Steel, lumber, machinery and equipment need a truck you can load from the side or top. HotShotTrucking.com dispatches flatbeds, step decks, RGNs and hot shots for shippers nationwide. One dispatcher stays on your load from quote to delivery.
FLATBED TRUCKING
Steel beams, lumber bundles, pipe and machinery all share one problem: they have to be loaded by forklift or crane from the side or top. That rules out vans and box trucks and narrows the choice to open-deck equipment.
HotShotTrucking.com books dedicated flatbeds and other open-deck trucks for shippers nationwide. We match the deck to the load, and one dispatcher stays with it from pickup to delivery.
Securing open-deck freight is part of the job. We confirm the dimensions, weight and loading method before the truck is booked, so the driver arrives with the right straps, chains and tarps. For loads that are over height or width, we arrange the permits and escorts the route needs.
Most open-deck loads go on one of the trucks shown here, and some flatbed freight is better off enclosed. The rest of this page explains how flatbed trucking works and how to book it.
A heavy pickup with a gooseneck flatbed carries up to 16,000 lbs on a deck up to about 40 ft. It is often the quickest open-deck truck to find for a partial load. Hot shots can often pick up within hours of your call. Many have ramps for skid steers and small equipment.
Hot Shot Trucking Services about Smaller open-deck loads
A 48 to 53 ft flatbed takes up to 48,000 lbs of steel, lumber and machinery. Freight can be tarped and strapped for weather and long runs. Step decks and RGNs are available for taller or heavier loads. Flatbeds also suit long steel and pipe that need a full 48 to 53 ft deck.
Flatbed Services about Full-size flatbeds
Palletized freight that can go through a dock door may be better off in a 53 ft dry van. It carries up to 42,000 lbs, out of the weather. Crated machinery and palletized building supplies often fit in a dry van. It keeps the freight dry and secure on long runs.
Dry Van Services about When it needs cover
Freight that loads from above
If a forklift or crane loads it from the side or top, a flatbed is built for it.
This page is written for shippers. Drivers looking for flatbed work will find a pointer in the FAQ.
A flatbed is an open deck with no sides or roof. A forklift or crane can load it from the side, the top or the rear. That suits freight that is long, tall, heavy or oddly shaped. Typical loads include pipe, rebar, building materials, machinery and construction and farm equipment.
Height picks the deck
Tall freight moves on a step deck or lower trailer to stay under height limits.
A standard flatbed is 48 to 53 ft long and 102 in wide. It carries up to 48,000 lbs, and its deck sits about 5 ft off the ground. It handles most open-deck freight, from steel to lumber to crated machinery.
Taller freight needs a lower deck. A step deck drops the rear section so tall loads stay under height limits. A double drop or removable gooseneck trailer goes lower still, for heavy equipment that is driven on. A Conestoga has a sliding cover, so freight stays dry without tarps.
The height, length and weight of your freight, and how it loads, decide the trailer. We match the trailer to your load, so the one that arrives suits the freight and the way it goes on.
Exact dimensions matter
Accurate size and weight let the trailer and any permits be planned before pickup.
While a standard flatbed carries most freight within legal limits, some loads are too wide, tall, long or heavy to move without a permit. Those loads need an oversize or overweight permit from each state on the route.
Permits can set the route, the hours the truck may travel and whether escort vehicles must ride along. A lower trailer such as a step deck or RGN often keeps tall freight within height limits and avoids a permit altogether. For tall or heavy equipment, the right trailer is far more practical than paying for permits the load does not need.
Give exact dimensions and weight when you ask for a truck. We plan the trailer and any permits with you before pickup, so the load is not held at the start.
Loading help at both ends
A forklift or crane ready at each end keeps the truck from waiting.
Flatbed carriers usually secure each load to federal standards, including chains, binders, straps and edge protection. This ensures freight stays in place through braking and turns whenever it is on the road.
Steel coils and machinery are chained down. Lumber and lighter freight go down with straps, and edge protectors stop straps from cutting into the load. Freight that must stay dry is covered with tarps. Drivers also stop to check the tie-downs during the trip.
