Understanding the Dimensions of the Largest P&D Vehicle

Introduction to P&D Vehicles

In day-to-day city freight, pickup and delivery vehicles (P&D) are the workhorses that thread busy streets, hit docks, and keep LTL and final-mile lanes moving. In most fleets, the largest single-unit P&D option is a 26-foot straight truck (Class 6–7), while some LTL carriers treat a 28-foot “pup” trailer behind a day-cab as their big P&D tool for parcel-dense routes. Getting the numbers right—cargo area dimensions, overall vehicle length, wheelbase length, rear door width/height, and weight limits—is the difference between a clean first attempt and an awkward, noncompliant re-route.

This guide gives you the dispatcher’s view: what “largest” looks like in the real world, how to read vehicle specifications across body makers and rental fleets, which vehicle regulations actually cap you (federal vs regional size limits), and how to map those to transportation planning and delivery operations that don’t jam up at the dock.

Metric + imperial throughout. Where specs vary by model year or body builder, we show ranges and cite sources so you can verify your exact unit.

Standard 26-Foot Straight Trucks

The industry’s “max non-CDL box” is the 26′ straight truck. Retail rental fleets publish representative specs you can use to sanity-check dealer or in-house bodies.

Cargo Area Dimensions

Typical 26′ box interiors fall close to these ranges:

Interior length: ~26′–26′2″ (≈ 7.9–8.0 m)

• U-Haul lists 26′2″ usable length; Penske lists interiors up to 25′11″.
Interior width (at scuff): ~97–98″ (≈ 2.46–2.49 m)

• Supreme/Morgan bodies commonly list ~97–98″ interior width.
Interior height: ~96–103″ (≈ 2.44–2.62 m) depending on roof and floor build.
Rear door opening: ~93–97″ W × ~91–97″ H (≈ 2.36–2.46 m W × 2.31–2.46 m H)

• Supreme example: 93″×97″; Morgan examples around 94–103″ high depending on spec; U-Haul rental door 7′9″ × 6′10″ (93″ × 82″). Always check the door frame—it’s lower than interior height.
Volume (straight dry van with roll-up): ~1,600–1,700+ ft³ (≈ 45–48 m³) for rental-style bodies.

Dock reality. Don’t confuse cargo area length with what clears the doorway; roll-up doors reduce opening height. Plan tall pallets by door opening, not ceiling height. (Penske and U-Haul publish both interior dims and door openings.)

Overall Vehicle Length

“26 feet” describes the box, not the bumper to bumper length (B-to-B). OAL varies by cab style and wheelbase length:

Isuzu FTR (LCF) and Hino 268 spec sheets show OAL from ~33–36 ft (≈ 10.0–11.0 m) for long wheelbases that carry 24–26′ bodies. Hino’s 268 line shows OAL up to 432 in (36.0 ft) on the longest wheelbase; Isuzu F-Series charts pair 224–248″ wheelbases with 22–30 ft bodies and OALs up to 418.5 in (34.9 ft).
Turning is a planning constraint: Hino publishes curb-to-curb turning radius from ~41–71 ft depending on WB; Isuzu’s LCF geometry cuts that significantly (e.g., 56–57 ft with a 24′ body vs 64+ ft with a conventional cab). That’s big for parking space size, curb to bumper length maneuvers, and tight turning radius requirements in P&D.

Quick-Spec Table — 26′ Straight Truck (typical P&D build)

Category	Typical range (imperial)	Metric	Notes
Interior length	25′11″–26′2″	7.9–8.0 m	Box length varies slightly by body maker.
Interior width	97–98″	2.46–2.49 m	At scuff; narrower with thick liners.
Interior height	96–103″	2.44–2.62 m	Roof/floor build drive variance.
Door opening (W×H)	~93–97″ × 91–97″	2.36–2.46 m × 2.31–2.46 m	Check your rear door width/doorway height tag.
GVWR (non-CDL rental)	25,999 lb	11,793 kg	Common cap to stay under CDL.
Payload (rental)	~10,000–12,800 lb	~4.5–5.8 t	Depends on chassis/box.
Overall vehicle length	~33–36 ft	10.0–11.0 m	Depends on wheelbase length/cab length options.
Turning radius (curb-to-curb)	~42–66 ft	12.8–20.1 m	WB and cab type (LCF vs conventional).

Dock clearance tip. Typical U.S. dock height is ~48–50″; many 26′ bodies ride in that range unladen, but verify your dock clearance and liftgate configuration. (Rental sheets list floor height ~46–50″.)

Variations in P&D Vehicle Sizes

Bed Lengths and Configurations

“P&D” in the freight industry can mean a few different truck types and truck configurations:

26-foot straight trucks (single-unit): Bodies from 24–28 ft are common from Morgan/Knapheide/Supreme; you’ll see standard truck sizes at 24′ and 26′ most often.
Long wheelbase trucks & rear overhang length: Body length is matched to cab to axle length (CA) and wheelbase via builder charts (Hino/Isuzu). Expect WB in the 224–248″ range to accommodate 22–30 ft bodies; rear overhang length and chassis length are controlled by body builder rules.
LTL P&D “pup” trailers (28′): Many LTL carriers run a day-cab + 28′ pup for P&D. Typical trailer dimensions: 28′ L × 102″ W × ~13′6″ H, interior/door openings ~94–104″ depending on make. (STAA designates 28–28.5′ pups; fleets sometimes run doubles.)

