Determining If You Need A Flatbed Trailer To Deliver Goods To Your Customer

There are a lot of ways goods can be moved, and it is important to know when you need a specific type of trailer to move your product. In most cases, flatbed trailers are used for very specific kinds of loads and the carrier will be able to determine if they can move your product in a closed trailer or if an open flatbed is needed.

When is A Flatbed Needed?

In most cases a flatbed trailer is going to need to be used if the product you are shipping is too large to fit in a traditional trailer, the product cannot be loaded from the rear of the trailer, and the product cannot be palletized. In most cases, these loads are considered oversized loads and may require some extra care when moving them and at times you may even need to get special permits to move the load over the road.

Flatbeds can be used for just about any large load but keep in mind, these loads will be traveling out in the weather and not able to be secured when the truck is stopped so if the load is a high-value product, you might want to opt for a team to haul the load so someone is always with the load or it is moving more often than not.

Not All Flatbeds Are Created Equally

Because there are so many different kinds of things that get hauled on flatbed trailers, there have been many different kinds of flatbeds created. The most common are simple flatbeds that are a solid platform, but lowboys, steps decks, and heavy haul trailers are also common for large machinery, farm, and construction equipment, and extremely heavy loads can also be used for your job. The length of these trailers can vary as well, but the most common is the fifty-three-foot trailer. LArger or longer trailers will require oversize load permits and pre-planning the route to avoid problems with obstacles and traffic.

Handling Hazardous Loads

If you are shipping something considered hazardous, the carrier needs to be qualified to take the load, The driver needs to have the right license, and the carrier needs to be able to meet requirements like escort cars and permits that allow them to move hazmat over the highway. Not all flatbed companies can handle these kinds of loads so be sure to ask about it before assuming the company can take the load. The costs will be higher for moving these hazardous goods, but that is a result of the added risk involved.

Contact a company like CCI Crane & Transport, Inc. for more information and assistance.

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