Open-deck freight is where experienced carriers earn the strongest rates on the board. Construction, manufacturing and energy projects across the country need flatbeds every day, and brokers will pay for drivers who know how to secure a load properly. The challenge is finding the right freight for your exact setup: your deck length, whether you carry tarps, how many chains and binders you have, and whether you can take oversized loads.
Your Pro Dispatch dispatcher builds your profile around that equipment so you never get offered a load you can't legally or safely haul. We confirm tarp requirements, securement needs, dimensions and permits before you accept — then negotiate extra for tarping, additional stops and over-dimension freight.
Flatbed and Flatbed Maxi dispatch
A standard 48' or 53' flatbed typically hauls 42,000 to 48,000 lbs. If you run a Flatbed Maxi — a lighter, spread-axle 53' setup — you can legally scale heavier steel and machinery loads in the 55,000 to 63,000 lb range, which is where some of the best open-deck rates live. We know which brokers and shippers need maxi capacity and position you to win that freight.
If you run a shorter 48' flatbed, we will confirm your CDL class and equipment so we only target loads that fit.
Securement, tarps and permits
We ask the questions upfront so your driver isn't surprised at the shipper.
- Tarp type and size (lumber, steel, smoke tarps) confirmed and negotiated as tarp pay
- Chain, strap and binder counts matched to the commodity
- Over-dimension (OD) freight identified and permit needs flagged before booking
- TWIC card requirements for port pickups noted
- PPE requirements (hard hat, vest, steel toes) for steel mills and job sites
Planning around job sites and mills
Flatbed freight often picks up at steel mills and delivers to construction sites with tight receiving hours. Your dispatcher plans the week around those windows, books the backhaul before you are empty, and keeps the broker informed of your ETA so detention is documented when a site isn't ready.
Why carriers choose Pro Dispatch for flatbed freight
Pro Dispatch has been dispatching trucks for more than five years. Every carrier gets a personal dispatcher who handles only three to five trucks, works 24/7, and is paid on commission — which means your dispatcher only does well when you do. Loads are booked under your own MC, so brokers pay you or your factoring company directly. There is no long-term contract and no forced dispatch: you choose every load, and you can leave at any time.
Ready to see the difference? Upload your four documents and your dispatcher will call you for a welcoming call, or read more about how our dispatch process works and how our pricing works.