CBM calculator — volume, chargeable weight and the truck it fits in
Enter each item once. You get total cubic metres, volumetric weight against the divisor your mode actually uses, and the smallest Indian body or container that will take the load. No signup, nothing leaves your browser.
Consignment
| Length | Width | Height | Qty | Kg each | CBM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.600 | ||||||
| 2.304 | ||||||
| — |
Summed CBM assumes perfect stacking. Real loads leave voids around irregular cartons, so plan for roughly 80–90% of the theoretical cube unless the freight is uniform and palletised.
How CBM is calculated
CBM is length × width × height expressed in metres. Everything else is a unit conversion.
CBM = L(m) × W(m) × H(m) × Qty
A carton of 120 × 80 × 100 cm converts to 1.2 × 0.8 × 1.0 m, which is 0.96 CBM per piece. Ten pieces is 9.6 CBM — a comfortable part load on a 14 ft body.
Measure the shipping unit as the carrier will receive it: outer carton dimensions, pallet height included, protruding packaging included.
| If you measured in | CBM formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Centimetres (cm) | L × W × H ÷ 1,000,000 | 120 × 80 × 100 = 0.96 CBM |
| Metres (m) | L × W × H | 1.2 × 0.8 × 1.0 = 0.96 CBM |
| Inches (in) | L × W × H ÷ 61,024 | 48 × 32 × 40 = 1.007 CBM |
| Feet (ft) | L × W × H ÷ 35.315 | 4 × 2.7 × 3.3 = 1.009 CBM |
Chargeable weight, and why it is usually the number that matters
Carriers bill on the higher of actual weight and volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is the shipment in cubic centimetres divided by a mode-specific divisor: 6,000 for IATA air freight, 5,000 for most courier and express services, around 4,500 for road LTL, and roughly 1 CBM to 1 tonne for sea LCL. Light bulky freight — foam, furniture, empty packaging, plastic mouldings — is almost always billed on volume, which is why a 40 kg carton can cost the same as a 200 kg one.
How many CBM fits in an Indian truck or container
Usable internal cube and legal payload for the bodies commonly booked on Indian lanes. Cube and payload constrain independently — a 32 ft SXL runs out of weight long before it runs out of space.
| Body | Usable cube | Payload | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tata Ace / chhota hathi | 4.5 CBM | 750 kg | Intra-city last mile, e-commerce |
| Pickup (1.5 t) | 6.5 CBM | 1,500 kg | Local distribution, FMCG routes |
| 14 ft container body | 17 CBM | 3,500 kg | City-to-city part loads |
| 17 ft container body | 22 CBM | 5,000 kg | Regional FTL |
| 19 ft container body | 28 CBM | 7,000 kg | Regional FTL, white goods |
| 20 ft ISO container | 33 CBM | 21,000 kg | EXIM, dense cargo |
| 32 ft SXL | 55 CBM | 7,000 kg | Light bulky — volume-limited |
| 32 ft MXL | 60 CBM | 15,000 kg | Long-haul mixed freight |
| 40 ft ISO container | 67 CBM | 26,000 kg | EXIM full container load |
| 40 ft trailer | 78 CBM | 25,000 kg | High-volume long haul |
Cube figures are usable internal volume and vary by body builder — measure your own vehicles before committing to a contract. Payload figures assume standard GVW limits and no axle-load exemption. Both are planning numbers, not legal guarantees.
CBM questions, answered
The ones that come up on every first booking.
CBM stands for cubic metre — the volume a shipment occupies, not what it weighs. One CBM is a cube one metre on each side. Carriers price freight on whichever is greater: the actual weight or the space consumed, so CBM is what determines the bill for anything light and bulky.
Calculating this per shipment is the symptom, not the problem
If someone in your office is opening a calculator for every booking, the load plan is being rebuilt from scratch each time. FleetERP holds your carton masters, applies the right divisor per lane and mode, and produces the chargeable weight on the consignment note automatically — then tells you which of your own vehicles is already heading that way with cube to spare.