Shrink-wrapped pallets loaded two across inside a dry van trailer with a load bar and strap holding the rear row

A load that looks fine at the dock can shift at the first hard stop or get flagged at a scale. Most of that is decided before the trailer doors close. This guide covers how to load a dry van trailer: planning, loading order, weight distribution, securement and paperwork. It is written for shippers who use dry van trucking for palletized and boxed freight, and each legal limit below is cited to the rule it comes from. Questions about a specific load? Call Connect Express at 480-401-1998.

What “Loading a Dry Van” Covers for a Shipper

On most dry van shipments the shipper’s dock crew puts the freight on the trailer. That happens either on a live load, with the driver waiting, or on a preloaded trailer left at your dock for drop and hook service.

Before driving, the driver must be satisfied that the cargo is properly distributed and adequately secured, and that the doors and securement devices are fastened (49 CFR 392.9(a)–(b)).

Live Load vs Preloaded Trailer: What Changes for Your Crew

On a live load, the driver can often point out a problem before the doors close. On a preloaded trailer, your crew finishes the job alone, so write the steps down and load the same way every shift.

Before the Truck Arrives: What to Confirm

Freight Profile

Know the pallet size and count, whether pallets stack, the total weight and any floor-loaded pieces. Our checklist on what to send dispatch covers the full list.

Trailer Condition

Walk the trailer before loading. Look for a clean, dry floor, no holes or daylight through the walls or roof, no loose or broken floorboards, and doors that close and latch. Federal rules already require the driver to be satisfied the vehicle is in safe operating condition (49 CFR 396.13) and that key parts are in good working order (49 CFR 392.7).

Paperwork

For for-hire interstate moves, the carrier’s receipt or bill of lading must show the consignor and consignee, origin and destination, number of packages, a description of the freight, and the weight, volume or measurement where it affects rating (49 CFR 373.101). Make sure your pallet count and weight match what is actually on the trailer, and add the seal number. Our guide to the bill of lading and other shipping documents explains the rest.

How to Load a Dry Van Trailer Step by Step

Step 1: Plan the Pattern on Paper First

Sketch the floor first. Decide whether pallets go straight or turned (pinwheeled) to fill the width, and where heavy and light pallets sit. How many pallets fit depends on pallet size, pattern and stacking, so confirm the plan with dispatch rather than guessing at the dock.

Step 2: Load Heavy Freight First and Spread It Evenly

Start at the nose and work toward the doors. Keep heavy pallets on the floor, not on top of lighter freight, and spread the weight along the length of the trailer instead of bunching it at the front or the back.

Step 3: Keep the Load Tight Side to Side and Front to Back

Gaps let freight build momentum. Fill voids with dunnage, airbags or blocking. The federal rule names these tools directly: cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured by structures of adequate strength, dunnage or dunnage bags, shoring bars, tiedowns or a combination of these (49 CFR 393.106(b)).

Step 4: Restrain the Tail of the Load

The last row is the one most likely to walk toward the doors. Brace it with load bars or straps. Anything likely to roll, such as drums, reels or rolls, must be held by chocks, wedges, a cradle or equivalent means that cannot come loose in transit (49 CFR 393.106(c)(1)).

Step 5: Record, Photograph and Seal

Record the final pallet count and weight, then take a photo of the loaded trailer from the doors before they close. Apply the seal, write the seal number on the bill of lading and keep a copy. That photo is your record of how the freight left your dock.

Weight Distribution and Axle Limits

On the Interstate System, federal rules set a maximum gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds, 20,000 pounds on any one axle and 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle, with the bridge formula limiting weight on groups of axles (23 CFR 658.17(b)–(e)). Arizona applies the same 20,000, 34,000 and 80,000 pound figures on its highways and defines tandem axles as consecutive axles more than 40 inches but not more than 96 inches apart (A.R.S. 28-1100(A)–(B)).

Width is fixed at 102 inches on the National Network (23 CFR 658.15), and the inside of the trailer is narrower, so the pallet pattern matters. Our guide to dry van dimensions and capacity covers the trailer itself.

