diff --git a/rmf_site_format/src/legacy/lift.rs b/rmf_site_format/src/legacy/lift.rs
index d5d16b11..5022bd83 100644
--- a/rmf_site_format/src/legacy/lift.rs
+++ b/rmf_site_format/src/legacy/lift.rs
@@ -45,8 +45,14 @@ impl Lift {
         // TODO(MXG): Rewrite this with glam now that we've accepted it as a dependency
         let x = self.x as f32;
         let y = self.y as f32;
-        let d = self.depth as f32 / 2.0;
-        let w = self.width as f32 / 2.0;
+        // NOTE: Coordinate axes changed between the legacy format and the
+        // new format. Width used to be along the local x axis, and depth
+        // used to be along the local y axis, but now that is flipped to
+        // better align with the robotics convention of the local x axis
+        // being forward/backward while the local y axis is the lateral
+        // direction (side-to-side).
+        let d = self.width as f32 / 2.0;
+        let w = self.depth as f32 / 2.0;
         let theta = self.yaw as f32;
         let rotate = |x, y| {
             (
@@ -95,8 +101,14 @@ impl Lift {
 
             let dx = door.x as f32;
             let dy = door.y as f32;
-            let half_width = self.width as f32 / 2.0;
-            let half_depth = self.depth as f32 / 2.0;
+            // NOTE: Coordinate axes changed between the legacy format and the
+            // new format. Width used to be along the local x axis, and depth
+            // used to be along the local y axis, but now that is flipped to
+            // better align with the robotics convention of the local x axis
+            // being forward/backward while the local y axis is the lateral
+            // direction (side-to-side).
+            let half_width = self.depth as f32 / 2.0;
+            let half_depth = self.width as f32 / 2.0;
 
             let cabin_face = if dx.abs() < 1e-3 {
                 // Very small x value means the door must be on the left or right face
@@ -208,8 +220,14 @@ impl Lift {
             }
         }
 
-        let width = self.width as f32;
-        let depth = self.depth as f32;
+        // NOTE: Coordinate axes changed between the legacy format and the
+        // new format. Width used to be along the local x axis, and depth
+        // used to be along the local y axis, but now that is flipped to
+        // better align with the robotics convention of the local x axis
+        // being forward/backward while the local y axis is the lateral
+        // direction (side-to-side).
+        let width = self.depth as f32;
+        let depth = self.width as f32;
         let cabin = RectangularLiftCabin {
             width,
             depth,