Step Deck
Step deck loads
Also called a drop deck. The deck steps down behind the tractor, buying about 18 inches of extra height — enough for a 10-foot load to clear the legal height limit.
What rides on a step deck
- Machinery and industrial equipment
- Agricultural equipment
- Prefabricated building sections
- Tall crated freight
- Anything between 8 ft 6 in and 10 ft tall
A step deck exists for one reason: height. The main deck drops to roughly three feet six inches behind the tractor, which means freight can stand about ten feet tall and still clear the thirteen-foot-six legal limit. On a flatbed the same load would be over height and could not run legally.
The upper deck over the tractor still carries freight, so a step deck is not simply a shorter flatbed. Loads are often split, with shorter or lighter pieces riding the upper deck and the tall item sitting in the well.
Step decks usually carry their own ramps, which makes them the practical choice for equipment that drives on and off under its own power but is not heavy enough to justify an RGN.
Specifications
- Upper deck
- ~11 ft
- Lower deck
- 37–43 ft
- Deck height
- ~3 ft 6 in
- Max freight height
- ~10 ft
- Capacity
- 48,000 lb
- Axles
- 2
Figures are standard federal and industry dimensions. State limits vary — check the route before you assume a load is legal.
Recent lanes
Step Deck freight on the move
- Spokane, WADenver, COLumber · 1,103 mi · 26m ago$2,975
- Scranton, PAJacksonville, FLPrefab panels · 946 mi · 2h ago$2,560
- Laredo, TXPhoenix, AZMachinery · 1,015 mi · 2h ago$2,740
Common questions
Step Deck, explained
What is the difference between a step deck and a flatbed?
A step deck drops its main deck about 18 inches lower than a flatbed, which allows roughly 10 feet of freight height instead of about 8 feet 6 inches. Both are typically 48 or 53 feet long with a 48,000 pound capacity. If a load fits on a flatbed it will fit on a step deck; the reverse is often not true.
Is a drop deck the same as a step deck?
Yes. Drop deck and step deck are two names for the same trailer, and both terms appear on load posts. Some regions favor one term over the other, but there is no difference in the equipment.
Other open deck equipment
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