Totes per trailer, counted
A standard 53 foot truck can carry up to 60 IBCs by one source, and 28 to 56 of the medium 250 to 350 gallon sizes by another. The count turns on the tote’s height, whether it can ride two high and what the plate allows.
01The figures, with the sums
| Tote size | Totes on a 53 ft truck | Gallons carried |
|---|---|---|
| Small height, 110 to 250 gal | 56 to 84 | 9,240 to 14,000 |
| Medium, 250 to 350 gal | 28 to 56 | 7,000 to 19,600 |
| Large, 450 to 550 gal | 30 | 13,500 to 16,500 |
| A tight standard load | Up to 60 | Up to 25,200 |
The sums check: 28 totes at 250 gallons is 7,000 and 56 at 350 gallons is 19,600. Sixty totes carry 25,200 gallons at 420 each, which means the figure is for larger totes than our two sizes. Treat 60 as an upper figure, not a promise.
02What changes the count
- Height: a 330 is seven inches taller than a 275.
- Stacking: totes can ride two high only where the plate allows.
- Trailer height and door height.
- Weight: a full tote is heavy, and axle limits cap a loaded trailer.
- Whether the totes are empty: empties ride lighter and often stack higher.
03Counting a load from the plate
The desk counts from the plate, not from a rule of thumb. The stacking test load and the maximum gross mass are on each tote, and this site states neither. A mixed pad is counted by lot. A seller’s ticket says the count and the grade of each, and a buyer’s says the count wanted.
04Full and part loads
A full trailer of one grade is the easiest match. A part load is fine, and the ticket says the count. The truckloads page explains what a ticket for a load should say.
?Questions on this page
How many totes fit on a truck?
Up to 60 on a standard 53 foot trailer by one source; 28 to 56 for 250 to 350 gallon sizes.
How many 275 gallon totes in a truckload?
It depends on the stacking the plate allows and the trailer. The desk counts a load from the plate.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Rules change; read the current text before you act on it.