Get loads | Equipment
Flatbed loads: where to find them and who will set you up
Updated
The brokers and programs below name flatbeds on their own carrier pages. Where they publish an authority-age rule, it runs from 30 days at OpenRoad Global to 365 days at Averitt. Broker apps from C.H. Robinson, J.B. Hunt, NTG and Uber Freight list flatbeds too.
At a glance
- Published waits
- 7 days at C.H. Robinson to 365 days at Averitt
- Broker apps listing flatbeds
- Navisphere Carrier, Carrier 360, Beon Carrier and Uber Freight
- Flatbed dispatch, one published price
- 5% per load or $275 per truck per week
Brokers and programs that load flatbeds
| Broker or program | Authority age | Liability | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation One Freight broker |
Three months | $1 million | $100,000 |
| Circle Logistics Freight broker |
$1 million | $100,000 | |
| J.B. Hunt Load program |
$750,000 (the federal minimum) | No set minimum |
Load boards that list flatbeds
| Board or app | Price |
|---|---|
| DAT One | $59 a month |
| Direct Freight | $39 a month |
| J.B. Hunt Carrier 360 | The Carrier 360 app is listed as free |
| TruckLoads by Trucker Path | Unlimited load access is advertised as free |
| Truckstop | $42 a month per user, up to three users |
| Uber Freight | $0 to download |
What a flatbed needs to haul for hire
| Rule | For a flatbed |
|---|---|
| USDOT number | Needed at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. The weight is the greatest of GVWR, GCWR or actual weight. Placardable hazmat triggers commercial motor vehicle status at any weight. |
| CDL | Class A once tractor and trailer reach 26,001 lb with a trailer over 10,000 lb. Use the greater of the rig's rated and actual combination weight. A single flatbed trailer needs no T endorsement. |
| Medical card | Drivers need medical certification at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Certification and carrying the paper card are separate. CDL and CLP drivers have an exception from carrying the card, while non-CDL drivers generally carry the certificate. |
| Operating authority | Hauling regulated freight for hire in interstate commerce needs your own MC authority. No 26,001 lb exemption applies to a for-hire carrier moving federally regulated property that belongs to others. Private carriage, exclusively exempt commodities and exclusively exempt commercial-zone operations follow different rules. |
| Insurance minimum | $750,000 public liability at 10,001 lb GVWR or more. That is the interstate for-hire minimum for nonhazardous freight and it is not a cargo limit. Hazardous cargo has its own schedule of limits. |
| UCR | Interstate carriers register every year, whether for hire, private or exempt. UCR is separate from MC authority and vehicle plates. Solely intrastate carriers are excluded. |
| IFTA and IRP | Applies over 26,000 lb or at three or more power-unit axles in two or more jurisdictions. The weight line is over 26,000 lb for a two-axle power unit or a combination, with only power-unit axles counting toward the three. Occasional travel may use fuel trip permits instead of IFTA while IRP restricted plates and other exceptions need base-state review. |
| Heavy vehicle use tax | Form 2290 applies at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lb or more. Taxable weight includes the equipped vehicle, the customarily used trailer and the maximum customary load, with state registration rules affecting the calculation. Expected use of 5,000 miles or less (7,500 miles for agricultural use) can suspend the tax, but you still file. |
| Hours of service and ELD | Applies at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Drivers who must keep records of duty status use an ELD. Paper logs are allowed when records are needed on no more than 8 days in any rolling 30 days or the vehicle model year is before 2000. |
| Cargo securement | Securement follows the commodity-specific rule with adequate working-load limits. FMCSA calls out lumber, metal coils, machinery and other commodities as hard to secure. A generic strap count alone is not enough. |
| Wide or heavy loads | Overwidth or overweight cargo may need a permit and an authorized route. The Texas permit rule is one state's example and does not authorize movement in another state. |
| Tank endorsement | Loaded tanks or IBCs can need an N endorsement even on a flatbed. The tank definition covers temporarily or permanently attached tanks over 119 gallons each with 1,000 gallons or more of total capacity. A temporarily attached empty storage tank not designed for transportation is excluded. |
Where flatbed loads come from
Step deck, RGN and heavy haul
Read the equipment notes on each broker's page if you run more than a flat deck.
- Circle Logistics' 2018 packet lists step deck and RGN/DD.
- Transportation One, OpenRoad Global and BlueGrace list step deck.
- WWEX Group and Buchanan Logistics list heavy haul.
- Old Dominion covers oversized freight but doesn't support step deck or Conestoga.
Broker apps
Navisphere Carrier, Carrier 360, Beon Carrier and the Uber Freight app list flatbeds. Beon's list is the freight NTG covers, which doesn't mean the app has flatbed loads.
Navisphere, Carrier 360 and Beon list $0 a month, and the Uber Freight app is a free download. Each company approves you before its app lets you book, and Uber Freight also asks for an authorized driver. For C.H. Robinson's app, your MC needs seven days of active authority before Robinson will consider you.
Paid load boards
DAT's rate table covers flatbed, with 15-day rate averages on its Enhanced plan and seven-day averages on Pro. Truckstop has a Heavy Haul Pro plan, and its pricing shows up to three users on it, so confirm the billing before you sign up.
On DAT, a broker can set an authority-age minimum on a flatbed post. Truckstop's Authority Age Filter narrows the list to posts that take an authority as young as yours.
Securement and permits for each load
The securement and permit rows in the table above change from load to load. Lumber, coils and machinery each carry their own securement rule, and a permit from one state doesn't cover the next. Ask what the freight is and how wide and heavy it runs before you book.
Check what a load calls for. Before you book a flatbed load, the "what does this load need" tool lines up the broker's published coverage and paperwork with the federal rules for your truck. What does this load need
Working with a dispatcher
A dispatcher selling guaranteed freight books under your MC and insurance, so every gate in the table still applies to you.
One dispatch service publishes 5% of each load or $275 a week per truck for flatbeds. Find out which number the 5% comes off, whether fuel surcharge is in it and what you pay in a week with no loads.
Walk away from dispatchers who want a deposit, your passwords or control of your broker accounts. More warning signs are in the truck dispatcher guide.
Deadhead and cost per mile
Count the empty miles before you trust a revenue screenshot. Plan the return lane before you accept the outbound load, and check its rate average on DAT too. With U.S. diesel averaging $6.179 a gallon in the week of October 12, 2026, price those empty miles before you book.
Find your cost per mile. The startup cost estimator adds fuel for your loaded and empty miles to your insurance, truck payment and fees, then shows a cost per mile. Maintenance, tires, tolls and your own pay come on top. Startup cost estimator
Frequently asked questions
Which brokers work with new flatbed carriers?
Among the brokers that name flatbeds, published age rules run from 30 days at OpenRoad Global to 365 days at Averitt. C.H. Robinson, whose Navisphere Carrier app lists flatbeds, considers carriers after seven days of active MC authority.
Which brokers list step deck loads?
Transportation One, OpenRoad Global and BlueGrace list step deck, and Circle Logistics' 2018 packet lists step deck and RGN/DD. Old Dominion covers oversized freight but doesn't support step deck.
Do flatbed loads need permits?
Permit and securement needs change from load to load, and a permit from one state doesn't cover the next. Ask what the freight is and how wide and heavy it runs before you book.
How much does a flatbed dispatcher charge?
One dispatch service publishes 5% of each load or $275 a week per truck for flatbeds.