Flatbed Shipping in Florida: What Actually Needs an Open Deck

Typical flatbed freight

If any of these describe your load, plan on open deck.

• Construction materials: lumber, steel, rebar, pipe, precast concrete
• Roofing, drywall, and bundled building products loaded by forklift
• Machinery, generators, HVAC units, and equipment on skids
• Loads that exceed dry van door height, width, or length
• Anything requiring crane or overhead loading

Securement and weather protection

Open-deck freight is secured with straps, chains, binders, edge protection, and dunnage chosen for the commodity, and it is inspected during transit. Loads that cannot take weather are tarped — tell the carrier up front, because tarping affects labor, time, and equipment selection.

Oversize and overweight loads

Once a load exceeds legal dimensions or weight, it enters permitted territory. Permits are issued per jurisdiction and may come with travel-time restrictions, route limitations, escort requirements, and signage or flag rules.

Permitted moves need lead time. Give the carrier exact dimensions and weight early — an estimate that turns out low can stop a load at a scale.

What to send when you request a flatbed quote

Exact length, width, and height of the load as it sits, total weight, how it will be loaded and unloaded, whether tarping is required, and whether either site has overhead or ground clearance constraints.

Common Questions