Step deck dispatch for freight that is too tall for a flatbed.
A step deck’s lower deck sits well below a standard flatbed, so it carries taller freight without an oversize permit. That makes it the trailer for machinery, equipment and tall building materials — and it means the measurements have to be right before the load is booked.
What step deck dispatch really involves.
Height is the whole point
Most states set the legal height at 13 feet 6 inches from the road. A lower deck lets taller freight stay legal, and we check the freight’s height against both of your deck heights before accepting it.
Loading off ramps
Machinery is often driven on. If a shipper expects you to load off ramps, we confirm your trailer carries them before the driver arrives, not at the gate.
Upper deck, lower deck
Weight and length have to fit the right section of the trailer. We work out where the freight sits and whether it scales legally across your axles.
Permits when it still goes over
Freight that is over height or width even on a step deck needs permits, and sometimes escorts. We arrange both and plan a route the permits allow.
Everything a step deck carrier hands us.
One agreement, month to month. Rates are quoted per carrier — your equipment, lanes and fleet size decide it.
- One dedicated dispatcher who knows your truck, your step deck and the lanes you want to run
- Load boards and direct broker relationships worked all day, matched to your equipment
- Rates negotiated against what the lane is really paying, not the first offer
- Rate confirmations, BOLs and carrier packets handled, and every load tracked to delivery
- Detention, TONU and layover claims pursued with the broker
- A login to Smart Haul TMS — loads, documents and settlements, live
Step deck dispatch FAQ
What freight suits a step deck?
Construction and farm machinery, forklifts, tall crated equipment, HVAC units, and building materials stacked too high for a flatbed.
Do you dispatch RGNs and oversize loads?
We dispatch a small number of RGNs, and we coordinate permits and escorts for oversize loads on step decks and flatbeds. Tell us what you run and we will tell you honestly what we can book for it.
Do I need ramps to run step deck freight?
Not for everything, but plenty of machinery loads expect them. We will tell you which loads on your lanes you can and cannot take without ramps.
Tell us about your step deck.
A dispatcher calls you back within one business day. Nothing is committed by sending this.
Dispatch 7am–5pm Central, seven days · after-hours support for breakdowns · 224 278 9494