Does flatbed pay more than dry van?

Yes, typically. Flatbed freight often pays a premium because of the added securement work and specialized handling involved.

Do you book oversize loads or help with permits and escorts?

No. We don't book oversize loads, so we don't arrange permits, pilot cars or escorts. We book legal-size flatbed freight that fits standard length, width, height and weight limits.

What securement equipment do I need before you can book me freight?

At minimum, chains and binders, straps and edge protectors, plus tarps if you'll take tarped loads, all rated for the freight you plan to haul and meeting FMCSA cargo securement rules.

Do you book tarping required loads?

Yes, as long as you have the tarps and experience to handle them. Let your dispatcher know your tarping capability when you set up, and they'll negotiate tarp pay on loads that need it.

How much flatbed experience do I need before signing up?

There's no strict minimum, but having your own securement equipment and a basic understanding of load securement rules helps you get started faster.

Flatbed Dispatch Service for Owner-Operators

What our flatbed dispatchers handle

Flatbed pays well because it's real work. Chains, straps, tarps, strange loading sites and freight that doesn't fit in a box. Your dispatcher's job is to book loads that match the gear you actually carry and to get paid for the extra work, including tarps.

Load sourcing for steel, lumber, building materials, machinery and pipe, matched to your trailer length and deck.
Rate and tarp pay negotiation. If a load needs tarps, we negotiate tarp pay along with the rate.
Load details up front: dimensions, weight, tarp needs and loading method, confirmed before you accept.
Broker vetting before every booking.
Detention and TONU recovered from the broker when a site holds you or a load cancels.

Flatbed at a glance

DAT national average spot rate, fuel included, week of October 10 to 16, 2026. Source: DAT via AJOT, week 42. A market average, not a promise of what any load will pay. See this month's flatbed rates per mile.
DAT national average spot rate	$3.64 per mile, fuel included. Changes weekly.
Our fee	Flat 6% of the gross
Most common equipment	48 to 53 foot flatbed trailer, Class A tractor
Common freight	Steel, lumber, building materials, machinery, pipe
CDL requirement	Class A CDL
Securement	Chains, binders, straps and edge protection that meet FMCSA cargo securement rules, plus tarps for tarped loads
Best season	Spring through fall, following construction activity
How it's different	Higher rates and wider swings than van, but it takes securement skill and is more physically demanding

Securement and tarp pay

Securement is your responsibility as the carrier, and it's the part of flatbed that gets drivers placed out of service. FMCSA's cargo securement rules set the minimum number of tiedowns, their working load limits and specific rules for things like steel coils, lumber and heavy machinery. Our tiedown calculator gives the minimum count for a load.

Here's what we expect you to have before we start booking (and our flatbed securement guide covers the tiedown math):

Enough chains, binders and straps for the freight you plan to haul, rated for the load
Tarps, if you'll take tarped loads (lumber and steel often need them)
Edge protection, so straps don't cut and freight doesn't get damaged
The know-how to secure the freight types you choose, or a willingness to start with simpler loads

Tell us honestly what you're comfortable hauling. We'll start there and work up. A load you don't know how to secure isn't worth the rate.

Getting paid for tarps

Tarping takes time and wears out your gear. When a load needs tarps, your dispatcher asks for tarp pay on top of the rate, and confirms it's on the rate confirmation before you accept. If it's not in writing, it's not agreed.

Oversize loads

We don't book oversize loads today. Oversize freight needs permits from each state on the route, and often pilot cars and set travel hours, so we focus on legal-size flatbed freight that fits standard length, width, height and weight limits.

New to flatbed? Start simple

If you're newer to flatbed, the safest way in is freight that's straightforward to secure: palletized building materials, lumber bundles and simple machinery. Steel coils and complex tarp jobs can wait until you're confident. We'll book you at your level and work up as you get comfortable.

Tell us what you've hauled before and what you'd like to learn. Your dispatcher will look for loads that build your skills without putting your safety record or your cargo at risk.

Loads we'll pass on

Loads with dimensions or weights the broker can't confirm
Tarped loads where tarp pay isn't on the rate confirmation
Job sites with no confirmed loading equipment or contact

Steel, lumber and machinery: what each load asks of you

Flatbed freight isn't one thing. Each of the big freight groups needs different gear and a different kind of attention, so your dispatcher matches loads to what you carry and what you've hauled before.

Steel. Coils, beams, rebar and sheet. Heavy for its size, so weight limits come before length. Coils have their own securement rules, and many shippers want tarps.
Lumber and building materials. Bundles, plywood, trusses and palletized supplies. Usually easier to secure, often tarped, and busiest with spring and summer construction.
Machinery and equipment. Tractors, skid steers and industrial parts. Every piece is different, so we confirm weight, dimensions, loading method and tie-down points before you accept.

Not sure flatbed is for you? Compare it with van, reefer and the other trailer types on our equipment comparison.

Why flatbed owner-operators choose us

Loads that match your deck

We confirm dimensions, weight and tarp needs before you say yes, so you don't show up to a load your trailer can't take.

We ask for what the work is worth

Tarp pay, detention at slow job sites and TONU when a load falls through. We chase it from the broker for you.

Where flatbed freight is strongest

Flatbed work follows mills, steel and construction. A few states give flatbeds steady loads:

Indiana: steel coils, plate and structural steel from the mills of northwest Indiana.
Oregon: lumber, plywood and engineered wood from mills along I-5.
Mississippi: lumber from sawmills spread across the southern and eastern parts of the state.
Alabama: steel, pipe and building materials from Birmingham and the south.

How flatbed dispatch works with us

Send your docs. MC authority, insurance certificate, W-9, voided check and the signed dispatch agreement.
Get matched. We go over your trailer, your securement gear and the freight you're comfortable with.
Loads get booked. We confirm tarp and securement needs before booking, then send the rate confirmation.
You haul and get paid. The broker pays you or your factor directly.

See the document checklist and setup timeline.

What flatbed dispatch costs

A flat 6% of the gross. On a load that pays $3,200 in total, our fee is $192. Here's the full fee breakdown.

Curious what a dispatcher actually does all day, beyond booking loads? Read what a truck dispatcher does. Or see how we work with one-truck carriers on our owner-operator dispatch page.