What is a loading meter (LDM)?

What is the meaning of LDM in transport?

LDM stands for loading meter. A loading meter indicates how much of a truck’s cargo space length is occupied by your shipment. It is not about the weight, but rather the floor space used in the longitudinal direction of the trailer.

One loading meter is always:

• 1 meter in length

• Across the full width of the trailer

• Based on a standard width of 2.40 meters

Loading meters are primarily used in groupage and partial loads (LTL), where multiple shipments share a single trailer. This ensures the best possible use of the available space.

What exactly is a loading meter?
A loading meter is a way to allocate space within a truck. Instead of calculating based on individual pallets or cubic meters alone, it focuses on the length of the trailer required for your goods.

This allows a carrier to estimate:

• How much space your shipment occupies

• Which other shipments can be included

• What the transport costs will be

How do you calculate LDM?

The question “how do you calculate LDM?” is a common one in shipping. The calculation is quite simple:

Formula:

Length of your shipment (in meters) × width (in meters) ÷ 2.40

Example:

Your shipment is 1.2 meters long and 0.8 meters wide.

This tells you exactly how much of the trailer’s space your goods will occupy.

How many LDMs is one block pallet?

A block pallet typically has dimensions of 1.00 x 1.20 meters.

This results in the following calculation:

(1.20 × 1.00) ÷ 2.40 = 0.50 LDM

This means that one block pallet occupies an average of half a loading meter. Consequently, two block pallets placed side by side equal approximately 1 LDM, depending on how they are positioned.

Loading meters and Euro pallets

A Euro pallet has dimensions of 0.80 x 1.20 meters. The calculation for a Euro pallet then becomes:

(1.20 × 0.80) ÷ 2.40 = 0.40 LDM

Practical implications:

2 Euro pallets placed side by side take up about 0.80 LDM

3 Euro pallets in a sequence result in approximately 1.20 LDM

The exact calculation is always subject to the actual placement within the trailer.

How many cubic meters (m3) is one loading meter?

The question of how many cubic meters are in a loading meter is frequently asked, but there is no fixed answer. This is because a loading meter measures length, whereas a cubic meter measures volume.

The following guideline is often used:

• 1 LDM ≈ 1.8 to 2.0 m³ for standard cargo

• This may vary for tall or lightweight goods

For this reason, transport calculations often involve both LDM and m³, depending on the available space and the weight of the shipment.

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When do we use LDM instead of pallets?

Loading meters are typically used when:

• A shipment does not fit neatly within standard pallet dimensions

• The height of the goods varies significantly

• The shipment is a partial load (LTL)

• The trailer layout determines the shipping price

For full truckloads (FTL), the calculation is more commonly based on the total number of pallets.

Why is LDM important for transport planning?

The loading meter determines:

• Exactly how much space your shipment occupies

• How many other shipments can be combined in the same trailer

• The overall efficiency of the trailer’s load

An accurate calculation prevents misunderstandings during loading and ensures there is never a shortage of space on-site.

Conclusion

The loading meter (LDM) represents the linear length of a truck occupied by your shipment. You can calculate this based on the specific dimensions of your goods.

• One block pallet averages 0.50 LDM

• One Euro pallet averages 0.40 LDM

• In practice, 1 LDM equals approximately 1.8 to 2.0 m³, depending on the height of the cargo

By accurately calculating loading meters in advance, you avoid surprises during loading and ensure the available trailer space is used to its full potential.

Do you have questions about loading meters or transport planning? You can contact us at any time for professional advice from the team at E. van Wijk Logistics.