What is a Flatbed Trailer?

If you're considering being a truck driver or you want to start a trucking business, "flatbed" is a term you'll hear or read a lot. So what exactly is a flatbed trailer?

Here's what I know from being in the trucking industry for 15 years:

A flatbed is a flat, open deck trailer with no roof or side walls used to transport industrial cargo such as machinery, building materials, and containers. They come in sizes of 20ft, 40ft, 48ft, or 53ft. The design of a flatbed allows for the use of forklifts and cranes to load and unload goods from any angle. 

Since they have no roof or side walls like a traditional dry-van, drivers typically depend on the use of strong weather-resistant tarps to protect cargo from the elements.

Flatbed trailers come in different sizes and are made differently depending on the cargo they intend to haul. The trailer's design will influence the height, length, width, and weight of the cargo it can carry legally, with some being able to handle cargo over the legal limit of 45,000 pounds.

Flatbeds require a lot of hands-on labor from drivers to secure odd-shaped and over-dimensional cargo as opposed to traditional "no-touch" dry van freight.

What is a flatbed trailer used for?

Due to the ease of loading and unloading flatbeds, a wide variety of industries rely on the use of these specialized trailers to transport their cargo.

Manufacturing and construction industries take advantage of flatbeds on a daily basis to transport heavy machinery between job sites and more. These are some of the most common uses for different flatbed trailers:

1. Building Materials
2. Heavy Machinery (bulldozers, cranes, etc.)
3. Oversize Tires
4. Steel Coils
5. Scrap Metal
6. Trees, Landscaping
7. Farming Materials

Each commodity requires the use of a specific flatbed trailer in order to meet the requirements of both the loading sites and the state driving laws that govern weight and height restrictions over the road.

What are the different types of flatbed trailers?

Not all flatbeds are created equal. This type of trailer actually has sub-types, and being familiar with each one is essential as a trucker.

Here are the types of flatbed trailers I have encountered:

Flatbed

A traditional flatbed consists of a long flat deck with no enclosures around the sides or roof. There is no loading door, and cargo can be loaded or unloaded easily from any side with a forklift or crane.

These flatbeds are widely used for their versatility and ability to carry freight into remote, inaccessible areas like farmland or well sites.

Step Deck

Step-deck trailers are also known as (drop deck) due to the top and bottom level of the trailer. Step decks are used when the height of the cargo would exceed state-regulated height restrictions over the road.

Shippers will use step decks in this case to avoid extra charges from height permits.

Lowboy

A lowboy trailer is a specialized flatbed used to haul over-dimensional equipment like bulldozers and excavators to remote job sites. Lowboys ride low to the ground allowing for easy loading and unloading of vehicles without a crane.

Just like a step-deck, low boys are used to avoid breaking any local height restrictions that would happen on a traditional flatbed. Lowboys can come with additional axles to accommodate more weight than other flatbed trailers.

Removable Gooseneck

Removable gooseneck trailers or (RGN) are designed to carry long and tall freight such as cranes, windmill blades, or airplane parts. The front of the RGN is collapsible, which allows the trailer to be dropped to the ground creating a ramp for easy on and off loading of cargo. RGN’s are adjustable and can expand from 3 to 20 axles, making them one of the most versatile of all flatbed platforms.

Since removable goosenecks are more specialized, these trailers come at a premium to shippers, making them a great profit center for the experienced driver.

Conestoga

A conestoga is a traditional flatbed or step deck trailer with a removable and adjustable frame fitted to the deck. The frame is fitted with a rolling tarp that can be used to protect sensitive cargo from outdoor elements.

With a conestoga trailer, you get the protection of a dry van with the versatility of a flatbed. Conestoga trailers are useful but not as widely available as most other flatbed trailers I mentioned, so they are not commonly used by shippers.

Sidekit Trailers

A sidekit trailer, also known as a “covered wagon”, got its name because of the removable panels running alongside the deck of the flatbed trailer. They offer efficient weather protection with removable sidewalls and covers that protect freight from damage by the wind, rain, and sun.

Sidekit panels can be made of wood or fiberglass and, in most cases, a tarp that covers the top of the panels for complete protection.

Sidekit panels can be installed at any time on most flatbed options offering a versatile means of protection without causing any logistical delays or problems.

The data in the table above contains the different heights, widths, lengths, axles, and weight capacity for each flatbed configuration. This will help you make the right decision when choosing which kind of flatbed you might need relative to the freight that you intend to haul.

When deciding which flatbed you want to attach to your cab, you have the choice between a variety of trailers that can give you access to profitable freight opportunities that aren’t available with any other trailer types.

Regardless of which flatbed you choose, flatbeds make a great addition to any trucking fleet.