Short answer
A dry van is an enclosed, non-refrigerated trailer that protects freight from weather and theft. It’s the default equipment for general freight such as packaged goods, paper, and palletized retail orders. Over-the-road dry vans are usually 53 feet long and 102 inches wide, and they load through rear swing or roll-up doors at a dock.
What moves in a dry van
Dry vans haul full truckload and LTL freight that doesn’t need temperature control, doesn’t overhang, and can load through the back doors. Think boxed consumer goods, beverages, paper products, auto parts, electronics, and building supplies on pallets or floor-loaded.
Freight that needs cold or heat goes in a reefer. Oversized or crane-loaded freight goes on a flatbed or step deck. A dry van can’t carry either, which is why equipment type is the first thing a carrier checks on a load tender.
Common dry van sizes and limits
| Spec | What to know |
|---|---|
| Length | 53 feet is the common over-the-road size. 48-foot vans are still used, and 28-foot pup trailers run in doubles, often in LTL. |
| Width | Federal limit of 102 inches on the National Network (23 CFR 658.15) |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lbs on the Interstate System for the whole truck (23 CFR 658.17) |
| Axle limits | 20,000 lbs single axle, 34,000 lbs tandem, subject to the bridge formula |
| Pallet count | Up to 26 standard 48 x 40 pallets fit two across on the floor of a 53-foot van, depending on its inside length |
| Doors | Swing doors, or a roll-up door that takes some rear height |
Federal limits from 23 CFR Part 658. Interior dimensions vary by manufacturer, so confirm with the carrier.
How pallet count works
Example. A 53-foot van is roughly 630 inches long inside, though the exact number varies. Pallets loaded with the 48-inch side along the trailer and two 40-inch sides across take 80 inches of the width. 630 divided by 48 is 13 rows, and 13 rows two across is 26 pallets.
Turn the pallets or use odd sizes and that number drops. Stack them and it can rise, if the freight allows stacking and the weight stays legal.
Why dry van matters to brokers
Dry van is where most brokers start, and it’s a crowded part of the market. Many carriers run vans, so rates move fast with the spot rate and the load-to-truck ratio.
That makes the details on each load count. Weight, pallet count, floor-loaded vs palletized, load and unload type (live or drop), and appointment times all change what a carrier will charge. So do lumper fees at grocery and retail warehouses.
Example: checking a heavy van load
Example, with illustrative numbers. A shipper tenders 44,500 lbs of canned goods on 22 pallets in a 53-foot van. The carrier’s tractor and trailer weigh 34,000 lbs, for a gross of 78,500 lbs.
That’s under 80,000 lbs, but canned goods are dense. If the pallets are loaded toward the nose, the drive tandem can go over 34,000 lbs. The driver may need to slide the trailer tandems or have the shipper reload before the first weigh station.
Common dry van mistakes
- Posting “van” without the weight, so a light-tare carrier isn’t prioritized for a heavy load.
- Leaving off floor-loaded freight. Hand-unloading 1,200 loose cartons takes hours and often needs a lumper.
- Not asking about load locks or straps for freight that can shift.
- Assuming every van has a roll-up door or a specific inside height when the freight is tall.
- Skipping the seal number on a sealed load, then losing the argument when the count comes up short.