Flatbed Carriers

An open 48-53 foot deck with no sides or roof; freight is secured with straps, chains, and tarps. Common for lumber, steel, machinery, and building materials that don't fit inside an enclosed trailer.

Flatbed freight requires load securement skills dry van driving doesn't — chains, straps, tarps, and edge protectors, all inspected en route since a shifted load on an open deck is both a safety hazard and a DOT violation. Because the deck is open, flatbed also handles freight that's too long, wide, or tall for an enclosed trailer.

47,965 carriers in our directory report hauling logs, poles, and lumber, building materials, sheet and coil metal, construction materials, or large machinery and equipment on their FMCSA filing — the cargo categories we map to Flatbed. They're based across 51 states, led by Texas (3,397), California (2,492), Pennsylvania (2,453).