Flatbed freight
Flatbed loads that are worth the straps, chains and tarps
There are always flatbed loads on the board. The hard part is picking the ones that fit your deck, pay for the tarp work and do not strand you 300 miles from the next load. That is the work our desk does every day for owner-operators running their own authority.
Below: where flatbed freight comes from, the checks we run before booking, how seasons move the market, and how partials fit in.
Where flatbed freight comes from
Flatbed shippers, and how the loads reach you
Open-deck freight is anything that loads from the side or the top with a forklift or crane, or is too big, heavy or awkward for a van. Flatbed hauling starts with a handful of shipper types:
Steel mills and service centers
Coils, plate, beams and rebar. Heavy, dense freight that often fills you out on weight before length.
Lumber yards and mills
Bundled dimensional lumber, panels and treated wood, usually tarped with 8 ft lumber tarps.
Building supply
Shingles, block, trusses and insulation, often multi-stop to job sites and retail yards.
Equipment dealers and rental yards
Construction equipment and tractors, where height decides flatbed or step deck.
Pipe and tube makers
Steel and PVC pipe for oilfield, water and construction work, chocked and stacked.
Freight brokers
Most open-deck loads an owner-operator sees are posted or called in by brokers working for those shippers.
Most of that freight reaches a one-truck carrier through brokers. The posted loads on the boards are the visible part; plenty of good flatbed freight is booked by phone with carriers a broker already trusts. Our job is to get you on those lists. Read how we vet flatbed freight brokers and which load boards carry flatbed and step deck freight.
What to check before booking
Five questions before any flatbed load gets a yes
- Weight. Cargo plus your empty weight has to stay under 80,000 lb gross, and the axles have to stay legal too. Heavy steel can be legal on paper and still overload your drives if it is loaded wrong.
- Dimensions. Width over 102 in, or a total height over what the states on the route allow (13 ft 6 in in most), means permits.
- Securement. What it takes to tie it down: straps, chains, coil racks, edge protection, dunnage. Coils of 5,000 lb or more fall under their own rules in 49 CFR 393.120.
- Tarps. Lumber, steel or smoke tarps, and whether tarp pay is on the rate con.
- Site access. Job sites with no forklift, crane schedules, appointment windows and who pays if you wait.
Try the check on a load you are looking at right now.
From your scale ticket
Example defaults, replace with your numbers.
- OKWeight: 77,000 lb gross. 3,000 lb under 80,000, before axle limits and the bridge formula.
- OKWidth: 96 in fits within 102 in.
- OKHeight: Deck plus freight is 11 ft 0 in, 2 ft 6 in under 13 ft 6 in.
- OKLength: 40 ft fits on the deck.
- AskTarp pay: Tarped load. Get tarp pay written on the rate con before you accept.
Limits used: 80,000 lb gross (23 CFR 658.17), 102 in width (23 CFR 658.15), 13 ft 6 in height (most states; some allow more). Deck heights are typical: about 60 in for a flatbed, 40 in for a step deck lower deck. States set axle, length and permit rules, so treat this as a first check, not a permit decision.
Seasonality
Construction season sets the flatbed calendar
Flatbed demand usually builds through spring and summer as construction and farm work pick up, then eases in late fall and winter, hardest in the snow states. DAT has described that pattern for years (source). The national number moves too: DAT put the September 2026 flatbed spot average at $3.61 per mile with fuel (DAT, Oct 13, 2026).
What that means for your week: in the slow months we lean on regional building material and steel lanes and plan reloads before you deliver. In the busy months we push rates and accessorials harder because the brokers need trucks.
Partials and multi-stop
Partial flatbed loads and multi-stop runs
A partial takes part of your deck or part of your weight. Two partials going the same way can beat one full load, as long as both fit legally together, both shippers can load in a sensible order, and the second stop is paid for. We work those out before you accept the first one.
Multi-stop building material runs are common: a load of shingles and lumber dropped at three job sites. We ask for stop-off pay and site details up front so a fourth stop does not appear at the dock.
How we book flatbed loads
From the board to your yes
- We search the boards and call our brokers for loads on your lanes that fit your deck and gear.
- We run the five checks above and ask the questions the posting leaves out.
- We negotiate the linehaul, tarp pay, detention and TONU terms.
- You get the full numbers by text or call, and you decide.
- On a yes, we confirm the rate con line by line and handle the check calls.
One flat fee covers all of it: 6% of gross, 5% for 2+ trucks. See the full pricing or how onboarding works. Comparing this to leasing on? Read our guide to flatbed companies for owner-operators.
Rate confirmation
Steel beams, 46,000 lb, tarped
Birmingham, AL to Charlotte, NC, 390 mi
- Deadhead
- 35 mi
- Tarps
- Steel, 6 ft drop
| Linehaul | $1,500 |
|---|---|
| Tarp pay | $150 |
| Gross | $1,650 |
| Dispatch fee (6%) | -$99 |
| You keep before costs | $1,551 |
EXAMPLE load. Run your own with the flatbed load profit calculator.
Get loads like this
Pick what you pull. Three short steps, about a minute.
6% of gross for one truck, 5% for 2+ trucks. No haul, no pay.
Flatbed loads FAQ
Questions about flatbed freight
Wondering how tall or heavy a load can be? That is covered in flatbed trailer dimensions and weight limits.
Where do flatbed loads come from?
Mostly from steel mills and service centers, lumber mills and yards, building supply companies, equipment dealers and pipe makers. An owner-operator usually reaches that freight through brokers, on load boards or by phone, and sometimes directly through a shipper relationship.
Are flatbed loads available all year?
Yes, but volume moves with the seasons. Flatbed demand usually builds in spring and summer with construction and agriculture and slows in winter, especially in the north. We plan lanes around that so you are not chasing the last load out of a cold market.
Do you book partial flatbed loads?
Yes, when the math works. A partial can pay well per mile if it leaves deck space and weight for a second load in the same direction. We check both loads fit legally, both shippers' timing and who pays for the extra stop before you agree.
Can you find local or regional flatbed loads?
Yes. Plenty of flatbed freight, especially building materials, moves on short regional runs. Tell us your radius and home time, and we build the week from short and regional runs where the rate per mile holds up.
What does hauling steel coils on a flatbed take?
Coil racks or cradles, the right chains and binders, and knowing the coil rules. Coils of 5,000 lb or more fall under 49 CFR 393.120, which sets how they are chained depending on whether the eye faces up, sideways or front to back. We confirm coil weight and eye direction before we book.
Do I need tarps to get flatbed loads?
You can run without them, but you will see fewer loads. Lumber, much of the steel and many building materials ship tarped. A set of lumber tarps and steel tarps opens far more of the board, and tarp pay helps cover them.
Let a flatbed desk keep your deck loaded
Tell us your trailer, lanes and minimum rate. We bring you checked, negotiated flatbed loads and you approve every one. More about our flatbed dispatch.