48' & 53' flatbed
The default when nothing is oversize. Loads up to 8'6" of freight height before you need a permit.
Sheet 03 Equipment HM2 Corp
Pick the deck before you pick the date
Deck height decides your permit. Every inch the deck sits lower is an inch of freight height you get for free — which is why a 12' tall machine rides on a double drop and not a flatbed.
Trailers listed here are what we load on — owned and, for the outsize configurations, through carriers we have worked with for years. The exact equipment for your load is confirmed in the quote.
03.1 Deck profiles Side elevation
48' & 53' step deck
Twenty inches lower than a flatbed. Buys you 10' of freight height, which covers most machinery without a permit.
Double drop & lowboy
The well sits between the axles. Freight up to about 11'6" stays legal on height — taller than that and we permit it.
Removable gooseneck
The neck comes off and the deck drops to the ground, so tracked iron drives on instead of being craned. Expandable for long pieces.
03.2 Capacities Check your load
Find your load in this table
If your piece is inside one of these rows, we can quote it from the dimensions alone. If it is past the bottom row, it is a superload and we need to talk about the route first.
| Trailer | Deck length | Deck height | Legal freight height | Capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbed | 48' – 53' | 60" | 8'-6" | 48,000 lb | Steel, pipe, crated, palletized |
| Step deck | 48' – 53' | 40" | 10'-0" | 48,000 lb | Skid steers, small excavators, tanks |
| Double drop | 25' – 29' well | 22" | 11'-6" | 40,000 – 80,000 lb | Tall machinery, vessels, gensets |
| RGN | 29' well, extendable | 18" – 24" | 11'-6" | 40,000 – 150,000 lb | Dozers, excavators, cranes, drive-on iron |
| Multi-axle | Configurable | 18" – 24" | Permit | By configuration | Transformers, presses, single-piece industrial |
| Extendable flat | to 80'+ | 60" | 8'-6" | 48,000 lb | Beams, girders, trusses, poles |
Legal freight height assumes a 13'6" overall limit and a level deck. Measure your load height from the ground once it is loaded, not from the deck — that is the number the state cares about.
Not sure which deck your load needs?
Send the dimensions and weight. Picking the trailer is our problem.