Tall freight that stays legal
Step deck dispatch for loads that live just under the height limit
A step deck earns on freight too tall for a flatbed but not tall enough to need a permit. We measure every load against your deck and the states on the route before we call, and every load is offered to you first. The rate con comes to you.
Lower deck: room for taller freight · Upper deck: shorter pieces over the tractor
What we book for a step deck
Machinery and equipment. Tractors, loaders, forklifts, lifts and industrial machines that are too tall for a flatbed deck. Many can be driven on with ramps, which saves waiting for a crane or forklift.
Tall building materials. Trusses, large crated items, HVAC units and prefabricated components that stack higher than a flatbed allows.
Flatbed freight when tall loads are slow. A step deck can carry most flatbed freight, as long as the pieces fit the shorter decks. We use that to keep the trailer moving between tall loads.
Equipment loads usually come from dealers, rental companies, manufacturers and contractors. Many move on short notice, and the shippers who trust a carrier tend to call the same one again.
Step deck or flatbed?
A flatbed has one long deck at full height, which is simpler to load and better for long pieces like steel and lumber. A step deck trades some deck length for a lower main deck, which buys height. The question for each load is which trailer keeps it legal without a permit.
If you run a flatbed today and keep turning down tall equipment, a step deck may open that freight. If most of your loads are long and heavy rather than tall, the flatbed is still the better tool. See our flatbed dispatch for the other side.
Loads that are tall even on a step deck move to lowboys and RGNs and usually need permits. That work is covered on our oversize load dispatch page.
When a permit comes in
Height is only one limit. Width on the National Network is 102 inches, and wider loads need a permit. 23 CFR 658.15Checked October 2026 Length and weight have their own limits. A step deck load that is legal on height can still need a permit for width. We check all four dimensions before we call, and run borderline loads through the oversize load checker.
Securing equipment
Wheeled or tracked equipment weighing 10,000 lb or more needs at least four tiedowns, and attachments like buckets and booms need their own restraint. 49 CFR 393.130Checked October 2026 We confirm the machine's weight and attachments before the offer, so you bring enough chain and binders.
Ramps and loading
Ramps open drive-on equipment, which is a large part of step deck freight. Without them you depend on the shipper's crane, forklift or dock. Tell us whether you carry ramps and how much weight they are rated for, and we only offer drive-on loads your ramps can take.
Conestoga dispatch
A Conestoga puts a rolling tarp system on a step deck or flatbed. The covers slide back for loading from the side or top, then roll forward to enclose the freight. Shippers of finished goods, machinery and anything that must stay dry like it because there is no hand tarping and no flapping tarp on the highway.
For the carrier, it means faster loading and less physical work, but a heavier, more expensive trailer and a little less legal height under the frame. We dispatch Conestogas the same way as open step decks, with the cover's inside height on your card so we only offer freight that fits under it.
Route planning around low clearances
A load can be legal on paper and still meet a bridge lower than the state limit. States post low clearances, and some publish lists of them. On tall loads we look at the route, not just the start and end points, and we tell you about known low spots before you take the load. When the safe route is longer, the rate has to cover the extra miles.
How equipment shippers choose carriers
Equipment dealers and rental companies care about three things: the machine arrives without a scratch, the driver knows how to secure it, and the truck shows up when promised. Rate matters, but a carrier who damages one machine rarely gets a second load.
That is why the first few equipment loads matter so much. We pick shippers whose loads suit your ramps and gear, make sure you know the machine's weight and tie-down points before you arrive, and help you build the record that brings repeat calls.
Step deck mistakes we help you avoid
- Trusting the listed height. Ask for the machine's real dimensions with attachments, not the brochure figure.
- Forgetting the deck changes. The upper deck is higher; tall pieces belong on the lower deck only.
- Loading without enough chain. Four tiedowns on heavy equipment is the minimum, plus the attachments.
- Taking the shortest route. On tall loads the shortest route is often the one with the lowest bridge.
A step deck week, as we would plan it
Monday, a loader from a dealer to a rental yard two states over, driven on with your ramps. Tuesday, a crated HVAC unit from a plant near that delivery. Wednesday and Thursday, flatbed-height building materials to keep the trailer moving while tall freight is thin. Friday, a lift heading back toward home. Every load offered to you first, every height checked before the call.
Equipment freight follows construction and farm seasons, so spring and summer are usually busiest. In slower months we lean on industrial machinery and flatbed freight that fits your decks. If you want to stay regional through the winter, tell us, and we keep the plan inside the states you choose.
Every step deck load is your call
We call you with the piece, its dimensions and weight, the loading method, the route and the rate. You decide. After your yes, the broker sends the rate confirmation to you, and you sign it.
If the paper shows different dimensions or a different piece, don't sign it and don't load it. Call the desk and we sort it out with the broker. A no on the phone costs nothing, and we keep looking.
What step deck owners ask us
"Will I get loads that are over height?" Not from us without a permit plan. Height is checked against your deck and the route first.
"Do you know the equipment shippers?" We work with brokers and shippers who move machinery, and we build repeat relationships around your lanes.
The step deck fee
One step deck on an MC older than 6 months pays 5% of gross on loads it hauls. A new MC pays 7% for 6 months, and fleets of 2 or more pay 4% while that limited-time rate lasts. Try a sample rate in the height check to see the fee and what you keep.
No setup fee, no minimums and nothing in a week the truck doesn't move. Full details on the dispatch fee page.
A tip on pricing: tall loads often need slower routes around low bridges, which adds miles. We price the trip on the miles you will actually drive, not the shortest route on a map.
Step deck dispatcher questions
01How tall can freight be on a step deck?
It depends on your lower deck height and the states on the route. Legal height is set by each state, commonly 13 ft 6 in or 14 ft for the vehicle and load together. Subtract your deck height from the limit and you have your legal freight height. Use the height check above with your own measurements.
02When does a step deck load need a permit?
When the loaded height goes over the legal limit in any state on the route, or when width, length or weight go over their legal limits. Federal width on the National Network is 102 inches. Each state issues its own permits, so a load can be legal in one state and need a permit in the next.
03Do Conestogas get better rates?
A Conestoga is a step deck or flatbed with a rolling tarp system. Some shippers prefer it because loading is fast and freight stays covered without hand tarping, and some loads pay for that. It isn't automatic, though. We weigh the rate against the higher cost of the trailer and the freight available on your lanes.
04What does a step deck dispatcher need from me?
Your upper and lower deck lengths and heights, whether you carry ramps, your securement gear and tarps, your authority and insurance certificate, and the lanes and home time you want. With those on file, we can offer loads that fit your trailer and stay legal on your route before you hear about them.
05Can a new MC get step deck loads?
Yes. Some equipment shippers prefer carriers with a record, so we start with brokers that book new authorities and choose early loads that are straightforward to secure. A new MC pays 7% of gross until it is 6 months old, then 5% for one truck.
Load it tall. Keep it legal.
Send your deck heights and gear with the application. We'll call with step deck loads that fit, and you approve each one.