Flatbed / Step deck / Conestoga
Flatbed dispatch that gets you paid for the straps and tarps
We find and negotiate open-deck loads, put the tarp and detention pay on the rate con, and handle the broker paperwork. You approve every load before it is booked.
- of gross, 1 truck
- 6%
- of gross, 1 truck
- 2+ trucks
- 5%
- 2+ trucks
- setup fee
- $0
- setup fee
- days notice, no contract
- 30
- days notice, no contract
No haul, no pay. Nothing is charged on weeks you sit.
Load the deck
Pick your trailer and a load. See what fits, and what you keep.
Lumber on a 48 ft flatbed: legal height, ready to book.Steel coils on a 48 ft flatbed: legal height, ready to book.Machinery at this height rides over 13 ft 6 in on a 48 ft flatbed. That means permits, or a step deck.Pipe on a 48 ft flatbed: legal height, ready to book.Lumber on a 53 ft flatbed: legal height, ready to book.Steel coils on a 53 ft flatbed: legal height, ready to book.Machinery at this height rides over 13 ft 6 in on a 53 ft flatbed. That means permits, or a step deck.Pipe on a 53 ft flatbed: legal height, ready to book.Lumber on a step deck: legal height, ready to book.Steel coils on a step deck: legal height, ready to book.Machinery on a step deck: legal height, ready to book.Pipe on a step deck: legal height, ready to book.Lumber on a conestoga: legal height, ready to book.Steel coils on a conestoga: legal height, ready to book.Machinery this tall will not fit under a conestoga roof. This one goes on a step deck.Pipe on a conestoga: legal height, ready to book.
Lumber, 2 bundles, 44,000 lb
Monroe, LA to Houston, TX, 330 mi
- Linehaul
- $1,250
- Tarp pay
- $100
- Gross
- $1,350
- Our fee (6%)
- -$81
- You keep
- $1,269
- Our fee (5%)
- -$68
- You keep
- $1,283
Steel coils, 42,000 lb
Gary, IN to Nashville, TN, 470 mi
- Linehaul
- $1,650
- Tarp pay
- $75
- Gross
- $1,725
- Our fee (6%)
- -$104
- You keep
- $1,622
- Our fee (5%)
- -$86
- You keep
- $1,639
Excavator, 38,000 lb, 9 ft 6 in tall
Peoria, IL to Denver, CO, 960 mi
- Linehaul
- $3,550
- Tarp pay
- none
- Gross
- $3,550
- Our fee (6%)
- -$213
- You keep
- $3,337
- Our fee (5%)
- -$178
- You keep
- $3,373
Steel pipe, 45,000 lb
Houston, TX to Odessa, TX, 560 mi
- Linehaul
- $2,000
- Tarp pay
- none
- Gross
- $2,000
- Our fee (6%)
- -$120
- You keep
- $1,880
- Our fee (5%)
- -$100
- You keep
- $1,900
What flatbed dispatch includes
A flatbed dispatcher who knows a coil from a bundle
Open-deck freight is not van freight with the roof off. A load of 20 ft rebar, a tarped lumber run and an excavator all pay differently, take different gear and eat different hours at the shipper. Our flatbed dispatching starts with your deck, your straps, chains and tarps, then books what you can haul legally and still make money on.
- Loads from the major boards plus our own broker and shipper contacts
- Rate, tarp pay, detention, layover and TONU negotiated on every load
- Securement-aware booking: we ask the questions about weight, length and tarps before you accept
- Permit coordination for legal-size and simple oversize freight
- Carrier packets, check calls, delivery updates and a weekly earnings report
- Reload planning so you are not stuck 200 miles from the next load with no plan
A day on our desk, from your side of the windshield:
05:00
Board check before you roll
We pull fresh posts on your lanes and call on the open-deck loads that fit your deck length, weight and gear.
08:00
Rate and tarp pay on the phone
We negotiate the linehaul, then the tarp pay and detention terms, and send you the full numbers before anything is booked.
11:00
Broker setup and rate con review
Your packet goes out, the rate con comes back, and we check it line by line: tarps, accessorials, pickup window, payment terms.
15:00
Check calls handled
Brokers want updates. We send them so you are not answering the phone with a strap in your hand.
19:00
Tomorrow's reload
Before you shut down, we are already lining up the next load out of your delivery area.
23:00
Nights and weekends
A shipper that loads at midnight or a Saturday breakdown still gets a dispatcher on the line.
Equipment we dispatch
Open deck only. Three trailers, one desk.
We do flatbed truck dispatch and nothing else, so the person booking your load knows the difference between a 48 and a 53, what fits under a conestoga roof and when a step deck saves a permit.
- Flatbeds, 48 and 53 ftSteel, lumber, building materials and pipe, with tarp pay negotiated up front.
