Securing a van load: blocking, bracing and the rules people forget
Enclosed does not mean secured. The general rules in Subpart I apply inside a dry van or a reefer exactly as they do on a flatbed.
- Author
- Relay Dispatch Desk
- Published
- 18 Aug 2026
- Verified
- 15 Aug 2026
- Re-checked
- annually
Key takeaways
- The Subpart I general rules apply inside an enclosed trailer exactly as they do on an open deck.
- Walls are not a securement system: cargo must be immobilised or secured against movement in every direction.
- Blocking and bracing is the usual answer, and it counts as securement when it actually prevents movement.
- Aggregate working load limit still applies to anything you tie down rather than block.
The most common misconception in van freight is that the trailer is the securement. It is not. Subpart I applies to cargo carried in an enclosed trailer on exactly the same terms as cargo on a flatbed — the rules do not have an indoor exemption.
What the general rule asks for
Cargo must be firmly immobilised or secured so it cannot shift or fall in a way that affects the vehicle's stability or manoeuvrability. In practice that means preventing movement forward, rearward, laterally and vertically — and the trailer walls only help with two of those four.
Blocking and bracing
- Load to the nose and keep it tight — an air gap is where movement starts.
- Fill voids so the load cannot run forward under braking.
- Use load bars, straps or airbags for the rear face of a partial load.
- Anything you tie down rather than block still has to meet the aggregate working load limit.
Sources
- eCFR (GPO/OFR) · 49 CFR Part 393 Subpart I — Protection Against Shifting and Falling Cargo · 49 CFR §§ 393.100–393.136 · accessed 15 Aug 2026
- FMCSA · Motor Carrier Safety Planner — cargo securement (§ 393.100) · accessed 15 Aug 2026
Re-verified annually. Educational summary — the regulation controls. Not legal advice.
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