Flatbed Trailers

A flatbed trailer is quite common, mainly because of its versatility in hauling and delivery of large and heavy equipment such as agricultural, construction, and industrial commodities. It is highly versatile, with a flat, open deck, no roof or sides. This makes it one of the most valuable assets for shippers. Ideally, a flatbed trailer transports heavy cargo which is not delicate, perishable, or vulnerable to external elements such as extreme heat and precipitation as they are open and offer no protection to the shipment. The open deck makes a flatbed trailer quite flexible and especially when loading and offloading. However, loading cargo onto this trailer will require additional equipment such as cranes and forklifts. Flatbed trailers are 48-53 feet in length, with their standard dock height being 5 feet from the ground. Flatbeds transport cargo that does not exceed 48,000 pounds in weight and 8ft.6 inches in both height and length—but can be expanded to 11″. They are also other common sizes designed for various uses. They include 24, 40, 45, and 53 ft. flatbeds.

Step Deck Trailers

Also known as a drop deck trailer, a step-deck trailer is a piece of open deck hauling equipment designed with two deck levels- the upper (step) and the lower (main) deck. Ideally, the main deck will drop down after the tractor unit has been cleared. These trailers can haul taller shipments than flatbed trailers, as they are much closer to the ground. They also have ramps to facilitate safe and easy offloading and have proven safer for forklift pickup, given their short distance from the ground. You can use load levelers when you need to even out the main deck with the step deck. All the same, note that there are specific loads that cannot be loaded and shipped on a step-deck trailer even when load levelers are available. Unlike flatbed trailers, which can be loaded and unloaded from any side, step deck trailers can only be loaded or unloaded from the sides or the top. The main deck of a step-deck trailer is 3ft. 6 inches from the ground, while the step deck (top deck) is 4 feet from the ground. Step-deck trailers measure 53 feet in length—the step deck measure 10″ while the main deck measures 43″. This type of trailers is designed to transport cargo of height up to 10 feet, 2 inches before they are legally considered as over-dimensional.

Double Drop Trailer

If your load is too tall to ship on a step-deck trailer, a double-deck trailer can come in handy. A drop deck trailer will lower the center of gravity much more than a step-deck trailer facilitating easy transportation of extra tall cargo. It is, therefore, the best option if you plan on shipping an oversized shipment that is over 10 feet. Its main deck (the well) is in the middle. Like a step-deck trailer, a double-deck trailer can only be loaded and unloaded either from the top or side, but never from the rear. This trailer type measures 28-29 feet on the main (middle deck). If you are unsure of the best trailer type for your cargo, seeking the insights of heavy hauling experts would go a long way. A company such as Heavy Equipment Transport will guide you on how to customize your trailer with brilliant accessories and options that will make moving your shipment faster, fun, and trouble-free.