- Step decksTaller freight and machinery that would ride over legal height on a flatbed.
- ConestogasTarp-sensitive and side-load freight for rolling-tarp trailers.
Running one truck under your own authority? See dispatch for flatbed owner-operators. Two to ten trucks? We run small flatbed fleets on one desk with one report.
The fee
6% of gross. 5% for fleets. That is the whole price list.
One flat rate for every open-deck truck, new authorities included. No setup fee, no minimum, no contract beyond 30 days notice, and no fee on a week you do not haul.
Here is a plain EXAMPLE: a tarped lumber load that grosses $1,350 ($1,250 linehaul plus $100 tarp pay). At 6%, our fee is $81.00 and you keep $1,269.00 before fuel and your other costs. Rates move every week, so we never promise a number; we promise to fight for it.
See the full flatbed dispatch pricing and what is included.
- Fee rate
- 6%
- Fee this week
- $420
- You keep this week
- $6,580
- You keep, 4 weeks
- $26,320
How it works
From application to your first booked load in four stops
Step 1: Tell us your setup
Trailer, gear, lanes, home time and the lowest rate per mile you will run for.
Step 2: We do the paperwork
Dispatch agreement, then carrier packets with the brokers on your lanes.
Step 3: You approve the load
We negotiate and send you the numbers. You say yes or no.
Step 4: We stay on it
Check calls, detention claims, the reload and a weekly report.
Read how our flatbed dispatch works, step by step, including the documents to have ready.
Freight we book
The open-deck freight that keeps a flatbed rolling
Steel
Coils, beams, plate and rebar. Heavy, dense and chain-heavy.
Lumber
Dimensional lumber and panels, usually tarped.
Building materials
Shingles, block, trusses, insulation and drywall.
Machinery
Equipment and tractors, often a step deck job.
Pipe
Steel and PVC pipe, long and stacked, with chocks.
Flatbed volume usually builds through spring and summer with construction season, and slows in winter in the north. We plan your lanes around that instead of hoping. See where flatbed loads come from and what we check before we book one.
Guides for flatbed owners
Straight answers from the dispatch desk
- Flatbed rates per mileDated rate references, what moves flatbed rates and how to set your minimum.
- Flatbed load securement rules49 CFR 393 in plain words: tiedown counts, working load limits and commodity rules.
- Flatbed tarping guideLumber, steel and smoke tarps, safe tarping steps and how to get paid for it.
- Flatbed load boardsFree and paid boards for open-deck freight, the filters that matter and red flags.
- Flatbed freight brokersSetup packets, vetting a broker and the rate con terms open-deck carriers watch.
- Best flatbed companies for owner-operatorsLeasing on vs running your own authority, and what to compare before you sign.
- What is flatbed trucking?Trailer types, the freight, the real work and whether it pays for an owner-operator.
- Flatbed vs dry vanWork, pay, equipment cost and safety compared from the flatbed side.
Need numbers fast? Use the flatbed calculators for rate per mile, load profit and securement.
What does a flatbed dispatcher actually do?
A flatbed dispatcher finds loads that fit your deck, your gear and your lanes, negotiates the rate and the tarp and detention pay with the broker, sets you up with that broker, and keeps the paperwork and check calls moving so you can drive. You still decide which loads you take.
Do I need my own MC authority?
Yes. We dispatch carriers running under their own MC and DOT numbers. If your authority is still in progress, apply anyway and we will tell you what brokers will ask for before your first load.
Do you dispatch brand-new authorities?
Yes, at the same flat rate. Some brokers will not book a carrier under a certain age, so we lean on the ones that do and build your list from there. We will be honest about what a new MC can and cannot get in the first months.
Will you book loads without asking me?
No. We send you the load, the rate, the miles, the tarp and securement needs and the pickup window. Nothing gets booked until you say yes.
Do you negotiate tarp pay, detention and TONU?
Every time. Tarp pay, detention, layover and truck order not used are written onto the rate confirmation before you roll, and we chase the claim with the broker if something happens on the load.
Can I keep my factoring company?
Yes. Use whichever factoring company you already have. We send your rate cons and BOLs where they need to go and include the notice of assignment in your broker packets.
Do you dispatch hotshots, box trucks or vans?
No. We only dispatch semis pulling open-deck trailers: flatbeds, step decks and conestogas.
Are you a freight broker?
No. We are a dispatch service that works for you, the carrier. Brokers pay you directly or through your factoring company, and our fee is a percentage of the gross on loads you haul.
Put a flatbed dispatcher on your truck this week
Apply for our flatbed dispatch service in about a minute. A dispatcher calls you to talk lanes, home time and your minimum rate, then starts building your broker list. 6% of gross, 5% for 2+ trucks, cancel any time with 30 days notice.