Dry Van vs Flatbed: Which Trailer Your Freight Needs
In the dry van vs flatbed choice, freight that fits through rear doors on pallets or in boxes goes in a dry van. Freight too tall, wide, heavy or awkward for those doors goes on a flatbed or step deck. The open trailer changes the rest: side or top loading, chains and tarps, possible oversize permits, and usually a higher price.
What freight goes in a dry van?
A dry van takes anything that fits through its rear doors and needs cover from weather, which means most palletized, boxed and crated freight. A 53 foot van holds about 26 standard 48 by 40 inch pallets single stacked, two rows of 13. It carries roughly 42,000 to 45,000 pounds of freight inside the 80,000 pound gross limit on interstate highways.
Typical dry van trailer dimensions are 102 inches wide outside, about 98 to 100 inches wide inside, and about 108 to 110 inches tall inside. The door opening is a little smaller, so measure against the door, not the box. Loading happens at a dock with a forklift or pallet jack. See dry van trucking for how van loads are booked.
- Retail and packaged consumer goods
- Boxed parts, paper and printed material
- Crated freight that fits the door opening
- Anything that cannot get wet or dusty
When should you use a flatbed?
Use a flatbed when freight cannot pass through a rear door, must be loaded by crane or side forklift, or is too dense to load safely from a dock.
Steel, lumber, pipe, machinery and building materials are typical. A 48 foot flatbed is 102 inches wide, and its deck sits about 60 inches off the ground. Legal height without a permit is 13 feet 6 inches in most western states, so freight can stand about 8 feet 6 inches tall. Some states allow 14 feet. Details on open deck loads are on the flatbed trucking page.
Step deck vs flatbed: which one fits?
Choose a step deck when freight stands taller than about 8 feet 6 inches, because its lower deck sits near 42 inches and leaves about 10 feet of legal freight height.
A standard flatbed loads from any side and is usually easier to find. A step deck also suits equipment that drives on with ramps. If flat freight must stay dry, ask for a trailer with a tarp system, such as a conestoga with a rolling cover. It protects the load without hand tarping. Anything wider than 8 feet 6 inches or taller than the height limit needs permits on any trailer.
Who loads, unloads and checks securement?
The shipper loads and the receiver unloads with their own forklift or crane, while the driver secures the freight and checks it during the trip.
In a van, that means load bars or straps behind the last pallets. On a flatbed, the driver sets chains, binders, straps, edge protectors and tarps. Federal rules require a recheck within the first 50 miles and at regular stops after that. If either end lacks a forklift or crane, say so before booking. The load may need a liftgate, a truck mounted forklift, or a crane hired separately.
What details get an accurate quote?
An accurate quote needs piece dimensions and weights, packaging, both addresses, dates and hours, and the loading equipment available at each end.
Most of these shipments move as a full truckload, so a complete list up front avoids a reprice on pickup day.
- Length, width, height and weight of each piece
- Packaging: pallets, crates, bundles or loose
- Pickup and delivery addresses, with dock or ground level access
- Ready date, delivery date and receiving hours
- Forklift, crane or ramps at each end
- Whether the freight must stay dry
Dry van vs flatbed: how is the price calculated?
Price starts with the lane and distance, then adds fuel, trailer type, and any extras the load needs, such as tarping, permits, escorts, detention or added stops.
Flatbeds usually cost more than vans on the same lane. Fewer exist, drivers handle securement, and loading takes longer. Tarping is often a separate charge. Permits are priced by each state crossed. Detention starts after free time at the dock, commonly two hours. Short trips may carry a minimum charge. Busy lanes such as Los Angeles to Phoenix price differently from quiet ones.
Booking dry van or flatbed freight in the western states
Lifetime Logistics Services LLC runs its own dry vans and books vetted flatbed and step deck carriers across 11 western states; the quote form or (562) 566-8953 gets a firm price.
Send the dimensions and details from the list above with the request.
| Feature | Dry van | Flatbed | Step deck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common length | 53 foot | 48 foot | 48 or 53 foot |
| Floor or deck height | Dock height | About 60 inches | About 42 inches, lower deck |
| Legal freight height | Inside height, about 9 feet | About 8 feet 6 inches | About 10 feet |
| Loading access | Rear doors at a dock | Sides, top or rear | Sides, top, rear or ramps |
| Securement | Load bars, straps | Chains, binders, straps, tarps | Chains, binders, straps, tarps |
| Weather protection | Fully enclosed | Open unless tarped | Open unless tarped |
From our own loads
Our dispatch records for the 12 months to October 2026, every lane we ran. Ranges, not counts, so no customer can be picked out.
- Trailers
- about 8 in 10 dry van, about 1 in 10 flatbed, about 1 in 10 power only, the rest box truck, sprinter van and hot shot
- Typical transit
- 1 day
- Busiest months
- October and May
- Hauled by
- mostly partner carriers we vet
Questions shippers ask
- How long does pickup and delivery take with each trailer?
- Dry vans are the most common trailer, so they are usually easier to book on short notice. Flatbeds and step decks are fewer and need more lead time. Permitted loads may be limited to daylight and weekday travel, and winter chain controls on mountain passes can slow any truck.
- What can go wrong in transit, and how are claims handled?
- Untarped freight can get wet, loose freight can shift, and missed appointments can trigger detention or redelivery fees. Note any damage on the delivery receipt before signing, take photos, and file a written claim. For interstate loads, federal rules allow nine months from delivery to file.
- Which documents and permits does a flatbed or dry van load need?
- Every load needs a bill of lading listing pieces, weight and commodity, and a signed delivery receipt at the end. Oversize loads also need a permit from each state on the route. The carrier or a permit service files them, using dimensions the shipper supplies.
- What cargo insurance applies, and what should you check before booking?
- The carrier's cargo policy covers loss or damage up to a set limit per load. Ask for the certificate, compare the limit to your freight value, and read exclusions such as poor packaging or certain commodities. High value freight may need added coverage bought separately.
- Flatbed or dry van: can palletized freight ride on a flatbed?
- Yes, pallets can ride on a flatbed if they are strapped well and tarped when they must stay dry. It makes sense when the pickup has no dock or the pallets load by side forklift. Otherwise a dry van usually costs less and protects better.
- Does a heavy load always need a flatbed?
- No. A dry van handles heavy freight that fits the door and loads safely by forklift, up to roughly 42,000 to 45,000 pounds. Weight pushes freight to a flatbed when single pieces are too dense or large to set inside a van, or need a crane.
Measure the freight, note how it loads at both ends, and the trailer choice usually makes itself.
Ready to price a load?
Send the quote form or call us. Quotes within 15 minutes, Monday to Friday 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific; operations team available 24/7 for active loads.