Flatbed Shipping
Flatbed shipping is transportation for cargo that may not require the enclosure of a dry van, cannot be loaded or unloaded from a dock or does not fit within the dimensions of standard truck trailers. Flatbed trailers are typically used for industrial freight that is oversized and overweight.
A flatbed’s design allows for cranes and forklifts to load goods from all angles. A legal flatbed trailer is typically 48’ long and 8.5’ wide, with varying deck length for step decks, double drops and removable goose necks (RGNs). When loading a flatbed trailer, shippers need to be aware of the maximum height and width allowed on roads.
Step-deck trailers can haul taller loads than flatbed trailers, usually, have a ramp for loading/unloading, and tend to be safer for forklift pickup. Double drop deck trailers have extra axles for better balance, have a 25-29 foot well to hold freight, and are used to haul flatbed freight that’s over 10 feet tall. Flatbed shipping can be a useful resource for many companies to use for their shipments.
The benefits of Flatbed Shipping
- Flatbed shipping provides dimensional flexibility for large freight since there are no physical walls.
- There are more than 14 types of flatbed trucks. Though flatbed, step deck, and double drop decks are the most common. Flatbed trailers are therefore versatile and are a common asset for carriers.
- Typical flatbed freight includes auto parts, construction equipment, excavators, generators, lumber, mining/drilling equipment, solar panels, tubing, and steel.
- Where dry van trailers are loaded from the rear, flatbed trucks can be loaded from either side, as well as the top and back.
- Flatbed equipment includes step decks, double drops and RGNs.
The limitations of Flatbed Shipping
- Flatbed shipping is highly dependent on the weather. It is often a cyclical and seasonal business, dependent on construction and capital expenditures. This can make fleet optimization challenging for flatbed carriers, as it is difficult to keep all of the drivers busy during off-seasons while still retaining enough drivers to handle the capacity of large freight volumes during peak seasons.
- Flatbed shipping gets tricky with over-dimensional freight, such as a crane. Certain over dimensional flatbed shipments need pilot vehicles, lights, and signs designating oversize freight, and/or proper cargo securement procedures.
- Cargo securement is a big issue in flatbed shipping. FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) has a lengthy section of rules for securement, even taking the time to write commodity-specific requirements on working load limits and blocking and bracing. The rules go through just about every type of cargo and method of cargo securement to demonstrate their appropriate uses. Obviously, insecure cargo is a serious safety hazard, especially while decelerating or accelerating in reverse.