Hello everyone, I've done a lot of reading on here over the past year, but normally search to find answers rather than create new posts. . . I haven't seen much on this item though: What to buy?? Flat or stepdeck??

I'll start with a brief history on my situation. . . I own a company that creates and delivers a seasonal winter item. My business is busy from Nov. to Jan. and takes all of my time for that portion of the year. This business requires use of trucks/trailers. I own a couple trucks, and 6 trlrs. The trucks I own are 2000 and 2001, the trlrs are a bit older, and suite my needs very well. I stay pretty local with my trailers, they work for me, but arent very practical OTR trlrs.

In the time that I am not working full swing with my business, I have been working as a company driver for a local Co. that mainly does heavy hauls, but has recently (over the last 3-4 years) gotten into general freight/flatbed work. Although times are getting tough, we have stayed busy, and have a lot of regular clients. Being that I already OWN a couple trucks, I am leasing on to this outfit. I will need to get a better trailer for this to work. I have the chance to get a good deal on a lease to own flatbed or stepdeck, and I am tied as to which to go for. Obviously both have their advantages and disadvantages. . . . Can anyone give any experienced advice on this matter??

I did a quick comparison of available freightloads and found flatbed freight was available 3:1 to freight calling for a step. Do any of you guys find in general freight hauling that a step can generally haul flat loads?? obviously with a good set of ramps a step can do a lot that a flat can't, though i'm sure there are shippers with docks who won't load a step. . . . Decisions, decisions. . . . . Any advice??

Flats take regular tires, steps take lowboy tires. Flats are lighter but tend to tip more easily, and if loaded height is a concern, you can haul more on a step loaded to the same height. You can haul taller freight, even other trucks and trailers much easier on a step.

Would you load or unload at a dock very often?

I dont know of anywhere at all that would load on a dock, just wondering in general as i'll be doing a significant amount of general brokered freight. . . I pointed out to someone that almost every flatbed load i saw on the road today would have loaded fine on a step, though the opposite wasn't true, and he countered by saying "yeah, but a lot of big shippers will only load onto a flat because they load off of a dock." I'm not thinking of any place in particular, just passing on a voiced point. . .

There is a lot of 45' freight that requires support the whole length that you won't get with a step but you will lose out on higher loads with a flat. For me the people I work with a flat works best but YMMV. It doesn't matter what kind of equipment you have you won't get every load out there.

True, some customers will only load flats but you won't find that to be the norm. steps are very versitile as they can haul taller loads easier and they are easier to get up and down on.
I pulled steps for years and found out that they haul what you want to haul. I didn't like hauling lumber and sheetrock( cheap freight) and they usually won't load steps with those products. Depends on your area and the available freight. You will just have to look around and see what you will be hauling mostly.

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IMO, a 48 foot, 34 - 36 inch deck height combo step with a spread and a bolt on beaver tail with ramps that flip and create a level deck (will make it 53 foot) and ramps for the step with load levelers is the ultimate choice as the most versatile trailer.

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Yeah, The trailer I think i'm getting is 51.5' with container locks for 1-40', 2-20's, or 1-heavy 20. I didn't go with the beaver tail as it added too much weight, and couldn't get cont. locks. Trailer is a combo, spread with cali slide. Im getting ramps/load levelers with it. Seems like a very versatile setup to me. I really rarely see flatbed loads that won't work on a step. Why do some places gotta be so crabby about loading steps?? I guess just to make my decisions in my life more difficult. . . .