Step decks and Conestogas
Step deck dispatch for the machines and tall freight a flatbed can't take
Step decks move what's too tall for a flat deck: skid steers, mini excavators, rollers, tall crates and equipment headed to job sites. That freight pays better, and it comes with more ways to get it wrong. We check height on every state of the route, confirm the specs before the offer, and send each load to you to confirm or pass. 5% of gross with 6+ months of authority.
Load offer · Example
1 of 2
Kansas City, MO to Denver, CO
48 ft step deck · Machinery, 10 ft 6 in tall
- Loaded
- 600 mi
- Deadhead
- 18 mi
- Rate
- $2.92/mi
All-in with deadhead: $2.83/mi
- Gross
- $1,750
- Dispatch fee 5%
- -$88
- You keep
- +$1,662
Every load comes to you like this. You confirm or pass, and the rate con goes straight to you.
One equipment move, start to finish
Contractor A doesn't exist, and neither does this load. It's a composite of a typical step deck job, showing what our desk does and what the driver does at each stop.
- 01
Tuesday, 2:10pm
The booking
- The desk
- Contractor A's broker posts a mini excavator from a rental yard in Kansas City to a job outside Denver. We get the make, model, weight with attachments and the exact dimensions before saying anything to you.
- The driver
- Gets the offer on the phone: lane, miles, rate, machine specs, pickup and delivery windows. Confirms it. The rate con lands in the inbox to sign.
- 02
Tuesday, 2:30pm
The height check
- The desk
- Machine height plus deck height has to clear the legal limit in every state on the route. There's no federal height limit; most states set it between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft 6 in. We check each one on the route.
- The driver
- Confirms the lower deck height on the trailer and whether ramps or a dovetail are needed to load.
- 03
Wednesday, 6:00am
Loading and securement
- The desk
- Confirms the yard has an operator to load, and that the machine will be on site and fueled.
- The driver
- Secures to 49 CFR 393.130 for machinery of 10,000 lb or more: bucket and blade lowered, articulated parts restrained, at least four tiedowns attached front and rear, each rated for the load. Photos before rolling.
- 04
Wednesday, 7:00am to Thursday
The route
- The desk
- Runs check calls with the broker, watches weather on the mountain passes, and starts looking for a reload near Denver.
- The driver
- Checks securement at the required intervals and after any hard stop. Drives inside available hours.
- 05
Thursday, 10:00am
Delivery and the reload
- The desk
- Confirms the site contact and gate time the day before, then sends a reload offer out of Denver for the driver's yes or no.
- The driver
- Unloads with the site operator, gets the delivery signed, photographs the machine, and confirms the next load.
Step deck dispatcher: freight we book
Compact construction equipment
Skid steers, mini excavators, compact track loaders and rollers between yards and job sites.
Ag machinery
Tractors, implements and harvest equipment, often seasonal and time-sensitive.
Tall crates and industrial parts
Boxed equipment, HVAC units and machine components too tall for a flatbed.
Vehicles and tall trucks
Box trucks, buses and specialty vehicles that need the lower deck.
Conestoga freight
Tarp-free covered loads for shippers who want weather protection without side-loading problems.
Steel and building products
When a flatbed load runs tall, the step deck is the legal answer.
Freight that fits on a flat deck is in flatbed dispatch. Wider or heavier than legal limits goes to oversize load dispatch.
What we confirm on every step deck load
- 01
Exact dimensions and weight
With attachments on. A bucket or cab guard changes the height and the axle weights.
- 02
Loading method
Forklift, crane, drive-on with ramps, or a dock. Ramps mean the machine has to run.
- 03
Who loads and unloads
An operator at both ends, and what happens if one isn't there.
- 04
Route height clearances
State height limits plus low bridges and overpasses on the actual route.
- 05
Axle weights
Heavy machines concentrate weight. We check the gross against the federal bridge formula on the Interstate.
Flatbed, step deck or lowboy: matching the trailer to the load
The trailer is chosen by the freight's height and weight, not by preference. A flatbed's deck sits higher, so it suits freight that stays well under the legal height once it's loaded. A step deck's lower deck buys back about a couple of feet, which is the difference between a legal load and a permitted one for a lot of compact machinery.
When the machine is too tall or too heavy even for the lower deck, it moves to a removable-gooseneck or lowboy trailer, usually with oversize or overweight permits. Those loads pay more and take more planning, which is why they're dispatched differently.
We match offers to the trailer you actually run. If a load needs more trailer than you have, we pass on it before it reaches your phone, rather than offering something you'd have to turn down at the yard.
“Step deck loads are too much hassle for the rate.”
Some are, and we pass on them for you: the machine with no operator at delivery, the crate with no dimensions, the route with a 13 ft bridge. The ones worth taking pay for the extra care, and we only send those, with the details answered so the hassle is on our side of the phone.
Step deck and Conestoga dispatch questions
Can a step deck haul an excavator?
A mini or compact excavator, often yes, if its weight and height fit your trailer and every state's height limit on the route. Larger excavators usually need a lowboy or RGN and oversize or overweight permits. We check the machine's specs with attachments before offering it.
How is heavy equipment secured?
Machinery of 10,000 lb or more is secured under 49 CFR 393.130: accessories like buckets lowered, articulated parts restrained, and at least four tiedowns attached at the front and rear, each with a working load limit that meets the rules. Lighter machines follow the general securement rules in Part 393.
Can you dispatch a step deck with ramps?
Yes, and ramps open up drive-on machinery loads where there's no forklift or crane on site. Tell us your ramp capacity and length, and we'll match offers to what your ramps can safely handle.
How tall can freight be on a step deck?
It depends on your lower deck height and the lowest height limit on the route. There's no federal height limit, and most states set theirs between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft 6 in. Measure your loaded deck height, subtract it from the strictest state on the route, and that's your legal freight height.
Do Conestogas get better rates?
Often, because shippers pay for covered, tarp-free loading. Conestoga freight is a smaller market than open step deck, so volume varies by lane. We look for both and show you the rate difference on each offer.
Do you handle oversize permits?
We can help coordinate permits and escorts on request when a load is oversize or overweight, but the carrier stays responsible for running legal. Who pays for permits and escorts is set on the rate con. Oversize load dispatch covers how that works.
How much does step deck dispatch cost?
5% of gross on loads you haul with 6+ months of authority, 7% before that, and 4% per truck for fleets of two or more. No setup fee. See the fee schedule.
Tall loads, checked twice, booked with your yes
Cancel with 30 days notice.