Loading meter calculator

How to work it out by hand

Loading metres equals the floor area needed in square metres divided by the internal width in metres. Worked example: 10 Euro pallets at 1.20 m by 0.80 m need 9.6 m2 of floor. At 2.45 m internal width three pallets stand side by side, so four rows of 1.20 m, which is 4.8 loading metres. If the pallets stack two high the figure halves to 2.4 loading metres.

The rule of thumb per Euro pallet is 0.4 loading metres placed crosswise and 0.5 placed lengthwise. For rating the freight, the higher of loading metres, weight and volume always counts.

Common mistakes

• Stackability is assumed rather than checked. An item that cannot be stacked occupies the full height and therefore the full loading metre, even when it is flat.
• Overhang is forgotten. If the goods project beyond the pallet, the outer dimension counts, not the pallet dimension.
• The internal width is taken as 2.50 m. Usable width is normally 2.45 m, and often less on a swap body.
• Weight is ignored. 13.6 loading metres of light goods is fine, 13.6 loading metres of steel passes the payload long before that.

Common questions