The workhorse. A level 48–53 ft deck, loadable from every side and the top, for steel, lumber, machinery, and any freight that fits legal height — plus plenty that runs over-width.
Quick answer: A flatbed is an open, level trailer (typically 48–53 ft) with no sides, loaded by crane or forklift from any direction. It carries legal-height freight and over-width loads — steel, lumber, pipe, machinery, and building materials.
With no walls or roof, a flatbed loads from the sides, the rear, or straight down by crane — the most flexible open-deck option there is. It carries freight up to about 8'6" tall and 8'6" wide legally, and we permit and flag anything that runs wider.
Flatbeds are the default for anything that doesn't need extra height clearance: structural steel, pipe, lumber, pallets of building material, and machinery within legal height. When freight gets taller, we step up to a step-deck or double-drop.
| Deck / well height | ~5 ft (60 in) |
|---|---|
| Usable deck length | 48–53 ft |
| Legal payload | 48,000–52,000 lb |
| Max cargo height (legal) | ~8'6" |
| Loading method | Crane, forklift, or side-load |
| Axles (base) | 2 (tandem) |
Long, heavy material loaded from the side or top
Palletized and banded freight
Equipment that fits under 8'6"
Wide loads permitted and flagged
Deck height is what decides most loads. The lower the deck, the taller the machine you can carry and still clear 13'6" without a height permit — which is why the heavy stuff rides in a well.
| Trailer | Deck height | Legal payload | Max cargo height | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbed you are here | ~5 ft (60 in) | 48,000–52,000 lb | ~8'6" | Load is under legal height and width and can be loaded from any side. |
| Step-Deck | ~3.5 ft (42 in) lower deck | ~48,000 lb | ~10' | Freight is too tall for a flatbed but still under ~10'. |
| Conestoga | ~5 ft (60 in); ~3.5 ft drop-deck | ~44,000 lb | ~8' interior (~10' drop-deck) | Load needs weather protection but still has to be crane- or side-loaded. |
| Double-Drop | ~18–24 in in the well | ~45,000 lb | ~11'6" | Freight is tall enough to need a well, and may need extra length. |
| Lowboy | ~18–24 in | 40,000 lb base — 100,000 lb+ with axles | ~11'6"–12' | Height clearance is the binding constraint and the load is crane-loaded. |
| RGN | ~18–24 in | 40,000–50,000 lb base — 150,000 lb+ with axles | ~11'6" | Equipment drives on and off under its own power. |
| Multi-Axle / Superload | Follows the base RGN / lowboy deck | 200,000 lb+ | Route-engineered | Weight exceeds what any single trailer can carry legally. |
Ranges cover standard builds — exact capacity depends on the trailer, the axle spacing, and the bridge formula on your route. Send dimensions and weight and we'll tell you which one your load actually needs.
Before trailer choice matters, the load has to be measured against the federal legal envelope. Stay inside it and the load moves as ordinary freight. Break any one of these and it becomes an oversize or overweight move that needs a permit, and often a routed corridor and escorts:
Height is where trailer choice earns its money. Cargo height is measured from the pavement, not the deck — so a 12-foot machine on a 5-foot flatbed stands 17 feet tall and is illegal everywhere, while the same machine in a 2-foot well stands 14 feet and clears most routes. That single difference is why heavy equipment rides on a lowboy or RGN instead of a flatbed.
Weight works the same way, but the ceiling is the federal bridge formula, not just the 80,000 lb gross — it governs how much weight may sit on a given axle group over a given distance. That's why heavier loads get more axles rather than a bigger trailer: spreading the weight across jeeps and boosters keeps each axle group legal. Some western states allow 14' height without a permit, and every state writes its own overweight rules, so we check the actual route before quoting rather than assuming the federal baseline.
Open-deck freight loaded from any direction — steel, pipe, lumber, building materials, and machinery that fits within legal height. It's the most versatile trailer for freight that doesn't need extra clearance.
Yes — flatbeds handle over-width freight with permits and flags. For over-height freight we move to a step-deck or double-drop to keep it legal.
Because the deck rides about 5 ft up, flatbed freight is generally capped near 8'6" tall to stay under the 13'6" legal limit. Taller than that and you want a drop trailer.
Yes — proper securement to the working load limit, plus tarping where the freight or weather calls for it.
Related field guide: How to Secure a Load on a Flatbed →
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