Flatbed shipping is one of the most widely used methods for hauling freight that won’t fit inside an enclosed trailer. It uses an open, roofless deck that allows cargo to be loaded from the top, sides, or rear. This makes flatbed shipping an ideal fit for wide loads or bulky freight.
Jones Logistics (JoLo) has over 26 years of experience in helping shippers navigate flatbed projects and can do the same for you. Here’s a closer look at how flatbed shipping works and what it can mean for your team.
A flatbed trailer is used to haul freight that doesn’t quite fit in a traditional dry van trailer because it has no roof, walls, or doors. This open design allows cargo to be loaded from all sides with cranes, forklifts, and other equipment. That’s why flatbed shipping is often the best option for commodities such as construction materials, finished wood products, generators, and machinery.
Once loaded, the cargo is secured using chains or straps, and covered by tarps or edge protectors in compliance with federal standards. Proper securement and protection on a flatbed trailer is critical because the cargo remains fully exposed throughout its journey.
Not every shipment requires a flatbed trailer. However, when freight exceeds the height, width, length, or weight limits of an enclosed trailer, open deck equipment often becomes the most practical solution.
Common materials shipped on flatbed trailers include:
These items are often oversized, unusually shaped, or difficult to palletize, making the loading flexibility of an open deck trailer essential.
JoLo moves flatbed freight every day, transporting everything from raw materials to finished goods. Our team regularly manages shipments that require special permits and detailed route planning, ensuring even complex loads move safely and on schedule.
Flatbed shipping services are most common among industries in which the freight being hauled is wide, bulky, or complex. For example, construction and infrastructure projects rely on flatbeds for delivering structural steel, concrete forms, and other building materials. These deliveries often need to be timed precisely to match complex project schedules, which makes flat reliability especially important.
Manufacturing and industrial companies use flatbeds to move equipment and supplies between facilities and job sites. Small delays on these routes can stall production and substantially increase costs as a result.
Finally, shippers may use a flatbed when delivering to jobsites with poor access. Flatbed solutions offer an advantage on these deliveries, since they’re open from all sides and much easier to unload.
Moving freight on an open deck may indicate new challenges that teams must be aware of before proceeding. Some of the most essential of these to keep in mind include:
Managing these concerns can be difficult if your team lacks internal experience with flatbed shipments. That’s why many companies partner with providers like JoLo, who can take care of these responsibilities on your behalf.
Flatbed shipping is often the best solution when freight can’t be enclosed in a traditional trailer. In fact, this method of moving freight is likely preferable if your team is moving wide or bulky cargo. Regardless, if a shipment requires a flatbed trailer, it’s important to understand the unique challenges of securing the load, planning the route, and getting the necessary permits if needed.
This all takes a level of operational coordination and expertise that many shippers lack in-house. That’s where partnering with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) can bring real value to your operation.
JoLo can support your team in each step of the flatbed truck shipping process, from carrier vetting and load planning to permitting and securement. We manage the details to streamline your timelines and increase reliability.
If your team is shipping freight that requires a flatbed solution, explore JoLo’s 3PL services to see how we can simplify the process and support your bottom line.