Dry Van Freight Brokerage

What Is a Dry Van in Trucking?

A dry van is an enclosed trailer with solid walls, a roof, and rear swing or roll-up doors — no temperature control and no open sides. It's called "dry" because it doesn't carry refrigeration equipment, distinguishing it from a reefer. Freight loads and unloads through the rear doors, which means it needs to be palletized, boxed, or otherwise stacked in a way that works with dock-height loading. It's the single most requested trailer type in domestic freight because it fits the widest range of commodities — from retail goods to packaged food to industrial parts.

Dry Van Equipment and Specs

The standard dry van is 53 feet long, with an interior height of roughly 110 inches and interior width around 100 inches. That translates to up to 26 standard 40x48 pallets in a single layer, or about 45,000 lbs of freight, whichever limit the load reaches first. Shorter 48-foot vans exist for lighter-duty or regional lanes. Because dry vans are the most common trailer on the road, they're also typically the easiest and most cost-stable equipment type to source, especially on well-traveled lanes. Some carriers also run insulated (non-refrigerated) vans that buffer temperature swings for freight that's sensitive to heat or cold but doesn't need active cooling — worth flagging at quote time if your commodity falls in that gray area between dry van and reefer.

Loading and Packaging for Dry Van Freight

Dry van freight loads and unloads through rear swing or roll-up doors, so pallets need to be built for straight-in forklift access — standard 40x48 pallets stacked no taller than about 96 inches to leave clearance, and secured with stretch wrap or banding so nothing shifts in transit. Floor-loaded (non-palletized) freight is common in dry van shipments but takes longer to load and unload than palletized freight, which can affect appointment scheduling and detention risk at busy docks. Proper blocking and bracing matters most on partial loads that don't fill the trailer completely, since empty space gives freight room to move.

Dry Van vs. Flatbed and Reefer — When to Use Each

Dry van is the right call when freight is palletized or packaged, doesn't need temperature control, and can load and unload through rear doors at a standard dock. If the freight is oversized, irregularly shaped, or needs to load from the side or above by crane or forklift, flatbed is the better fit — see our dry van vs. flatbed guide for a full comparison. Freight that needs refrigeration or climate control requires a reefer trailer instead, which OTX can also source on request.

How OTX Coordinates Dry Van Freight

As a non-asset freight brokerage, OTX doesn't own dry van trailers — we source and vet dry van capacity from a broad carrier network, matching equipment to your lane, volume, and pickup window rather than working from one fleet's limited availability. That flexibility means faster coverage on tight timelines and more consistent options when regional capacity gets tight. Every shipment gets one accountable contact managing dispatch, in-transit tracking, and proactive status updates from pickup to delivery.

What Drives Dry Van Pricing

Dry van rates depend on the lane and distance, current truck supply relative to freight demand on that lane, whether the shipment moves as full truckload or LTL, weight and pallet count, and any accessorials like liftgate, inside delivery, or driver-assist unloading. Full truckload dry van typically prices most competitively on high-volume, well-traveled lanes; smaller shipments are better quoted as LTL so you're not paying for unused trailer space. As with most equipment types, seasonal demand swings — produce season, holiday retail volume, and severe weather — can tighten dry van capacity and push rates up temporarily on affected lanes.

Have palletized or packaged freight ready to move? Request a quote and OTX will source vetted dry van capacity — full truckload or LTL — for your lane and timeline.

Need Dry Van capacity?

Tell us your lane, freight, and timing — OTX Logistics Group will coordinate the right carrier and keep you updated from tender to delivery.

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FAQ

Dry Van questions, answered

What fits in a 53-foot dry van?

Up to 26 standard 40x48 pallets in a single layer, or roughly 45,000 lbs — whichever limit you hit first. Interior height is typically about 110 inches and interior width around 100 inches, wide enough for most palletized and packaged commodities.

What is a dry van in trucking?

A dry van is an enclosed, non-temperature-controlled trailer with solid walls and rear doors, used for palletized and packaged freight. It's the most common trailer type in North American trucking and the default choice unless your freight needs an open deck or refrigeration.

What freight can't ship in a dry van?

Anything needing temperature control (use a reefer), oversized or irregular freight that can't load through rear doors (use flatbed), and commodities requiring open-deck securement like machinery or building materials. Dry van also isn't ideal for freight that loads faster from the side.

Is dry van shipping cheaper than flatbed?

Generally yes, on a like-for-like basis, since dry van trailers are more plentiful and don't require tarping, chains, or securement labor. But the right comparison is equipment fit, not just cost — freight that needs an open deck won't move safely or legally in a dry van.

Can dry van freight move across the U.S.–Mexico border?

Yes. OTX sources dry van capacity for U.S.–Mexico cross-border lanes through our carrier network. Customs clearance is handled by licensed customs brokers OTX coordinates with, so the shipment moves smoothly from origin through the border to final delivery.

Related guides

Freight 101

Dry Van vs. Flatbed: Which Equipment Fits Your Load?

Matching your freight to the right trailer — enclosed dry van or open-deck flatbed — and why the wrong equipment choice costs time, money, and sometimes the whole shipment.

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FTL vs. LTL Freight: Choosing the Right Option

When full truckload beats less-than-truckload — and how to weigh cost, transit time, handling, and shipment size to pick the right mode for every load.

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What Is a Freight Broker? What They Do and Why Shippers Use One

A freight broker connects shippers with vetted carriers and manages the move from tender to delivery. Here's how brokers work, what they cost, and when using one makes sense.