Loading metre (LDM): what it means and how to calculate it

When you request a freight quote, the price is often based not on the weight or the number of pallets alone but on loading metres. That surprises many people, and at worst the invoice is bigger than you expected. In this article we explain in plain language what a loading metre is, how it is calculated and how you can cut transport costs by choosing your pallets and loading them sensibly.

What is a loading metre?

A loading metre describes how much floor space your load takes up along the length of a truck’s load space. The load space of a truck is about 2.4 metres wide inside, so when your goods fill one metre of that length across the full width, they take up one loading metre. In practice, one loading metre is therefore about 2.4 square metres of floor.

The term comes from the transport industry and is abbreviated LDM (loading metre, spelt loading meter in American English). The load space of a standard semi-trailer is about 13.6 metres long, so it holds about 13.6 loading metres of goods. A truck and full trailer combination has more loading metres, typically about 20.

The key thing to understand is that a loading metre measures space, not weight. That is exactly why a light but bulky load can cost a lot: it reserves metres of the truck that cannot be sold to anyone else.

Why is freight calculated in loading metres?

What a haulier sells is the length of the load space. Only a certain number of metres fit on the vehicle floor, and each of them carries the same driver, fuel and vehicle costs, regardless of whether the load is heavy or light.

If the price were based on weight alone, a light but bulky shipment, such as empty boxes or insulation wool, would cost next to nothing even if it filled half the truck. Loading metre pricing protects the haulier against this and makes pricing fairer for both sides. Heavy, dense goods, on the other hand, are often charged by weight, and the final price is determined by whichever is more expensive, the loading metres or the weight.

Loading metres and weight: the chargeable weight conversion factor

In practice, the haulier compares the actual weight of your load with a chargeable freight weight derived from the loading metres. One loading metre often corresponds to a chargeable weight of about 1750 kg, although the figure varies between hauliers and can be, for example, 1850 kg.

The idea is this: if your load weighs less than the chargeable weight of its loading metres, you are charged by space, i.e. by loading metres. If the goods are dense and heavy and exceed that limit, you are charged by actual weight. You are always invoiced on whichever basis is more expensive. That is why, when you request a quote, you should always ask which conversion factor the haulier uses.

How do you calculate loading metres?

The basic calculation is simple. See how many pallets fit side by side in a 2.4-metre-wide row, and divide the depth of the row, i.e. the pallet dimension in the direction of travel, by the number of pallets. This gives you the loading metres taken up by one pallet.

1. Check the pallet dimensions. For example, a EUR pallet is 800 x 1200 mm, i.e. 0.8 x 1.2 metres.
2. Work out how many fit in a row. Place the pallet so that its short side runs across the direction of travel. Three pallets 0.8 metres wide fit into 2.4 metres.
3. Divide the depth of the row. The depth of the row is then 1.2 metres. Three pallets share it: 1.2 / 3 = 0.4 loading metres per pallet.

Another way is to calculate directly from the area: the floor area the load occupies divided by 2.4 gives you the loading metres. Three EUR pallets in a row occupy 2.4 x 1.2 = 2.88 square metres, and 2.88 / 2.4 = 1.2 loading metres, or 0.4 per pallet. Both methods give the same result.

Loading metres for the most common pallets

Below are the loading metres taken up by the most common pallets and how many pallets fit in one layer in a standard semi-trailer (13.6 loading metres). If the pallets can be stacked, the number doubles with two layers.

The figures are indicative and refer to floor positions. The actual load depends on the height of the load, whether it can be stacked and whether the pallets can be placed tightly together. More detailed dimensions for each pallet can be found in the article pallet sizes and dimensions, and on the pallet type pages EUR pallet and FIN pallet.

Example: how to calculate the loading metres for your freight

Let us take a practical case. You have 10 EUR pallets of goods to ship, and they cannot be stacked.

• 10 pallets x 0.4 loading metres = 4 loading metres.
• If the freight rate is, for example, €30 per loading metre, the transport costs 4 x 30 = €120.
• If the same 10 pallets were FIN pallets, the space would be 10 x 0.5 = 5 loading metres, i.e. €150. The difference comes purely from the size of the pallet.

The same logic works the other way round: when you know the vehicle’s loading metres, you know how many pallets fit in it and can plan deliveries as full loads. There is more on this in the article how many pallets fit in a truck or container.

Loading metre, pallet space and load position: what is the difference?

The terms are easily confused, so let us clarify them.

• Loading metre (LDM) is one metre of the length of the load space across its full width. It is a measure of space and the basis for freight pricing.
• Pallet space means the floor space taken up by one pallet in the vehicle. A EUR pallet takes up one pallet space, and one pallet space is about 0.4 loading metres.
• Load position often refers to a stacked unit, i.e. a floor position over the full height of the load. If the pallets can be stacked, two pallets fit on top of each other in one load position.

When you request a quote, always ask what the price is based on. That way you avoid surprises and can compare quotes with each other.

How to reduce loading metres and freight costs

Loading metres are directly linked to the transport price, so it pays to keep them down. A few methods that work:

• Choose the pallet size to suit the use. In loading metres, a EUR pallet is more efficient than the wider FIN pallet. If your goods fit on a EUR pallet, you save space and money.
• Stack when you can. A stackable load halves the loading metres when the pallets go in two layers. A strong, intact pallet withstands stacking better.
• Load the pallet fully, but do not overfill it. Goods that overhang the edges prevent tight placement and can increase the loading metres. Keep the load within the pallet’s dimensions.
• Combine deliveries. A full load is always cheaper per pallet than a few pallets at a time.
• Use intact pallets. A broken pallet cannot carry the load or withstand stacking, so you lose the second layer. See the tips on condition in the article new or used pallets.

How to read a freight quote

When you compare transport quotes, check a few things so that the comparison is fair and you know what you are paying for.

• Pricing basis. Is the price calculated from loading metres, weight or the number of pallets? The same load can cost different amounts on different bases.
• Conversion factor. How many kilos does one loading metre correspond to? This decides whether you are charged by space or by weight.
• Stackability. Is the load marked as stackable? If not, you pay for the whole floor position even if the load itself is small.
• Extras. Do things like delivery to the door, a time window or handling add to the price on top of the loading metre rate?

Once these are clear, you can also influence the price: choose a space-saving pallet, stack when you can and ship full loads.

Frequently asked questions