flat or step.

53' aluminum step that way you can pull virtually everthing a flat does and some with it being really lightweight.

 

Right now FLAT is doing better in the areas we run in the EAST

 

I can't tell you how wrong you are in that statement enough. I thought the same thing as well, and got a stepdeck. Well, I have lost out on at least 50 loads in the last 6 months because the "will not load a stepdeck". Even when the crap was only 20' long, they still would not load a step. And a lot of places are refusing to load plate steel and pipe on steps with risers now as well..... just saying, it isn't how it seems to be or how you'd think it would work. Only time I would suggest a step is if you have s=customers that require them due to height of freight or if it;s roll-on equipment. Other than that, a SD is kind of pointless now.

 

Why wont they use a step deck?

 

Happens to me all the time, last flatbed load I was picking up I pulled my levelers out set them up and after 8 hours waiting to load the guy says we don't load on them there unsafe!!

Lots of shippers don't like to load steps

 

Im only a company driver but in my experience i have found that a flatbed is easier to deal with at shippers and its just nicer not having the extra few feet of trailer. plus like others have said i really hate messing with the levelers. If I were to ever lease or own I would buy or rent a flat handsdown anyday over a step.

 

Some places say it because of safety resons, some don;t have docks low enough to load a step, and others just plain don't care.

 

A Flat is the all around trailer. I would go that route.

 

I will say flat because I don't need any more competition.