Freight brokers are independent contractors that arrange and coordinate transportation of freight transportation for their customers. They do not maintain any assets and so have much more available capacity since they are not restricted to a certain set of available assets. Those that are flatbed freight carriers are currently growing and experiencing a surge in business.
Flatbed Trailers
A flatbed trailer is an open truck trailer or bed used to carry lumber, steel, heavy machinery, building products, and similar products. There are numerous devices used on flatbed trailers for securing cargo including chains, straps and binders along with various lengths of tarps for weather protection of the transported products. Flatbed trailers can haul between 44,000 and 48,000 pounds.
Types of Flatbeds
Open deck trailers are the key in the arsenal of flatbed trailers because they enable flatbed freight carriers to haul heavier, taller freight, and be nimbler in how the freight is loaded and unloaded.
There are three types of open deck trailers. The most common are the flatbed that is 48 inches wide, but can be as wide as 53 inches. This can be loaded from above with a crane or side-loaded with forklifts. Its best use is in job sites, rural deliveries, or anytime where a dock will not be available where the freight is loaded or unloaded.
Step deck trailers are also referred to as “drop deck” or “single drop” trailers and are used to haul many of the same types of freight as flatbed freight carriers do. A standard step deck usually has an upper deck that is 11 feet long so it can handle items that are 102 inches tall like a straight flatbed but, has a lower deck that is 37 feet long and can legally accommodate freight up to 120 inches high. This means that the trailer can carry a higher load without having to buy permits for the load.
Removal gooseneck trailers enable the front of the trailer to be disconnected and lay down so that a ramp is created on which excavators, tractors and other heavy equipment can be driven and then transported.
Flatbed Expertise
Companies that focus on freight that requires the use of open deck trailers typically have the experience and knowledge that is required to find the right equipment for transporting the most standard cargo to the most complex over-dimensional loads.
