DOCK 01FLATBED
Flatbed dispatch built around securement, tarp pay and mill wait times
Flatbed freight pays for the work you do with straps, chains and tarps, but only when it is written down. We find flatbed loads, get tarp pay and securement needs on the rate con, and set detention terms before you roll. 5% of gross for one truck with 6+ months of authority.
DOCK 02WHAT YOU LOSE
Where flatbedders lose money
Unpaid tarp time
The shipper wants it tarped, the rate con never said so, and an hour of work goes unpaid.
Securement surprises
Coils that need a cradle, machinery that needs eight chains, gear you do not carry.
Hours at mills and yards
Steel mills and lumber yards load on their schedule. Without detention terms, the wait is free for them.
Dimensions found at the dock
Over-width or over-height freight that needs permits nobody arranged.
DOCK 03RATE CON BUILDER
Build the rate con before you roll
Pick a load and the extras. Every line that applies should be on paper before you accept.
FLATBED RATE CONFIRMATION
Tarping takes real time and gear. If it is required and not on the rate con, it is usually unpaid. Example amounts, not quotes.
DOCK 04SECUREMENT
Securement: what the rules require
Federal rules set a floor for every flatbed load. The working load limits of all your tiedowns added together must be at least half the weight of the cargo they secure. The number of tiedowns depends on length and weight: an article 5 ft or shorter and 1,100 lb or lighter needs at least one; up to 10 ft, at least two; longer than 10 ft, two for the first 10 ft plus one more for each 10 ft after that, when nothing blocks it from moving forward.
Some cargo has its own rules on top of that, such as metal coils, lumber and heavy machinery. Shippers often ask for more than the minimum. We get those requirements on the rate con so you load with the right gear.
What the driver checks after loading
Once loaded, the driver is responsible for the securement. Federal rules require you to inspect the cargo and tiedowns within the first 50 miles and re-examine them during the trip, adding or tightening tiedowns as needed. Plan a stop for it; a dispatcher who books you nonstop through those first miles is not doing you a favor.
SOURCE:eCFR, 49 CFR 393.106, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 393.110, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 392.9, OCT 2026
Gear we keep on file for your truck
Brokers ask, and so do we. Keep this list current and you get offered the right loads.
- Deck length and type
- Straps and chains: how many, and their working load limits
- Tarps: lumber or steel tarps, and their sizes
- Edge protectors and corner guards
- Coil racks, dunnage and lumber
- Ramps or a forklift, if you carry one
DOCK 05TARPS AND DETENTION
Tarps: which loads need them, and what to ask
Tarping is the part of flatbed work most likely to go unpaid. Before you accept a load, these answers should be on paper:
- Is a tarp required, and what type?
- Lumber tarps cover tall loads, steel tarps are shorter for low, heavy freight, and some shippers ask for a smoke tarp on the front.
- What size?
- Shippers often name the drop size they want. If you do not carry it, you need to know now.
- Who supplies it?
- Usually you. Occasionally the shipper does.
- What does it pay?
- Tarp pay is a separate line on the rate con. If it is not written there, assume it is not paid.
Detention at mills and yards
Steel mills, lumber yards and plants load on their own schedule, and a flatbed can sit for hours. Get the free time and the detention rate written on the rate con, note your arrival and departure times on the bill of lading, and ask the broker to confirm before the free time runs out. Without terms on paper, the wait is hard to bill.
DOCK 06WHAT WE BOOK
Flatbed dispatch service: what we book
| Freight | What it usually needs | What we confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Steel (coils, beams, plate) | Chains or straps, edge protection, sometimes a coil rack | Weight, securement method, tarp requirement |
| Lumber and building materials | Straps, corner protectors, tarps to keep it dry | Tarp size and pay, load and unload at yards |
| Machinery and equipment | Chains and binders, ramps or a crane at each end | Dimensions, weight, loading method, permits if needed |
| Pipe and long material | Stakes or bolsters, multiple tiedowns | Length, overhang, tiedown count |
| Construction loads to job sites | Site access, unload help or forklift on site | Contact, hours, who unloads |
Flatbed, step deck or hotshot?
| Flatbed | Step deck | Hotshot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most open-deck freight | Taller freight that would be over height on a flatbed | Smaller, urgent and partial loads |
| Loading | Forklift or crane from the side or top | Same, plus ramps on some trailers | Often ramps or a dovetail |
| Trade-off | Height limits on tall freight | Shorter upper deck | Less weight and deck space |
Step deck dispatch · Oversize load dispatch · Hotshot dispatch · Max payload calculator
DOCK 07FEE
What our dispatch costs a flatbed
5% of gross for one flatbed with 6+ months of authority, 7% on a newer MC, 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Only on loads you haul.
FLATBED LOAD, LINEHAUL ONLY
DOCK 08FAQ
Flatbed dispatch questions
Q-01How much do flatbed dispatchers charge?
We charge 5% of gross for one flatbed with 6+ months of authority, 7% while the MC is under 6 months old, and 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
Q-02Do you negotiate tarp pay?
Yes. When a shipper requires tarps, we ask for tarp pay and get it written on the rate confirmation before you accept. If a load needs tarps and the broker will not pay for them, you hear that before you decide.
Q-03Can you book oversize flatbed loads?
Yes, when your truck and setup allow it. Oversize loads need permits and sometimes escorts, which change the rate and the route. We quote those costs into the load before you commit. Our oversize dispatch page explains how.
Q-04Do you dispatch step decks too?
Yes. Step decks carry taller freight that will not fit legally on a flatbed. If you run both, we plan loads for whichever fits the freight, and each truck gets its own lanes.
Q-05What equipment do I need for flatbed loads?
A flatbed trailer and enough straps and chains, with working load limits that add up to at least half the weight you haul, plus tarps, edge protectors and corner guards. Many loads ask for specific tarp sizes. Tell us your gear and we filter loads by it.
Q-06What does a flatbed dispatcher do?
A flatbed dispatcher finds loads that fit your deck, gear and lanes, negotiates the rate with tarp and extra stop pay included, confirms securement, dimensions and loading details, books what you approve, and handles broker calls and check calls while you drive.
Q-07Do you help with detention at mills and yards?
We get detention terms written on the rate confirmation before you accept, including free time and the rate after it. Mills and yards load on their own schedule, so having the terms on paper is what makes the wait billable.
Get your tarp time paid
About 2 minutes to apply. Tell us your deck and your gear once.
WHAT GOES ON YOUR RATE CON