Trailer length options matter when your lane can accept a tractor + pup instead of a straight truck. Pups often back better to high docks and match LTL linehaul networks.

Legal Size and Weight Limits

Width (National Network): 102 in (2.6 m) federal standard for commercial vehicles.
Height: No federal vehicle height limit; states set vehicle height limits (common legal 13′6″ or 14′ on designated roads). Your highway length limits rarely cap a straight truck; road legal length for singles is state-level, with cities putting length restriction rules on certain streets.
GVWR & CDL line: many 26′ rentals pin GVW at 25,999 lb to avoid CDL. Payload depends on curb weight: U-Haul lists ~12,859 lb max load; Penske “up to 10,000 lb” on typical rentals. Your in-house chassis may carry more/less.

Length compliance: There’s no federal overall length limit for a straight truck on the National Network akin to the tractor-semitrailer rule, but state/local ordinances and regional size limits govern maximum truck length, bumper to bumper length, rear overhang, and certain downtown corridors. Confirm your permit length requirements with the state if you exceed posted limits or add specialized devices.

Comparison Snapshot — Biggest P&D Choices

Vehicle type	Usable cargo space (typical)	Vehicle dimensions highlights	Operational sweet spots
26′ straight truck (dry van)	~1,600–1,700+ ft³; door ~93–97″ W × 91–97″ H	OAL ~33–36 ft; turning radius varies by WB; 102″ wide	Multi-stop retail, e-com bulk, pallet/parcel mix; easy liftgate work.
Day-cab + 28′ pup	Similar cube to a 26′ box; door ~94–104″ H/W common	Overall length depends on tractor; trailer is 28′ × 102″, 13′6″ high	LTL P&D matched to terminal networks; better dock height compatibility.

What to Measure (and Why It Matters)

For vehicle measurement standards and clean truck measurements, capture these every time:

Interior length/width/height (true cargo space).
Rear door width/height (often the real limiter).
Wheelbase length, cab to axle length (CA), rear overhang length (fit for body + liftgate + ICC bumper).
Bumper to bumper length/overall vehicle length (important for parking space size and alley turns).
Tandem axle length/axle spacing when spec’ing a heavier Class 7 chassis (affects weight distribution and some municipal rules).
Truck height (unladen/laded) vs route clearances.

Operations Checklists (Largest P&D in the Wild)

Dock & Site Fit

Door first: A 26′ with ~93–97″ door width won’t pass two 48×48 pallets side-by-side; message shippers early.
Dock height: Match floor height ~46–50″ and gap management to avoid nose-high loading with light cargo.
Turning: If you move from a conventional cab to an LCF (Isuzu F-Series), you can cut ~7–8 ft off the turning diameter for the same body—plan routing restrictions accordingly.

Compliance & Permits

Width: 102″ on the National Network; local streets can be tighter even if legal.
Height: manage to the lowest posted structure; brochure “legal height” is not a clearance guarantee.
Permits: Unusual load length or overhang can trigger trailer permits/truck permits—rare for standard boxes, common for specialty bodies or long tail liftgates. Check permit application process and permit renewal cycles for recurring lanes.

Spec Examples (so you can triangulate your unit)

U-Haul 26′: interior 26′2″ × 8′1″ × 8′3″; door 7′9″ × 6′10″; GVW 25,999 lb; volume ~1,682 ft³; clearance 12′. Useful to benchmark standard truck sizes.
Penske 26′: interior up to 25′11″ × 8′1″ × 8′1″; payload up to ~10,000 lb; loading space ~1,700 ft³.
Supreme 26′ body (dealer listing as data point): interior 98″ W × 103″ H; door 93–97″ H depending build—illustrates vehicle configurations variability.
Isuzu FTR / Hino 268 (chassis): WB/OAL maps show how chassis length and CA enable 26–30′ bodies with OAL ~33–36 ft and turning radii that swing widely by wheelbase.
LTL 28′ pup: 28′ × 102″, door/inside heights ~103–104″ common; 13′6″ overall height—great reference when comparing truck types and trailer length options for big-city P&D.

Conclusion

“Largest P&D” usually means either a 26-foot straight truck or a day-cab with a 28′ pup—different animals with overlapping jobs. For fleet planning metrics and fleet size constraints, spec to freight dimension standards you actually encounter:

For dense, multi-stop delivery vehicles (liftgate + parcel/pallet mix), a 26′ straight with interior ~26′ × 97–98″ × 96–103″ and door ~93–97″ is a proven, road legal length choice with manageable turning radius requirements.
For LTL terminal networks, a 28′ pup offers trailer dimensions that mirror linehaul gear and simplifies cross-docking; plan city access by tractor OAL and curb space.
Across both, your true constraints aren’t just truck dimensions; they’re weight limits, door openings, posted clearances, and local truck regulations. Measure the unit, confirm the length compliance requirements on your specific streets, and publish a one-page lane card with: vehicle measurements, overall vehicle length, dock clearance, parking space size, and any length restriction rules or highway length limits on the route.

Orbit DB planner’s checklist

Record vehicle measurements (interior & door) from the body tag.
Log wheelbase length, cab to axle length, rear overhang length, and current chassis length/bumper to bumper length.
Verify vehicle height limits on your corridor (state postings) and confirm any permit length requirements for unusual accessories.
For urban lanes, pick LCF chassis where turning radius requirements are tight; it reduces missed turns and damage claims.

With those numbers on one sheet, your logistics team will put the right truck types on the right trucking routes, eliminate last-minute swaps, and keep P&D windows on time.