- Flatbed Truck Shipping
- What Can You Ship On A Flatbed Truck?
- The Cost Of Flatbed Truck Shipping
- Load Weight
- Type Of Trailer
- Supply And Demand
- Fuel Cost
- Distance
- Get A Quote Today!
Flatbed Truck Shipping
Flatbed truck shipping is one of the top modes of transport around the globe. A-1 Auto Transport, Inc. is a proud provider of reliable flatbed truck shipping services not only across the mainland U.S. but with our large network of local, nationwide, and global long haul transport partners, we can also provide transport in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico and more than 200 countries worldwide.
What can you ship on a flatbed truck?
Flatbed trucks are used for a wide array of products and are especially ideal for equipment and materials that are too large to haul inside a container, a van or other sealed transport options. Hauling on a flatbed truck often means that more can be shipped at one time. This can help cut costs by keeping the number of trips down since more can be loaded.
Flatbed trucks can haul:
- Automobiles and trucks
- Heavy farm and construction equipment
- Mining equipment
- Pallets of store merchandise
- Landscaping materials
- Lumber
- Materials that must be lifted to load/unload
- Concrete
- Pipe
- Building materials
- Manufactured homes
- Crushed vehicles
- Boats
While flatbed trucks are great for many products and can haul up to around 45,000 pounds of equipment, they are not the right mode of transport for products including materials that need refrigerated or those that need temperature controlled environments or covered to prevent exposure to the elements. For those items, be sure to book transport with a refrigerated carrier or an enclosed carrier for safe transport.
The cost of flatbed truck shipping
With the rising cost of diesel fuel, costs associated with flatbed truck shipping as well as all other transportation will vary depending on several factors. These include:
- Load weight
- Type of trailer
- Supply and demand
- Fuel cost
- Distance
On average, flatbed truck shipping rates will range from $3.00 per mile to just over $4.00 per mile depending on the location of pickup and distance to delivery, the size of the load and even the season. Shipments throughout the Midwest are the highest while east and west coast shipments, will cost less.
When getting a quote, it is best to know the precise size and weight of the load as it will factor into the size of the truck. If a driver arrives and a load is far larger than what was booked, chances are they will have to deny the shipment until a different truck can be scheduled.
Load weight
Flatbed truck shipping calculates the weight of the load because weight will impact fuel cost. The heavier the load, the higher the fuel cost.
Type of trailer
There is more than one type of flatbed trailer, and this is considered when determining the cost to ship. A few types include:
- Standard flatbed
- Lowboys
- Double drop flatbed
- Stretch trailer
- Curtain side
- Side kit
- Drop deck trailer
Supply and demand
Flatbed truck shipments in regions that have lots of production that needs shipment will cost less than areas that have fewer requests for flatbed truck shipping services.
Fuel cost
Fuel cost varies from one locale to the next, therefore costs will vary depending on the fuel cost where the truck must travel.
Distance
The total distance from pickup to delivery will factor into the cost to ship. The longer the distance, the more the cost will be.
Get a Quote Today!
For fast flatbed truck shipping options, be sure to fill out the FREE quote form on this page. You can also call to speak to an agent at 1-888-230-6512 today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Even though a company's concerns are the same, the typical cost to move a flatbed truck varies from state to state. Distance is important because the bulk of transportation providers charge by the mile.
This implies that long distances will cost more money. However, the weather and traffic might also indirectly increase the cost because the car uses more fuel as a result. The truck uses more energy and costs more when there is a lot of traffic.
The final cost is affected by the details, like whether you’re having something else transported on your flatbed truck.
Regarding the size when it comes to transporting a flatbed truck, the company will make a decision. Standard-sized items can be transported using a flatbed carrier. A 50-foot carrier can accommodate the majority of freight because it can support up to 40,000 pounds.
A flatbed truck weighs around 32,000 pounds.
It may be possible to detach a flatbed truck. For bigger loads that fall under the oversized category, different regulations apply. A company will surely use a lowboy trailer because the four-axle version can haul more than 80,000 pounds.
Additionally, it is built closer to the ground because of height limits and to give better balance when traveling.
We’re unable to provide an exact number due to the potential for large pricing variations, even within the USA or a single state. Even the cost per mile changes depending on where your pickup and dropoff locations are.
The driver will need additional time to get to you if there is a very wide distance between the two places. They might arrive sooner if the roads are clear. This is crucial since circumstances like the weather might delay even short-distance travel.
The time could alter depending on the weather and traffic. Because both can result in delivery delays, it is preferable to contact a shipping company beforehand. Just keep in mind that moving a flatbed could take some time.
It isn’t advisable to move a flatbed truck a long distance on your own because it is huge, and you would be unfamiliar with the complexities involved in the procedure, even if you have expertise using one in the industry. It's quite different from utilizing it and is not simple.
Professional transport companies' biggest advantage over regular people is that they are aware of the difficulties involved in transferring large machinery.
If the flatbed truck is brand new, it is loaded carefully to avoid damage during the journey. Due to the difficulty of handling such a large trailer, your organization will send a knowledgeable driver to ensure the delivery goes off without a hitch.
The logistics team knows enough to choose the best path, so you should leave it to the professionals.
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