Construction machinery
Excavators, loaders and lifts within legal height; chains and four-point tie-down.
Step deck dispatch for tall freight
Machinery, tall equipment and Conestoga loads that won't clear on a flatbed. We check the height, the ramps and the securement before an offer reaches you, and you approve every load.
MILE02SETUP CHECKLIST
What we need before booking
Step deck loads fail at the shipper when the trailer doesn't match the freight. Getting these on file at the first call means every offer we bring already fits.
- Upper and lower deck lengths, and deck heights
- Ramps: yes or no, and their weight rating
- Chains, binders, straps and edge protection you carry
- Conestoga kit, or tarps and their sizes
- Your policy on permitted loads (we route those to the oversize desk)
- Home base, lanes, home time and lowest rate you'll take
MILE03HEIGHT CHECK
Will it clear?
Slide the freight height. The drawing puts the same load on a flatbed and on a step deck's lower deck against the common 13 ft 6 in height limit. That difference of about 18 inches is why step decks exist.
- FLATBED (5 FT DECK)
- Over by 1 ft 0 in
- STEP DECK (3 FT 6 IN)
- Legal height
Typical deck heights. Many states allow 13 ft 6 in; some allow 14 ft or more, a few less on certain roads. Over the limit means a permit and route survey.
SOURCE: Height limits are set by each state; there is no general federal height limit. See FHWA size and weight overview (checked Oct 2026). Check every state on the route, or use our truck weight limit checker for weights.
MILE04THE STEP DECK NUMBERS
Your trailer's numbers
| Spec | Typical value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Overall length | 48 ft or 53 ft | Lane and state rules for trailer length |
| Upper deck | About 10 to 11 ft long, 5 ft high | Short, lower-height pieces ride here |
| Lower deck | About 37 to 43 ft long, 3 ft 6 in high | Where tall freight goes |
| Legal freight height (lower deck) | About 10 ft at a 13 ft 6 in limit | About 18 in more than a flatbed |
| Federal gross limit | 80,000 lb | Truck, trailer and freight together |
Deck lengths and heights vary by builder, so we use yours, not a catalog number. A load that fits one 48 ft step deck by an inch may not fit another.
MILE05WHAT WE BOOK
Step deck freight we book
Farm equipment
Tractors and implements, often on ramps; busy around planting and harvest.
Industrial equipment
Tall crates, generators, compressors and plant parts.
Conestoga-only loads
Freight that needs full weather cover and side loading, often paying a premium.
Tall building materials
Stacked panels, trusses or pallets too tall for a flatbed.
Vehicles and trailers
Box trucks, buses or smaller trailers being moved on a lower deck.
Need more deck for light, legal freight? See flatbed dispatch. Over-height or wide? That's the oversize desk.
MILE06YOUR CALL
Dimensions first, then your yes
Every step deck offer shows the freight's length, width, height and weight, how it loads (crane, forklift, ramps or drive-on), the securement it needs, the pickup and delivery windows, the rate and the broker.
You approve it or pass. On a yes, the broker emails the rate con straight to you; check the dimensions match and sign it yourself. A pass costs nothing and we keep looking.
LOAD OFFER
- EQUIPMENT
- 48 ft step deck
- PICKUP
- Peoria, IL · Tue 09:00
- DELIVERY
- Houston, TX · Thu 08:00
- LOADED MI
- 980 (deadhead 30)
- WEIGHT
- 32,000 lb, excavator
- BROKER
- Credit checked, pays in 30 days
- TERMS
- Chains and binders, 8 ft 6 in wide
- RATE
- $2,950 ($3.01/mi loaded)
YOUR CALL. NOTHING IS BOOKED UNTIL YOU SAY YES.
MILE07WHERE STEP DECK MONEY LEAKS
Four ways step decks lose money
Hauling flatbed freight at flatbed rates
If a load fits a flatbed, it pays like one. Your lower deck is worth more on freight that needs it.
Dimensions that change at the shipper
A machine that grew 4 inches means a permit or a refused load. We confirm dimensions in writing before you roll.
Loading delays
Crane or forklift not ready, wrong ramps, missing straps. We confirm the loading method and time before you accept.
Empty runs from rural pickups
Equipment often ships from farms and job sites far from freight. We look at the reload before you say yes.
MILE08HOW WE PLAN
How we plan a step deck week
- Match freight to the deck. We look for loads that need your lower deck first, then fill gaps with flatbed freight when it pays.
- Confirm the loading. Crane, forklift, ramps or drive-on, and who provides the help, before the offer reaches you.
