What is flatbed trucking?

Flatbed trucking is the part of the industry that hauls what will not fit, or should not go, in a box trailer. The trailer is an open deck. Freight goes on from the top or the side, and the driver holds it down with straps, chains and binders, then often covers it with tarps. Flatbed truckers move a big share of the steel, lumber and building materials that construction runs on.

If you are weighing whether to run open deck, this guide covers the trailers, the freight, the real work and the honest pros and cons.

Flatbed meaning: what makes a trailer a flatbed

A flatbed semi truck trailer is a flat platform on axles, usually 48 or 53 ft long and 102 in wide, which is the federal width limit on the National Network (23 CFR 658.15). The deck sits about 5 ft off the ground. There are no walls, so every piece of freight needs its own tiedowns, and the rub rails along each side carry the stake pockets and winches.

That open design is the whole point. A forklift can load from either side, a crane can set a coil from above, and freight taller or wider than a van door still has a home.

Trailer types flatbed truckers run

Deck heights vary by maker and model; our flatbed trailer dimensions and weight limits guide has the full table and the legal limits. Specialized heavy-haul trailers exist too, but they are a different business with engineering permits, and we leave them out here.

Flatbed commodities: what flatbeds haul

Open-deck freight clusters around a few industries:

• Steel. Coils, beams, plate, angle and rebar. Dense and heavy, so you hit weight before you fill the deck.
• Lumber. Bundled dimensional lumber and panels, usually tarped.
• Building materials. Roofing, block, brick, trusses, insulation, often with multiple stops.
• Machinery and equipment. From skid steers to industrial machines. Tall pieces go on step decks.
• Pipe. Steel and PVC, stacked and chocked.

Most of it follows construction, which is why flatbed demand usually builds in spring and summer and slows in winter (Trucking Dive, quoting DAT). Where those loads come from and how a carrier reaches them is covered on our flatbed loads page.

The work: securement, tarping and weather

This is the part that separates flatbed from van freight.

Securement. Every load is held by tiedowns that meet the federal cargo securement rules in 49 CFR Part 393, Subpart I. The working load limits of your tiedowns must add up to at least half the cargo weight, there is a minimum count based on article length, and coils, lumber, metal and machinery have their own commodity rules. You check the load before you leave and again during the trip.

Tarping. A full-size lumber tarp, 24 by 27 ft with an 8 ft drop in 18 oz vinyl, is listed at about 121 lb (Trucking Depot). Pulling one over a load in wind is the hardest physical job in trucking for many drivers. That is why tarp pay exists, and why you should never give it away.

Weather. Straps loosen in rain and heat, snow loads the tarps, and you are out on the deck in all of it.

Weight. The federal gross limit on the Interstate system is 80,000 lb, with 20,000 lb on a single axle and 34,000 lb on a tandem (23 CFR 658.17). Heavy steel makes axle placement your problem, not just the total.

Is flatbed trucking worth it? The honest pros and cons

Pros

• Pay per mile. In September 2026, DAT put the national flatbed spot average at $3.61 a mile with fuel, against $3.01 for dry van (DAT, Oct 13, 2026). The gap moves month to month, but flatbed has a skill premium built in.
• Tarp pay and accessorials on top of the linehaul.
• Less waiting at docks on many loads, since shippers load from the side with forklifts.
• Freight that never goes away. Construction and industry always need open decks.

Cons

• Physical work. Straps, chains, tarps, climbing, in every kind of weather.
• Gear cost. Straps, chains, binders, edge protectors, coil racks and tarps add up before your first load. Our startup guide has the checklist.
• Seasonality. Winter in the north can be thin.
• Liability. A securement mistake can hurt someone, and inspectors look hard at open decks.

If you want the side-by-side view, read flatbed vs dry van. If you are pricing your first loads, run them through the flatbed rate calculator so tarp time and deadhead are in the math.

Is flatbed trucking hard?

Harder than van, yes. The first months are slow because every load is new: a different strap pattern, a new tarp drop, a crane schedule. It gets faster. Experienced flatbed truckers develop routines for each commodity, keep their gear organized, and price their time. What never changes is the weather and the weight of a wet tarp.

Best semi truck for flatbed hauling

There is no single best model, but some traits matter more on open deck than in van work:

• Power and gearing for heavy steel and hills at 80,000 lb.
• Light tare weight, because every pound of truck is a pound of freight you cannot haul.
• A fifth wheel height that suits your trailer and keeps the deck level.
• Storage behind the cab or in a headache rack for chains, binders, straps and tarps.

Pick the truck around the freight you plan to haul most, then build your gear list around it.