Sep 16, 2024 admin There are no comments

Wooden platforms - pallets are a basic element of transporting all types of goods. They are commonly used in truck transport, as well as sea, rail and air transport. What are the advantages of transporting goods on pallets and how to estimate how many euro pallets fit on a truck? 

Transport pallets - a convenient solution for transport

Pallets are wooden platforms that are used to safely transport loads of various shapes and weights. In transport within Europe, the most commonly used are the so-called Europallets, which are characterized not only by high durability, but also by strictly defined dimensions and parameters. Such standardization allows for simplifying the implementation of transport tasks.

The EURO pallet, as we have already written, is subject to standardization in terms of dimensions, weight and load capacity. The dimensions of the Euro pallet result from the standard dimensions of transport containers (semi-trailers or containers), which facilitates the efficient use of the entire cargo space and thus optimizes both costs and delivery time. The standard dimensions of the Euro pallet are 1200 x 800 mm (width x length). The height of the Euro pallet should be 144 mm and weigh about 25 kg. Such parameters mean that Euro pallets have a high load capacity - up to 4 tons with a load in a stationary state and 1-1,5 tons in the case of a working (transport) load capacity. As a result, they ensure safe transport of even very heavy loads. 

As we have already mentioned, in Europe, the most commonly used pallets are the Europallets. However, industrial pallets are also used in logistics. They are slightly larger than Europallets, with a length and width of 1200 mm and 100 mm, respectively. 

How many pallets fit on a truck?

The most common question from customers is how many euro pallets fit on a truck? The answer is not simple and depends on the length and load capacity of the truck. The trailer of the largest trucks is usually around 13,6 m long and has a load capacity of up to 24 tons. So how many 120×80 pallets can be loaded on a truck? Up to 33 euro pallets can fit on one level. In the case of smaller vehicles - those around 7 m long - up to 5 pallets can be loaded. 

Our customers also often ask how many industrial pallets fit on a truck. Semi-trailers about 13,6 m long can hold up to 26 standard pallets. Smaller trucks (about 7,5 m long) can hold up to 15 industrial pallets. 

It is worth emphasizing that often truck transport is carried out by tractor units with a semi-trailer. In such a case, the maximum load capacity of a truck in Poland for a tractor unit with three axles and a semi-trailer with two or three axles is up to 44 tons. In the case of tractor units equipped with two axles and semi-trailers with three axles, the load capacity limit is 42 tons. 

Land transport also uses 40-foot and 20-foot shipping containers. How many pallets can be loaded into a 40-foot container? Such a shipping box can hold 25 euro pallets and 21 standard pallets. How many pallets can be loaded into a 20-foot container? Here the difference will be smaller - it will be up to 11 euro pallets and 10 industrial pallets. 

It is also worth mentioning that the number of pallets transported is also influenced by the height of the load. Some trucks can transport pallets on two levels, if the height of the pallets and the loading bay allows it. What is more, the type of load transported can also affect loading. The weight and stability of the load are of particular importance, which may affect the need to reduce the number of pallets transported.

What should the pallet arrangement diagram on the trailer look like? 

An important parameter during loading is the even distribution of the load by weight, and not just the volume of the pallet. The distribution of the load on the trailer must take into account the division of weight in a proportional manner on each side of the trailer. This is important both from the point of view of optimizing transport costs (fuel consumption, risk of failure) and transport safety (greater stability and resistance to gusts of wind). Moreover, uneven distribution of the load can cause axle overload or overloading of the vehicle, which is punishable by high financial penalties.