Step deck dispatch that fits the freight to your deck height

Step deck rates and what moves them

Step deck rates usually sit above standard flatbed on the same lane, because fewer trucks can carry tall freight legally. They also move with construction and manufacturing seasons, and a lane that pays well one month can go quiet the next. We do not quote national averages without a dated source. We look at the lanes you run and what has been moving on them recently.

Your floor rate sets the minimum. Above it, we negotiate for tarp pay, ramp loading, extra stops and detention, then bring you the final number.

Conestoga dispatch: freight we look for

• Machinery and equipment. Tall pieces that clear legal height only on the lower deck.
• Drive-on loads. Small equipment and vehicles for trailers with ramps.
• Covered freight. Conestoga loads that need protection without manual tarping.
• Building components. Trusses, tanks and fabricated pieces.

Lighter tall freight suits the step deck; heavy pieces may need a lowboy. See oversize load dispatch for heavy haul, and flatbed dispatch for standard-height freight.

Inches decide the load

Legal height is set by each state, and the freight height you can carry is that limit minus your deck height. A few inches decide whether a load moves legally or needs a permit. We ask for your exact upper and lower deck heights on the first call, and we check freight dimensions with the broker before an offer reaches you.

Bridges and overpasses on the route matter too. Our guide to semi truck height clearance covers how to plan for them.

Securing tall freight

Tall freight has a higher center of gravity, which makes securement and blocking more important. Cargo securement rules in 49 CFR 393 set tiedown counts and working load limits, with specific rules for some commodities and heavy equipment. We send weight, dimensions and loading notes with every offer so you can plan before you arrive.

Ramps open more freight

A step deck with ramps can take drive-on loads such as small equipment, tractors and vehicles at sites with no dock or crane. That widens the freight you can take and often pays extra for the loading work. Ramps also add wear and risk: check pins, hinges and welds before every use, and do not drive anything onto them that exceeds their rating. Tell us your ramp length and rating, and we only offer drive-on loads that fit.

Loading time and detention

Step deck loading often depends on a forklift, crane or a driver walking equipment up ramps, and those schedules slip. We check detention terms before we pitch a load and want your check-in time. If the wait runs past the free time on the rate confirmation, we file the claim and keep after it until it is paid or closed out.

When step deck beats flatbed work

A step deck can haul most flatbed freight too, though the split deck can make some long loads awkward. The advantage is height: tall freight that would need a permit on a flatbed can often move legally on the lower deck. That is the freight we look for first, because it is where a step deck earns more than the flatbeds competing for the same lane. When tall freight is thin, we fill the gaps with standard-height loads that still clear your floor.

What we ask on the first call

Upper and lower deck lengths and heights, ramps and their rating, Conestoga or open deck, your tarps, chains, straps and edge protection, the heaviest single piece you are comfortable loading, your lanes, home time and floor rate. With those details, the first offer you see already fits the trailer and your gear.

When a load needs more than a step deck

If freight is still over legal height on the lower deck, or over legal width or weight, it needs a permit and possibly escorts. Some step deck operators take permitted loads; others stay strictly legal. Tell us which you prefer. When a permitted load is on the table, we settle who pays the permit and escort costs as part of the rate before it reaches you.

A step deck week on our desk

An EXAMPLE week for one step deck with ramps, not a real result. Monday we offer a tall machine that clears legal height on the lower deck with a few inches to spare; the owner checks the numbers and accepts. Tuesday we have a drive-on load of small equipment ready near the delivery, with ramp pay negotiated.

Wednesday the forecast calls for freezing rain, so we move a pickup a day earlier. Thursday the truck heads home with a building component load. Friday the trailer goes in for brake and tire work, already on the calendar. The report shows three loads, the fees and the ramp pay.

What every step deck offer includes

Before an offer reaches you we get the commodity, weight, length, width and height, loading method, whether ramps or a crane are used, tarp requirements, pickup and delivery windows, detention terms and the rate. You compare it to your deck heights and gear, then say yes, counter or no.

Winter on a Conestoga

Ice and snow are hard on rolling tarp systems. Tracks freeze, rollers stick, and a tarp that will not close can hold up a pickup. Clear the tracks before you arrive, and if the system is struggling, tell us early so we can warn the shipper or adjust the plan.

Step deck on a new authority

Some step deck freight is high value, and brokers can be careful with new carriers. We start new MCs with brokers who accept them and freight that matches your experience. Read dispatch for new authorities.

Home time and step deck fleets

Tell us your home base and the nights you want there, and we plan loads that turn back in time. For fleets, we coordinate multi-truck moves and stagger trailer and truck service days. Two or more trucks pay the 4% fleet rate while it lasts.

When the rig goes down

Get safe, check that tall freight is still secure, then call the desk. We contact the broker, explain what happened and what the shop is saying, and work through the options. Outcomes depend on the broker, the freight and the repair time.

When we are not the right fit

If your deck is shorter than 26 ft, we cannot dispatch it. If steady customers already fill your step deck, keep them. We are most useful when finding tall freight that fits, negotiating tarp and ramp pay, and making the calls are costing you loads.