Dry vans and refrigerated trucks are commonly used in The US for transportation as they can carry a wide range of cargo. However, these trailers come with limitations. For example, you cannot carry loads of a certain height and weight in dry vans or refrigerated trucks. This is where flatbed trucks come to the rescue.
However, you must know everything about flatbed trailers to know whether they fit your requirements.
What is a flatbed trailer?
As the name suggests, Flatbed trucks are simply flat decks with no roof or walls. It consists of a wooden platform with an aluminum frame. They offer more space and height, allowing you to transport tall cargo.
A traditional flatbed offers heights up to 48 ft to 53 ft, spanning up to 8 feet 6 inches wide. They have a deck height of 60 inches and a weight capacity of up to 48,000 pounds. If you have a large number of goods to transport to a destination within a limited time, you can also book multiple flatbed trailers and chain them together.
Another model of flatbeds is the step deck trailer, also known as the drop deck or lowboy trailer. This trailer is ideal for transporting tall cargo that exceeds the legal limit of traditional cargo. Plus, transporting tall cargo on a step-deck doesn’t require drivers or operators to obtain a permit.
Common uses of a flatbed trailer
Flatbed trucks are known for their versatility. You can haul different types of cargo and load/unload them faster as you can load your goods from all sides, which is not a perk you get from an enclosed van. Most importantly, flatbed trailers are ideal for shipping oversized cargo and freight that cannot be loaded into an enclosed trailer. Some items that can be seamlessly hauled in flatbed trucks include (but are not limited to):
- Long pipes
- Highway barriers
- Lumber
- Machinery
- Mobile homes
- Steel coils
- Scarp metals
- Tow trucks
- Shipping containers
Actually, shipping containers are one of the most transported items in flatbed trucks. You can load containers from inland ports or factories and transport them to seaports.
Overall, flatbed trailers are best for carrying heavier, taller, and larger loads. However, we won’t recommend flatbeds for hauling temperature-sensitive and perishable goods.
Advantages of flatbed trailers
The most significant advantage of flatbed trailers for shipping is that they offer more loading and unloading flexibility for larger goods. There are no enclosed walls, so you can load large, tall, and oddly shaped items. The open design also helps with loading/unloading cargo when cranes or other tools are involved.
Conclusion
As flatbeds are open from all sides, one needs to be extra careful while loading, securing, tarping, and maneuvering these trucks. This means you need to hire flatbeds from companies with skilled staff, drivers, and operators. For instance, if you are moving shipping containers from the port of Chicago to inside the city, you must find a reputed flatbed logistics company in Chicago with certified and skilled drivers and an experienced team to load, secure, and unload the goods.
