FLATBED DISPATCH
Flatbed dispatch that gets the tarp pay on the rate con
Flatbed loads pay for skill: securement, tarps, and loads that don't fit in a box. Our flatbed dispatch service makes sure that work shows up on the rate con, checks every load against your trailer and gear, and brings it to you for a yes or no. The rate con comes straight to you.
LINEHAUL + TARP PAY − SECUREMENT TIME
UNIT 02
Flatbed rates: what moves them
We don't publish rate promises. Here's what changes what a flatbed load pays.
| Factor | Raises the rate | Lowers the rate |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Spring and summer construction | Winter slowdowns in cold regions |
| Tarps | Tarped loads, with tarp pay added | No-tarp loads in a crowded lane |
| Securement | Chains, edge protection, special handling | Simple strapped loads anyone can take |
| Timing | Same-day or next-day pickup | Loads posted days ahead |
| Direction | Into areas with few flatbeds | Out of areas flooded with trucks |
The desk weighs all of these on each offer and shows you the all-in rate per mile, deadhead included. If a lower-paying load sets up a strong reload, we say so. If a high-paying one leaves your truck stranded, we say that too.
UNIT 03
Flatbed unit economics, tarp pay included
Put in a week for one truck. Tarp pay goes in as revenue, the driver's tarp pay as a cost, and the operating ratio does the rest.
Two tarped loads a week can be the difference between a thin week and a decent one, but only if the broker pays for tarping and the driver is paid fairly for doing it. Leave either out and the numbers look better on paper than they are. The same goes for securement gear: straps, chains, binders, edge protectors and tarps wear out, and a reserve keeps a torn tarp from wiping out a week. For a full monthly view across trucks, use the trucking profit calculator.
UNIT 04
Securement and tarps: what we check before the offer reaches you
Cargo securement on flatbeds is regulated, not optional. The federal securement rules apply to trucks and trailers hauling cargoCargo securement rules49 CFR 393 Subpart I applies to trucks, tractors and trailers hauling cargo49 CFR 393.100: cargo must be loaded, equipped and secured under Subpart I to prevent shifting or falling from the vehicle.49 CFR 393.100Checked Oct 2026, and the tiedowns on any article must have a combined working load limit of at least half its weight Tiedown working load limitAggregate WLL at least half the cargo weight49 CFR 393.106(d): the aggregate working load limit of tiedowns securing an article must be at least one-half the article's weight.49 CFR 393.106Checked Oct 2026. Some commodities, like coils, lumber and machinery, have their own specific rules on top of that.
That's your driver's job at the dock. The desk's job is making sure the load is one your truck is equipped for before you say yes: enough straps or chains of the right rating, the edge protection the commodity needs, and the tarps the shipper wants.
Dimensions and weight
Fits the deck, legal without permits, within your rated capacity.Gear needed
Straps, chains, edge protection, dunnage, tarp size and type.Tarp terms
Tarp pay on the rate con, and who supplies the tarps.Loading and unloading
Forklift or crane on site, appointment times, jobsite access.
This is a plain explanation, not legal or compliance advice. The full securement rules are in 49 CFR 393 Subpart I.
UNIT 05
Flatbed drivers: pay that keeps the good ones
A good flatbed driver is worth a lot: they secure loads properly, protect your tarps and gear, and don't get your trucks put out of service at inspections. They also know they're in demand. The national median wage for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers is $58,640Heavy and tractor-trailer driver median annual wage$58,640BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 53-3032, 2025Checked Oct 2026 a year; experienced flatbed drivers often expect more, plus tarp pay.
Dispatch affects retention more than owners expect. Drivers quit over loads that take all day to secure for little pay, over tarps in bad weather without extra money, and over weeks that keep them away from home. Each unit's rules card includes the driver's home time and the kind of loads they're good at, and the desk plans to it.
UNIT 06
Planning a flatbed week around weather and seasons
Flatbed is the most weather-exposed freight there is. Rain and snow make tarping slower and riskier, wind makes some loads unsafe to secure, and certain cargo can't be loaded wet at all. A load that's simple in July can take twice as long in January.
The desk factors that into every offer. In winter we lean toward loads with indoor or covered loading, shorter tarp jobs and shippers who load on time, because a driver waiting in sleet for a forklift is a driver thinking about quitting. We also watch for jobsite deliveries where the site may be closed by weather when your truck arrives.
Seasons move the freight itself. Construction materials peak in spring and summer. Agricultural equipment follows planting and harvest. Some regions slow sharply in winter while southern lanes stay busy. A flatbed dispatcher who knows those cycles can position your trucks ahead of them instead of chasing them.
When a market goes soft, the plan changes: shorter runs between strong markets, more attention to reloads, and honest conversations about whether a lower rate that keeps the truck moving beats a day parked. You make the call on each one.
UNIT 07
Growing a flatbed fleet
Add capability, not just trucks
A second flatbed doubles your capacity for the same freight. A step deck or Conestoga opens taller loads and customers who want covered cargo. Many flatbed fleets grow by adding one specialized trailer that pays better than another standard deck.
Match drivers to loads
Not every flatbed driver is good with coils, machinery or oversize. Note on each driver's card what they've hauled before, and the desk assigns loads accordingly, so a new hire isn't learning chain securement on a high-value load.
Track gear per unit
Tarps, chains and straps get shared, lost and damaged across a fleet. A simple log per truck saves money and stops a load from being refused because the right gear is on another truck two states away. Tell the desk what each truck carries, and offers get matched to the gear that's on board.
UNIT 08
Flatbed dispatcher fees and questions
EXAMPLE A $2,600 tarped flatbed load costs $104 in dispatch on a two-truck fleet and $130 for a single truck. Running step decks as well? See step deck dispatch. All fees are on the dispatch rates page.
01How much does flatbed dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one flatbed, 4% each for two or more, and 7% while your MC is under 6 months old, dropping on its own. The fee applies to the load's gross, only on loads you accept and haul.
02Do you negotiate tarp pay?
On every load that needs tarps. Tarping takes time and wears out tarps, and brokers often leave tarp pay off the first offer. We ask for it, get it on the rate con, and show it on the offer you approve.
03What flatbed freight pays best?
It changes with the season and the region. Building materials and machinery move with construction, steel and lumber with their own markets. Rather than promising a commodity, the desk compares each offer's all-in rate per mile, including deadhead, against your floor rate.
04How much should I pay flatbed drivers?
Enough to keep the good ones, which in flatbed means paying for the extra work: tarping, securement checks, and loads that take longer to load and unload. Many fleets add tarp pay on top of mileage pay. The national median wage for heavy truck drivers is a starting point; flatbed experience usually costs more.
05Do you dispatch step decks too?
Yes. Step decks and Conestogas get dispatched the same way, at the same rates, with the extra height and loading rules checked on every offer. Mixed flatbed and step deck fleets are common.
Every flatbed load, your call
Tell us what you pull and what gear you carry. A dispatcher calls back and brings you offers checked for securement and tarp pay.
4% for 2+ trucks, 5% for one, 7% while your MC is new