- Watch the season. Farm equipment around planting and harvest, construction machines in spring and summer.
- Plan the exit. Equipment pickups can be remote. The reload is part of the decision, not an afterthought.
MILE09OBJECTIONS
What step deck owners ask us
- "Dispatchers fill my step deck with flatbed loads."
- Some do, because it's easier. We look for freight that needs your lower deck first, and when we do bring flatbed freight, it's because the rate and the lane earn it. You can see the difference on every offer.
- "Machinery shippers want carriers they know."
- Many do, and that history builds load by load under your MC. Clean deliveries with correct securement and photos are what get you the next call. We help you build that record.
- "I'm tired of surprise dimensions."
- So are we. We get dimensions and weight in writing before you accept, and if the freight changes at the shipper, it's a new decision for you to make.
Running a Conestoga?
A rolling tarp system turns your step deck into covered capacity that loads from the side or top. Freight that needs both height and weather protection, like finished machinery, aerospace parts and some coated steel, often pays a premium because few trucks can take it. Tell us your kit's clear height and we'll search for it specifically.
MILE10PERMITS POLICY
Where legal ends and permits begin
A step deck sits close to the legal limits on almost every load, so we're strict about the line. Legal loads (within width, height, length and weight limits in every state on the route) run on this desk. The moment a load needs a permit, it moves to our oversize desk, and you decide whether you want permitted work at all.
- Width over 8 ft 6 in needs a permit in every state
- Height over the state's limit, usually 13 ft 6 in, needs a permit and a route check
- Weight over 80,000 lb gross or axle limits needs a permit
- Escorts, travel times and signs follow each state's permit rules
If you don't carry permitted loads, say so on the first call and they never reach you.
MILE11FEE + FAQ
5% standard, and your questions
One step deck with authority older than 6 months runs at 5% of the gross on loads you haul. New authorities pay 7% until month six; fleets of two or more trucks pay 4%. No setup fee and no fee on loads you turn down. Full rules on rates and fees, and how it all works on how we dispatch.
Q01How much does step deck dispatch cost?
5% of the gross on loads you haul for one truck with authority older than 6 months. New authorities pay 7% until month six, and fleets of two or more trucks pay 4%. No setup fee, no minimums, month to month.
Q02Do Conestogas get better rates?
Often, because Conestoga freight needs full weather protection and side or top loading, and fewer trucks can take it. The premium depends on the lane and the season. We ask for it on every Conestoga-only load.
Q03Can you dispatch a step deck with ramps?
Yes. Ramps open up drive-on equipment like tractors, loaders and some construction machines. Tell us your ramp rating and we only bring loads within it.
Q04Do step decks get paid more than flatbeds?
Usually somewhat more per mile, because the lower deck carries freight a flatbed can't legally carry. Step decks also lose some deck length to the upper deck, so the comparison depends on the load.
Q05What freight needs a step deck?
Anything too tall for a flatbed but within legal height on a lower deck: machinery, tractors, tall crates, industrial equipment, and some building materials stacked high.
Q06Do you handle oversize step deck loads?
Legal-size loads run here. If a load needs a permit for height, width or weight, our oversize desk coordinates permits and escorts with you.
Q07What happens if the freight is taller than the broker said?
Stop before loading and call us. If it no longer fits the legal height, it needs a permit or a different trailer, and that's a new decision for you, not something to push through. We take it up with the broker, including payment for your time.
Q08Do you book drive-on equipment?
Yes, if you have ramps rated for the machine. Drive-on loads save crane and forklift time but need the right ramps and chain points. Your ramp rating goes on file so we only bring loads within it.
Q09Do you negotiate tarp pay on step deck loads?
Yes. Machinery and equipment often need tarps or shrink wrap protection, and tarping a tall, irregular load takes real time. We ask for tarp pay on every load that needs it and get it onto the rate con before you accept.
Q10Do I approve every step deck load?
Yes. Each offer shows dimensions, weight, securement and loading method, pickup and delivery windows, rate and broker. You say yes or pass. On a yes, the broker sends the rate con straight to you to sign.
Q11Can a new MC book step deck freight?
Yes. Some machinery shippers want more history, but plenty of brokers book new authorities. We start there and build your record. The rate is 7% until month six.
New authority? Read dispatch for new MCs.
Use the low deck for what pays
Apply in about 2 minutes. Your deck specs go on file on the first call, and only loads that fit reach you.
YOUR FEENO. 0001
EXAMPLE
- Weekly gross (example)
- $5,800
- Fee 5%
- $290
- Setup fee
- $0
You keep$5,510