Your part is simple. Confirm who loads and unloads at each end, whether the freight needs a tarp, and how the truck reaches the site. HotShotTrucking.com passes those details to the driver before pickup. Every shipment is monitored from pickup to drop-off.
Try a hot shot
Urgent loads up to 16,000 lbs often move faster on a hot shot.
When a full flatbed isn't the right fit for your shipment, a hot shot might be the answer. As with most open-deck freight, distance, weight, the type of trailer, any permits and how soon you need it all affect the cost.
A hot shot is a heavy pickup pulling a gooseneck flatbed. It carries up to 16,000 lbs on a deck up to about 40 ft, and it is often available sooner for a small urgent load. Freight that must stay fully enclosed belongs in a box truck, straight truck or dry van instead.
HotShotTrucking.com dispatches full flatbeds and hot shots, so you get the deck your load needs. We match the truck to your freight and deadline to make sure it arrives on time.
One dispatcher, start to finish
The same dispatcher books your truck and stays with the load until delivery.
At HotShotTrucking.com, we specialize in dedicated open-deck trucks that move your freight from the yard to the site with no transfers. We dispatch flatbeds, step decks, RGNs and hot shots nationwide, at any hour, including weekends and holidays.
Before you book, have the dimensions, weight, loading method and deadline ready. The truck carries only your load and drives direct. On long runs, the driver's hours set the daily distance, and two drivers can keep a truck moving when the deadline is tight.
You'll work one-on-one with a dispatcher who guides your shipment from pickup to delivery. Tell us what you need to move, and we'll handle the rest.
Watch on YouTube
Todd Waldron, Chief Commercial Officer at REPOWR, joins host Kevin Carpenter to break down the trailer sharing marketplace that has moved more than 60,000 trailers across 10,000+ carriers and 275 suppliers. A dry van now runs about $50,000 and a reefer up to $90,000, yet the average trailer spends 30 to 40 percent of its life empty or idle. REPOWR lets fleets relocate trailers by renting them out instead of paying a driver to go out of route, and gives carriers and shippers access to equipment right where they need it.
Kevin asks the expedite question: how fast can you actually reposition a trailer? Todd walks through short run pricing, the new loadaway product and a realistic five to seven day window. They also get into trailer tracking, fraud and the guardrails owners set over who hauls their equipment, when owning still beats renting, and how REPOWR's trailer optimization platform balances trailer pools automatically. Then Todd takes on the On Air Gauntlet, and pickles do not fare well.
Todd has 19 years in transportation, including CH Robinson, JB Hunt (where he helped build JB Hunt 360), CEO of Q Carriers, and VP of Carrier Experience at Truckstop.
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Construction spending rose in August, which keeps demand steady for the open-deck trucks that haul building materials and equipment.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total construction spending rose in August from a revised July figure.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, October 1, 2026
The bureau notes the increase sits within its margin of error, so spending is holding steady rather than surging.
Steady construction keeps flatbed demand firm, so book open-deck trucks early. HotShotTrucking.com dispatches flatbeds and hot shots nationwide.
“I had a single point of contact assigned to our shipment that was fantastic on keeping me updated every step of the way.”
Pamela · TrustpilotWhen you call HotShotTrucking.com, a real person answers and stays with your flatbed load from quote to signed delivery. That expeditor books the truck, confirms pickup and site access, and handles any change. If the crane schedule moves or the site contact changes, you call the person who already knows the shipment.
“I called up at 7:30 pm... one that was secured cancelled at the end of the day. Todd quoted three shipments on the spot... The last shipment was picked up at Midnight.”
Susan · TrustpilotWe start with dimensions, weight and how the freight loads. That tells us whether a standard flatbed, a step deck, an RGN or a hot shot fits. If the load is oversize, we plan the permits with you before pickup. You get one quote for the trailer that fits your freight.
“True to word. They did exactly what they said they would do.”
Dan · TrustpilotA crane crew waiting on a late load is stressful enough without wondering whether you have the full story. You see the price before you commit and the arrival time as it actually stands. If the truck is held up, you hear it from us first. If a hot shot can carry it, we tell you before you book a full flatbed.
talk to an expeditor now
Call (800) 604-2511
