gooseneck flatbed) | 40 ft deck with a 5 ft dovetail | 102 in | 34 in | 10 ft 8 in (worked out, see below) | 17,130 lb | Not published | Not published |
Deck sizes from Talbert, Fontaine, Trail King and Big Tex spec sheets. For the lowboy, RGN and double drop, legal freight height and payload are DSV’s figures for loads that need no permits; the rated capacity is what the trailer is built for, and loads above the legal payload need more axles and permits. The hot shot, a gooseneck flatbed pulled by a pickup, is listed here for its low deck: its payload is Big Tex’s cargo capacity, and no source states its legal freight height, so 10 ft 8 in is 13 ft 6 in minus Big Tex’s 34 in deck.
Conestoga trailers
| Trailer | Deck length | Width | Legal freight height | Deck height | Typical payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 ft conestoga (flatbed) | 53 ft deck | 100 in | 8 ft under the tarp | Not published | 44,000 lb |
| 53 ft step deck conestoga | upper deck 10 ft, lower deck 43 ft | 100 in | 8 ft upper, 9 ft 8 in lower under the tarp | Not published | 41,000 lb |
A conestoga is a flatbed or step deck with a rolling tarp, loaded from the side or the top. Clearances and payloads are ATS’s figures. Stream Logistics lists 102 in wide and 98 to 102 in high and DSV 8 ft by 8 ft, so ask the carrier before you book a tall or wide load. ATS does not state a deck height.
Pup trailers
| Trailer | Inside length | Inside width | Inside height | Rear door (W x H) | Typical payload | Outside (L x W x H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 ft pup trailer | 27 ft 6 in (330 in) | 101 in (98 in usable) | 110 in | 98 in x 104 in | 22,000 lb | 28 ft x 102 3/8 in x 13 ft 6 in |
| 53 ft intermodal container (J.B. Hunt) | 52 ft 7 in (631 in) | 100 in | 107 in | 98 in x 107 in | 43,500 lb | 53 ft x 102 in x 9 ft 6 in |
28 ft pup: inside length from Eagle Leasing, inside width, height, roll door and cubic capacity from XTRA Lease’s spec sheet, payload from C.H. Robinson. Eagle Leasing gives 92 to 98 in inside width across its fleet. The 53 ft intermodal container is J.B. Hunt’s, as listed by Trailer Bridge; its payload is for guidance, because the road limit counts the tractor, the 6,400 lb chassis and the box.
Legal size limits
Width: 102 in on the National Network (23 CFR 658.15). Mirrors and safety devices do not count.
Length: states must allow a semitrailer of at least 48 ft on the National Network and may allow longer; 53 ft is common but the rules differ by state (23 CFR 658.13).
Height: there is no federal limit. FHWA notes that state limits range from 13.6 to 14.6 ft.
Weight: 80,000 lb gross on the Interstate, 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem.
Canada: the interprovincial agreement allows a 16.2 m (53 ft) semitrailer, 2.6 m wide, 4.15 m high.
Floor strength
Dry van floors are rated for forklift traffic: Wabash’s DuraPlate sheet lists a 20,000 lb dynamic rating with heavier floors available, and Great Dane builds floors rated 19,000 to 28,000 lb. Check the rating on the trailer before you drive a heavy loaded forklift in.
Plan a load
Sources for the 53' dry van: Utility Trailer, 4000D-X dry van brochure; XTRA Lease, 53 ft plate van spec sheets (swing and roll door); Great Dane, Champion dry van ebook (2026); Wabash, DuraPlate dry van product sheet; C.H. Robinson, Truckload equipment guide; Hale Trailer, Dry van max weight. Equipment varies by maker and year: measure yours when it is tight.
Common questions
What are the inside dimensions of a 53 ft trailer?
A 53 ft dry van is about 52 ft 6 in (630 in) long, 101 in wide (98.5 in at the liners) and 110 in high inside, with a rear door about 98 in wide by 110 in high.
How tall can freight be on a step deck?
About 8 ft 4 in on the upper deck and 10 ft 2 in on the lower deck, which keeps the load under a 13 ft 6 in overall height.
How wide can a semi trailer be?
102 in on the National Network (23 CFR 658.15). Mirrors and safety devices do not count toward it.
What are lowboy trailer dimensions?
A fixed-gooseneck lowboy such as Talbert’s 30-55 FG has a 29 ft well, 8 ft 6 in wide, with an 18 in loaded deck height, on a trailer about 48 ft long. DSV gives a legal freight height of 11 ft 6 in to 12 ft on the well and 40,000 lb of freight on a 2-axle lowboy without permits. An RGN, whose gooseneck comes off for drive-on loading, is similar: Fontaine’s Magnitude 55H has a 26 ft deck at 22 in.
Related tools
Sources
XTRA Lease, 53 ft plate van spec sheets (swing and roll door)
XTRA Lease, 48 ft and 53 ft flatbed and single-drop spec sheets
Trailer Bridge, Equipment fleet dimensions and ratings (J.B. Hunt 53 ft container)
Trail King, MED/HED detachable gooseneck double drop extendable brochure
Council of Ministers (Canada), Heavy truck weight and dimension MOU summary 2025
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