In plain English
A standard trailer is about 53 feet long and 8.5 feet wide. If your freight cannot be stacked or loaded beside other freight, it uses the full width for its length, and the carrier may charge by linear feet instead of weight.
Many carriers add a rule, such as a charge or a minimum weight, once a shipment takes more than a certain number of linear feet.
Why it matters when you ship
Long, light freight can cost more than its weight suggests. Check linear-foot rules before shipping tubing, lumber or large crates.
Example
Ten standard pallets loaded two across, with the 48-inch side along the trailer, take about 20 linear feet of floor.
Related terms
Linear feet: common questions
When does a carrier charge by linear feet?
When freight is long, wide or unstackable and uses much more trailer floor than its weight would suggest. The carrier’s tariff sets the thresholds.
Cite this page
Cite as: Transportli, “Linear Feet in Freight: Meaning in LTL”, https://transportli.com/glossary/linear-feet/, updated November 11, 2026.
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