B-Train
B-train loads
Two flat decks pulled as one unit, joined by a fifth wheel on the lead trailer. More deck and more legal weight than a single trailer, where the configuration is allowed.
What rides on a b-train
- Lumber and building materials
- Steel and pipe in volume
- Palletized freight in quantity
- Split loads with two drops
A B-train couples a second trailer to a fifth wheel mounted on the rear of the first, so the pair tracks as a single articulated unit rather than towing a dolly. The extra axles spread weight further, which in jurisdictions that allow the configuration means more legal payload than a single trailer can carry.
The obvious advantage is volume: two decks move more in one trip, and a split load can serve two consignees without a second truck. The trade-off is maneuverability and access — B-trains need room, and not every yard has it.
Availability varies sharply by region and by jurisdiction. B-trains are common in parts of Canada and the northern United States and rare elsewhere, so a shipper posting a B-train load should expect a narrower carrier pool than for a standard flatbed.
Specifications
- Configuration
- Two joined decks
- Combined length
- ~50–60 ft
- Capacity
- Higher than single
- Axles
- 5–8
- Coupling
- Fifth wheel on lead trailer
- Availability
- Region dependent
Figures are standard federal and industry dimensions. State limits vary — check the route before you assume a load is legal.
Common questions
B-Train, explained
What is a B-train?
A B-train is two trailers pulled as one unit, with the second trailer coupling to a fifth wheel mounted on the rear of the first. The extra axles allow more legal weight than a single trailer in jurisdictions that allow the configuration, and the two decks let one truck serve two drops.
Other open deck equipment
Find b-train freight today.
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