March 18, 2022
Reasons to Use an Open Flatbed Truck
Flatbed trucks offer significant advantages over traditional box trailers in the hauling and transportation of commercial cargo. These commercial vehicles have been designed with a level and fully flat bed without any hindering sides or roof to transport heavy and oversized shipments.
As a versatile mode of transport, various industries rely on flatbed transportation services to support their logistical operations and ensure the timely and reliable shipment of heavy cargo.
Learn more about the advantages of using flatbed trucks and how key industries use flatbed transportation services in their day-to-day operations.
Why Use Open Flatbed Trucks
Without any spatial restrictions, trucks flatbed transport presents numerous benefits over traditional box transport in ensuring the safe and efficient transport of oversized cargo. Countless businesses rely on flatbed transportation because of the following reasons:
Faster to Load and Unload
The loading and unloading of the cargo are some of the most challenging aspects of transporting heavy goods. In this regard, the lack of sides and roof is advantageous as it allows the loading and unloading of any material from any side or angle. The cargo can be loaded manually or lifted onto its large surface area using a crane.
Large Capacity
Unlike other truck types, a flatbed truck has dimensional flexibility, allowing for the transport of heavier and bulkier loads. In addition, with a significantly higher carrying capacity than other truck types, transporters can move more load in less time.
As a result, drivers no longer have to make several trips to transport multiple loads, increasing transport efficiency and translating into more savings for the shipper.
Versatile Transport Option
As mentioned earlier, trucks flatbed transport vehicles have dimensional flexibility because the space they provide isn’t enclosed. That means more room for loading up different types of cargo. And unlike traditional boxed transport, it doesn’t require a high level of spatial reasoning to maximize the space available. Cargo only needs to be secured using straps or chains to be safe.
Suitable for Heavy Loads
Although some flatbed truck types can accommodate smaller loads, most flatbed trucks have been designed for the transport and hauling of larger and heavier loads. They are equipped with larger storage spaces while providing extra support to allow these trucks to transport heavy loads safely.
Easy to Clean
The lack of sides and a roof eliminates crevices where dirt can accumulate, making flatbed trucks easier to clean. Keeping the truck clean becomes more seamless and less daunting, keeping cleaning and maintenance to a minimum. This significantly reduces the time between trips, allowing the transport of even more cargo.
Types of Open Flatbed Trucks
Flatbed trucks are available in many different forms to accommodate a wide variety of cargo types in various sectors. These are some of the most common:
- Stretch Flatbed Trailers: These traditional-style flatbed trucks are among the most versatile types, capable of handling up to 48,000 pounds. They boast easy loading capabilities, with freight being loaded quickly onto the tips, sides, and rear of the flatbed, and are often used to transport long pipes, steel beams, turbine blades, and heavy equipment.
- Step Deck and Drop Deck Flatbed Trailers: These types of flatbed trucks feature lowered decks to accommodate tall cargo that cannot be hauled on standard flatbeds due to road clearances. With these trucks’ flatbed trailers, tall cargo with loads of up to 45,000 pounds can be transported without exceeding height restrictions.
- Lowboy Trailers: Lowboy trailers feature a lowered bed in front of the rear axels to transport tall cargo. The lowered bed makes additional room for cargo to account for road clearances and ensures easy loading and unloading of construction vehicles and other cargo.
- Stretch Double Drop Trailers: Aside from cargo height restrictions, stretch double drop trailers have also been designed to accommodate the transport of oversized cargo too long for standard flatbeds. These flatbed trucks provide additional support, preventing overhang at the trailer’s back. This type of flatbed truck can accommodate loads up to 45,000 pounds.
- Removable Gooseneck Trailers: Removable Gooseneck Trailers are special flatbeds designed to transport tall and long cargo. They have unique features such as being detached to create a ramp for easy unloading of freight. They can also be expanded from 3 to over 20 axles for carrying heavier shipments weighing up to 150,000 pounds.
Common Applications of Flatbed Transportation Services
Due to the capacity and versatility of flatbed trucks, flatbed transportation services can serve a wide variety of industries. Here are some ways different industries use flatbed trucks:
- Construction: Construction is one of the most served industries by flatbed transportation services. They are typically used to haul construction materials such as scaffolding, steel, lumber, and bricks and for bringing heavy equipment like bulldozers, graders, and backhoes to and from the job site.
- Landscaping: Most flatbed trucks have a bed length between 12 to 20 ft, which allows the transport of oversized objects with irregular shapes, making it an essential solution in landscaping. With flatbed trucks, it is now easier to transport full-grown trees and lumber as well as yard scraps and tree trimmings from the worksite.
- Towing: Flatbed transportation services are perfect for hauling and towing other smaller vehicles such as cars and small trucks. Ramps can be used to roll vehicles onto the deck, but a hook can also be used to tow the vehicles, especially for disabled vehicles.
- Manufacturing: Flatbed trucks haul large pieces of industrial equipment such as mixing tanks, conveyors, CNC machines, and control equipment, among many others.
- Aviation: Airplane parts are easy to transport with the help of a flatbed truck. Irregularly-shaped components can easily be accommodated thanks to the lack of sides and top, allowing a little bit of overhang (but subject to legal restrictions).
- Distribution: Distributors can also tap the services of flatbed transportation companies to help with the hauling of items to and from the distribution center. This can include food and beverage items. Although these are typically transported using box type or closed semi, flatbed trucks are also a great option, especially for oversized or tall loads.
- Agriculture: Farmers and ranchers rely heavily on a flatbed truck’s ability to carry heavy farm equipment such as tractors and harvesters, thanks to its double-tire configuration. This also makes it easier for hauling grains, feed, and other farm commodities with relative ease, even along with the mud and dirt-covered areas.
Versatile Flatbed Trucking Solutions by Kan-Haul
Many companies offer flatbed trucking services – but not all can claim to have the depth of experience and record of reliability of Kan-Haul.
So if you are looking for high-quality flatbed trucking solutions for your business, give Kan-Haul a call today! Take a look at our Flatbed Trucking Solutions to learn more about how our decades-long experience in logistics can be of service to you.
