Step deck vs flatbed?

I loved pulling Stepdeck trailers, but they do weigh a little more so you will lose a little as far as how much you can haul. Be sure and get load levelers for the front so when you get a load of 20' pipe or even 40' I-beam you'll be able to haul it. They're great for loading and straping down,nice and low. Not much you can't haul that a flatbed can without a little planning.

 

Before starting my own company and driving for myself I had an opportunity to work in dispatch and as a trip planner for a company that ran 1 flatbed, 2 step decks, and 2 vans. We had a total of 30 trucks but the rest ran for our internal business contracts and not general freight. I agree that a good step deck with levelers is the best choice. Often I could post one of the step decks as available and the phone would start ringing off the hook and in the case where a load was step deck only suited the negotiating power for a good rate is tremendous. You start saying you will think about it and call back then many times they start asking what do you need to take the load? Our step deck drivers always made more than the rest of the guys and load planning seemed easier near all the time.

This was in the eastern half of the USA 95% of the time. If on a rare occasion we ran to Colorado or further west I usually ended up getting LTL partials back to keep rate per mile up due to a slump in the Step Deck rate but thats just from one small companies experience.

 

Possibly rent a standad step?The ultimate would be to have several(5) different trailer types available.The power unit is the biggie lisence,insurance,ect wise.I have always heard about how great the oversize,specialized ect was but the run of the mill("one" phone call)freight is my bread and butter.Standard Step deckin only had them putting more on me on the same dime,more often than not..Uncordinated,inexperienced oversize permit people can take all the profit out with a blink of an eye.It depends on the current connections one has available,and tommorow it may be a different story.Example: I had run three months worth of great rounds (also known as dedicated I suppose).I realized the advantage of one of those fancy sliding tarp systems($10K) .Im getting quotes and will be putting the obsolete gear(chain vault,tarps,ect,$4K) in the corner of the barn.Call in for the next gravey deal and my broker after 40 years had a falling out with corperate.So the round was history. My only suggestion is not to get into anything you can't get out of.Truckin is 2 Unpredictable.