DOCK 01STEP DECK
Step deck dispatch for the freight that is too tall for a flatbed
A step deck earns its keep on loads a flatbed cannot carry legally. Step deck dispatch means finding those loads, checking the height against every state on the route, and getting ramps, loading and tarp terms on paper before you say yes.
- LOWER DECK
- Tall freight
- UPPER DECK
- Short pieces
- CONESTOGA
- Covered, no tarps
DOCK 02WHERE IT WINS
Where a step deck wins the load
Machinery and equipment
Tractors, excavators, lifts and industrial machines that sit too tall on a flatbed. The lower deck keeps them under the limit.
Drive-on loads
With ramps, self-propelled equipment can drive on instead of waiting for a forklift or crane.
Tall building materials
Bundled trusses, tanks and fabricated pieces that clear on a step deck and not on a flatbed.
Conestoga loads
A rolling tarp system turns a step deck into a covered trailer. Shippers use it for freight that must stay dry but loads from the side or top.
DOCK 03HEIGHT CHECK
Step deck dispatcher math: will it clear?
There is no federal height limit for trucks. Each state sets its own, and most fall between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft, with lower limits on some roads. Slide the cargo height and see whether it clears on a flatbed, on your step deck, or neither.
SOURCE:FHWA, Federal Size Regulations for CMVs, OCT 2026
Flatbed
14 ft 0 in loaded
OVER BY 0 ft 6 in
Step deck, lower deck
12 ft 4 in loaded
UNDER THE LIMIT
Over height on a flatbed, legal on the step deck. This is a step deck load.
Limits vary by state and road, and some routes have lower clearances. Check every state on the route, and your trailer's actual deck heights.
Conestoga dispatch
A Conestoga is a flatbed or step deck with a sliding tarp frame. It keeps freight covered without a driver strapping on tarps, and it still loads from the side or top like an open deck.
That changes the job: no tarping time, but a lower usable height under the frame and more weight on the trailer. We check the freight's dimensions against your frame's clearance as well as the legal limit before the load reaches you.
Not every shipper asks for a Conestoga. When a load does call for one, we look for a rate that reflects the equipment instead of the open-deck rate.
DOCK 04WHAT WE HANDLE
What we handle for step deck owners
- Height and width on every route
- We check the loaded height against each state the load crosses, and flag anything that needs a permit.
- Permits when the load needs them
- If the freight is oversize, the permit cost and any escort needs go into the load before you commit. Our oversize page covers how.
- Ramps and loading
- Whether the load drives on, needs your ramps, a forklift or a crane, and who loads it, written down before you accept.
- Securement on paper
- Chains, binders, straps, edge protection and tarps the shipper expects, on the rate con.
- Tarp and ramp pay
- When a shipper asks for tarps or ramp work, we ask for pay for it.
- The next load
- Open-deck freight can be thin in some areas. We look at what moves from the delivery area before booking the run in.
Oversize dispatch · Flatbed dispatch · Max payload calculator
What step deck owners tell us
"Step deck pays the same as flatbed."
On freight a flatbed can carry, often it does. The point of dispatching a step deck is finding the loads a flatbed cannot carry legally, where your trailer is the one the shipper needs.
"Permits are on me."
Permit costs are real, so they belong in the rate. We quote them into the load before you commit, and a load that does not cover them is one you can turn down.
"Ramps cost extra and nobody pays."
Ramp work and drive-on loading go on the rate con like any other accessorial. If a broker will not pay for it, you hear that before you decide.
Step deck words new carriers ask about
- Step deck (drop deck)
- A trailer with a higher upper deck over the fifth wheel and a lower main deck behind it.
- Lower deck
- The longer main deck. Its lower height is what lets taller freight stay under the limit.
- Upper deck
- The short raised section at the front, for freight that is not tall.
- Ramps
- Fold-down or loose ramps at the rear so equipment can drive on.
- Conestoga
- A sliding tarp system on a flatbed or step deck.
- RGN and lowboy
- Lower trailers for the tallest and heaviest equipment. Usually oversize or heavy haul.
DOCK 05FEE
What a step deck pays us
One step deck with 6+ months of authority pays 5% of gross. A new MC pays 7% for the first 6 months. 2 or more trucks pay 4% (limited-time rate). Only on loads you haul, no setup fee, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
STEP DECK LOAD, LINEHAUL ONLY
Step deck questions
Q-01What is step deck dispatch?
Dispatch for step deck trailers: finding loads that fit a step deck, mostly freight too tall for a flatbed, checking height and width on the route, negotiating the rate and getting ramps, loading and securement terms on the rate con. You approve every load before it is booked.
Q-02Do Conestoga loads pay more?
There is no set premium. A Conestoga saves the shipper tarping and keeps freight dry, so when a load calls for one, we ask for a rate that reflects the equipment. Whether it pays more than an open-deck load depends on the freight and the lane, so we compare both for your week.
Q-03Can you get permits for oversize step deck loads?
When a load is oversize, the permit cost and any escort needs are worked into the load before you commit, and we line up what the route needs. Our oversize dispatch page explains how it works. A load that does not cover the permits is one you can turn down.
Q-04How much does step deck dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one step deck with 6+ months of authority, 7% while the MC is under 6 months old, and 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Charged only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
Q-05Do you dispatch RGN or lowboy?
Yes. RGN and lowboy freight is usually oversize or heavy haul, so it runs through our oversize dispatch, where permits, escorts and routes are part of every quote. Tell us your trailer and its ratings on the call and we plan around them.
Tall freight, checked before you hook it
About 2 minutes to apply. Tell us your deck heights and ramps.