Dyna, rigid, trailer, reefer, lowbed — which truck does your cargo actually need? A practical size and payload guide.
Booking truck transport in Saudi Arabia starts with choosing the right vehicle. Too small and you need a second trip; too large and you pay for empty space. This guide lists the vehicle types most commonly used for freight in the Kingdom, with typical payloads and dimensions, so you can match the truck to the load.
Pickup and 1-tonne vans
Payload up to about 1,000 kg. Used for parcels, small consignments and urgent city deliveries. Available as dry or refrigerated.
Dyna 3-tonne truck
The most common city and regional truck in Saudi Arabia. Payload around 3,000 to 3,500 kg, cargo box roughly 4.3 m long, 2 m wide and 2 m high, taking 6 to 8 standard pallets. Available as dry box, open and refrigerated. Ideal for store deliveries and short inter-city runs.
7-tonne and 10-tonne rigid trucks
Payload 7,000 to 10,000 kg, cargo length 6 to 8 m, holding 12 to 16 pallets. Used for larger multi-drop routes and regional distribution. Available dry or reefer.
40-ft flatbed trailer
Payload up to about 25,000 kg on a 12 m open deck. Used for construction materials, steel, machinery and palletised cargo loaded by crane or forklift from the side. Loads are tarped and lashed.
40-ft curtain-side trailer
Same capacity as a flatbed with a soft-sided enclosure for weather protection and side loading. The standard for palletised inter-city FTL.
40-ft box trailer
Closed hard-sided trailer for goods needing security and full weather protection; loads from the rear.
40-ft refrigerated trailer
Payload around 22,000 kg and 26 to 33 pallets depending on pallet size, with a cooling unit for frozen, chilled or controlled-ambient cargo. Dual-chamber versions available.
Lowbed trailer
For machinery and heavy items, with a deck height of around 0.9 m to keep tall loads within height limits. 2- to 4-axle versions carry up to roughly 60 tonnes; modular trailers go beyond.
Skeletal container trailer
Carries 20-ft and 40-ft shipping containers between ports and inland points.
Choosing correctly
Provide weight, dimensions, pallet count, loading method and temperature needs when requesting a quote, and the carrier will confirm the smallest vehicle that fits safely.
TQM International operates this full range of trucks across Saudi Arabia and can advise on the right vehicle for any consignment.