Why a Legal Gross Weight Can Still Be Overweight on an Axle

If the heavy pallets are all at the nose, the drive axles can go over their limit. If they are all at the tail, the trailer tandem can. A driver can sometimes fix this by sliding the trailer tandems and reweighing. When that is not enough, freight may have to be moved, which can mean a trip back to your dock.

Securing Freight Inside an Enclosed Trailer

Walls and a roof do not take a dry van out of the cargo securement rules. They apply to trucks, truck tractors and semitrailers, and cargo must be contained, immobilized or secured so it does not shift in a way that affects the vehicle’s stability or maneuverability (49 CFR 393.100(a), (c)).

Load Bars, Straps and E-Track: When Each Fits

Load bars wedge between the walls behind a full-width row.
Straps anchor to the walls and help with partial rows or uneven heights.
E-track on the walls gives straps and bars fixed anchor points, useful on mixed or multi-stop loads.

Sealed Loads

The driver’s duty to inspect cargo during the trip does not apply to a sealed vehicle the driver has been ordered not to open, or to a vehicle loaded in a way that makes inspecting the cargo impracticable (49 CFR 392.9(b)(4)). Many dry van loads fit that description, so on a sealed load, your loading is the main check on how the freight rides.

Open-deck freight follows its own set of rules. See our flatbed load securement guide for that side of it.

Common Dry Van Loading Mistakes

Heavy pallets stacked on top of light or crushable freight.
Gaps at the tail with nothing holding the last row.
Overhanging, broken or poorly wrapped pallets.
Loading onto a wet or debris-covered floor.
A pallet count or weight that does not match the bill of lading.
Putting temperature-sensitive freight in a dry van. If the product needs temperature control, compare the reefer trailer vs dry van options first.

For packaging and handling habits that reduce claims, see our guide on how to prevent freight damage.

Questions to Settle With Your Carrier Before Loading

Who loads and who counts? If your crew loads and counts without the driver, say so on the bill of lading (often noted as “shipper load and count”).
Who supplies load bars or straps? Agree on it before the appointment.
What is the seal procedure? Who applies it, records the number and may break it.
What is the appointment time, and what happens if loading runs long? Late loading can push back delivery. Our guide on how to reduce freight delays covers dock timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you load a dry van trailer?

Plan the pallet pattern first, then load heavy freight at the nose and work toward the doors, keeping heavy pallets low and the weight spread evenly. Fill gaps with dunnage or airbags, brace the last row with load bars or straps, then record the count, photograph the load and seal the doors.

How should weight be distributed in a 53-foot trailer?

Spread it along the full length instead of bunching it at the front or back, keep heavy pallets on the floor and balance the load side to side. Bunched weight can put one axle group over its limit, such as 34,000 pounds on a tandem, even when gross weight is legal (23 CFR 658.17).

How much weight can a dry van legally haul?

The legal limit applies to the whole truck, not just the trailer. On Interstate highways the maximum gross vehicle weight is 80,000 pounds, with 20,000 pounds per single axle and 34,000 pounds per tandem (23 CFR 658.17). Arizona uses the same figures (A.R.S. 28-1100). How much freight fits under that depends on the equipment.

Do you have to secure freight in a dry van?

Yes. Federal cargo securement rules cover semitrailers, enclosed or open. Cargo must be secured so it cannot shift in a way that affects stability (49 CFR 393.100(c)), using structures of adequate strength, dunnage or dunnage bags, shoring bars, tiedowns or a combination of these (49 CFR 393.106(b)).

Who is responsible for loading a dry van, the shipper or the driver?

It depends on the shipment and your agreement with the carrier. Shippers usually load their own freight, but before driving the driver must be satisfied the cargo is properly distributed and secured (49 CFR 392.9). Settle who loads, who counts and who seals in writing before pickup.

What are load bars used for in a trailer?

Load bars are adjustable bars that wedge between the trailer walls, usually behind the last row of pallets. They keep freight from sliding toward the doors during braking and turns, and they can split a partial load so it does not shift. They are one of the shoring tools named in 49 CFR 393.106(b).