STEP DECK / DROP DECK / CONESTOGA
Step deck dispatch for freight that stands tall
Your trailer exists to carry what a flatbed can't without a permit. We find that freight, check its height against the route and your deck before you see it, and send the rate con to you to sign.
Dispatch my step deckHEIGHT AND FIT CHECK
Will it fit without a permit?
Enter the load and your trailer. The drawing puts the load on your lower deck and measures it against the height limit you pick. Width over 102 inches or height over the limit means a permit somewhere on the route.
There is no federal height limit. States set their own, and most fall between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft, with some western states higher. That is why we check every state on the route, not just the pickup.
Height limit on your route
DECK NUMBERS ARE EXAMPLES; USE YOUR TRAILER'S
- LOADED HEIGHT
- 12 ft 4 in
- CLEARANCE
- 1 ft 2 in
- WIDTH
- LEGAL
This fits under the height you picked and the federal 102 in width. It fits on the lower deck length you entered.
SOURCE: HEIGHT: FHWA, Federal Size Regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles; WIDTH: eCFR, 23 CFR 658.15. CHECKED OCTOBER 2026. A QUICK CHECK, NOT A PERMIT DECISION.
For more trailer types and dimensions, try the trailer dimension fit checker.
WHAT WE BOOK
A step deck dispatcher with the right freight
Step deck freight is taller, often heavier and usually worth more per mile than standard flatbed work, because fewer trucks can take it legally.
Construction machinery
Loaders, small excavators and lifts that sit too tall on a flatbed.
Farm equipment
Tractors, sprayers and implements. Seasonal and often drive-on with ramps.
Industrial crates and tanks
Tall boxed equipment and vessels that need the lower deck height.
Conestoga-only loads
Tall freight that needs weather cover and side loading.
Normal-height steel and lumber? That is flatbed freight; see flatbed dispatch. Over legal size? See oversize dispatch.
CONESTOGA DISPATCH
A rolling tarp changes the work
A Conestoga is a step deck or flatbed with a sliding tarp system. Shippers like it because freight stays covered and can still be loaded from the side by forklift. Drivers like it because there is no tarping in the wind and rain.
Some loads are posted for Conestogas only, and those can pay more because fewer trucks qualify. We list your trailer as a Conestoga with brokers, so those loads come to you, and we still book open step deck freight when the kit can be pulled back.
Watch the inside height with the kit closed: it is lower than the open deck allows, and we check it on every load.
RAMPS
Drive-on freight pays for itself
Ramps let equipment drive onto the upper or lower deck under its own power. That opens tractors, lifts, skid steers, golf carts and other wheeled or tracked machines from farms, dealers and rental yards that have no forklift or crane.
We record your ramp rating and length so we never book a machine that is too heavy for them, and we confirm who drives it on and off at each end before you sign.
WHAT WE NEED ON FILE
- Upper and lower deck heights and lengths
- Ramps: yes or no, rating and length
- Conestoga kit: inside height closed
- Axle setup and empty weight
- Chains, binders, straps, tarps
EVERY LOAD, BEFORE YOU SEE IT
The step deck pre-check
- 01Dimensions and weight from the shipper in writing, not a guess on the phone
- 02Loaded height on your lower deck compared with the lowest limit on the route
- 03Width against the 102 in federal limit, and any state that is stricter on its roads
- 04Where the piece sits, so axle weights stay legal
- 05How it loads and unloads at each end: forklift, crane, ramps
THE STEP DECK YEAR
Following the machinery
Step deck demand follows equipment moves. Spring brings farm equipment and construction machinery heading to job sites. Summer keeps construction busy. Fall brings harvest equipment and end-of-season returns to dealers and rental yards.
We keep you set up with equipment dealers, rental companies and machinery brokers, so when one part of the year slows, another is picking up. You choose how far from home you want to follow it.
FLATBED, STEP DECK OR LOWBOY
The right deck for the height
The difference between these trailers is mostly deck height, and deck height decides how tall a piece can be before it needs a permit. A dispatcher who matches loads to the lowest legal option keeps you out of permit work you didn't ask for.
| Trailer | Deck | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Flatbed | Highest, one level | Steel, lumber, building materials |
| Step deck | Lower main deck behind a short upper deck | Tall machinery and crates, legal height |
| Lowboy or RGN | Lowest, between the axles | The tallest and heaviest pieces, often permitted |
AN EXAMPLE WEEK
Three machines, one route
An example, not a client story. A step deck with ramps based in Iowa. Monday it loads a compact excavator at a rental yard in Des Moines that is too tall for a flatbed at that height, and delivers to a job site in Omaha. Tuesday it drives a farm tractor onto the deck at a dealer in Lincoln for a farm in Kansas.
Wednesday a broker offers a tall tank that would need a permit even on the lower deck. We pass it to the carrier with that note, and the carrier declines. Thursday a crated press goes from Wichita back toward Des Moines, delivering Friday morning, 40 miles from home.
FEE AND QUESTIONS
Step deck dispatch at 5%
Same rate card as every truck. See dispatch cost for the full breakdown.
- Gross, three machinery loads
- $8,100
- Our fee at 5%
- $405
- A 10% desk
- $810
01What does a step deck dispatcher need from me?
Your upper and lower deck heights and lengths, total trailer length, ramps or no ramps, axle setup, and whether you have a Conestoga kit. Add your securement gear and tarps. With those we can check every load's height and fit before you ever see it.
02What freight needs a step deck?
Freight too tall for a flatbed but under the legal height on a lower deck: construction and farm machinery, tall crates, industrial equipment, large tanks and vehicles. If it would need a permit on a flatbed but not on a step deck, a step deck is the right truck.
03Do Conestogas get better rates?
Often a little, because fewer trucks can take Conestoga-only loads and shippers pay for the side loading and weather cover. The rolling tarp also saves you tarping time on every load. Availability and premiums vary by lane and season, so we price each one rather than assume.
04Can you dispatch a step deck with ramps?
Yes, and ramps open a lot of drive-on freight: tractors, lifts, skid steers and other wheeled or tracked equipment that can load itself. We note your ramp rating and only book equipment that is within it.
05Do you handle oversize permits?
For loads that go over legal height or width, we run them through our oversize desk and make sure every state's permit, escort and travel window is lined up before you sign. Most step deck work stays legal size, which is the point of the trailer.
06How much does step deck dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one truck with an MC at least 6 months old, 7% while your MC is newer, 4% for two or more. No setup fee, no contract.
07Do you claim detention at equipment yards and job sites?
Yes, when the rate con allows it. Rental yards, dealers and job sites can keep a step deck waiting while they find a loader operator or clear space. We log your arrival against the appointment, keep the broker updated and file the claim when free time runs out.
08Can a new MC get step deck loads?
Yes. Machinery and equipment shippers sometimes want experience, but plenty of brokers book new step deck authorities, especially for farm and rental equipment. We start with those and keep your fee at 7% until month 6, then 5%.
09Do I have to take every load?
No. We negotiate the load and the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you, with the dimensions and securement written on it. You sign it or say no, and declining costs you nothing.
LOWER DECK READY?
Tall freight, no permit
Apply in two minutes with your deck heights. We check every load against your trailer and the route, and the rate con comes to you to sign.
Fee on gross load revenue, only on loads you haul. 7% while your MC is under 6 months.