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Flatbed shipping exists because a dry van has walls, a roof, and rear doors, and some freight does not care about any of those things. Your structural steel, your precast panels, and your crawler excavator all need an open deck, side access, or a crane overhead, and no amount of creative loading solves that inside a standard box trailer. Flatbed shipping is the right mode when your cargo is too long, too wide, too tall, or too heavy to load through the rear doors of a standard dry van, or when it needs to be loaded from the side or the top. Structural steel, precast concrete, construction equipment, and large machinery all fall into this category. A flatbed trailer has no walls or roof, which gives you side and top loading access, but it also means the carrier must secure the load with tie-downs rather than relying on the trailer’s walls to contain it.

Key Takeaways

• Loading access is the core difference. Dry vans load from the rear through standard dock doors. Flatbeds load from the top, the sides, and both ends, which makes them the only practical option for many industrial and construction loads.
• Cargo type drives the decision. Structural steel, precast concrete, construction equipment, oversized machinery, and coiled steel are the most common flatbed cargo types in Ontario. Palletized goods and anything weather-sensitive usually belong in a dry van.
• Trailer type follows cargo height. Three trailer types cover most flatbed freight: standard flatbeds for typical open-deck loads, step-decks for taller cargo, and lowboys for construction equipment and structures that need the lowest possible deck height.
• Cost structure is different. Flatbed rates include variables a dry van quote does not: tarping, oversize permits, and in some cases escort vehicles. Get those line items confirmed before comparing quotes across modes.
• Delivery looks different too. Most flatbed deliveries are site drops or ground-level unloads, not dock deliveries. Confirm the unloading equipment and ground conditions at your destination before the truck rolls.
• When in doubt, get both quotes. For cargo right on the borderline, such as a piece that might fit in a dry van but barely, a flatbed quote alongside a dry van quote is the fastest way to make the right call.
• S&R handles both modes. S&R Trucking’s flatbed services cover Ontario and beyond, with in-house permit handling and load planning for oversized and overweight freight.

What Flatbed Shipping Is and How It Differs From a Dry Van

A dry van is what most people picture when they think of a transport truck: an enclosed box with rear doors, a floor at dock height, and forklift access from the back. That configuration handles the majority of palletized, packaged, and consumer freight moving across North America every day. A flatbed trailer is an open deck with no sides and no roof. The floor sits lower than a dry van, typically around 1.4 metres from the ground on a standard flatbed, and cargo can be loaded from any direction. A crane can set a piece down from above. A side-loading forklift can approach from the ground. Long pieces can overhang front or rear within permit limits. None of that is possible in a dry van. The tradeoff is containment. A dry van protects freight from weather, keeps it contained, and provides a controlled environment. A flatbed offers none of that by default. The carrier secures the load with chains, straps, and binders rated to the cargo’s weight, and if the freight is weather-sensitive, a tarp goes over the top. For most heavy industrial cargo, weather protection matters less than loading flexibility and clearance. The practical test: if your freight cannot be loaded through a standard rear dock door in a single piece, or if it is taller, wider, or longer than the inside of an enclosed trailer, flatbed shipping is the mode you need.

Cargo That Belongs on a Flatbed (and Cargo That Does Not)

The cargo type is the clearest indicator of which mode you need. The table below covers the most common freight categories and where they typically belong.

Cargo Type	Mode	Why
Structural steel, I-beams, steel plate	Flatbed	Often too long for dry van; side or crane loading required; heavy
Precast concrete panels and components	Flatbed	Top loading by crane; panels cannot be stood on edge in a box
Construction equipment (excavators, dozers)	Flatbed / lowboy	No rear-door access; overheight on standard trailers; drive-on loading
Large machinery and generators	Flatbed / step-deck	Too tall or too wide for an enclosed trailer; crane placement
Coiled steel and steel coils	Flatbed	Side-loading by coil ram; deck cradles required; weight per coil
Oversized lumber, plywood, panel products	Flatbed	Length exceeds dry van; no ceiling height restriction on open deck
Palletized consumer goods	Dry van	Standard dock access, weather protection, security
Electronics and pharmaceuticals	Dry van	Climate sensitivity, theft risk, contamination concerns
Bagged goods, food products	Dry van	Moisture protection, contamination prevention, regulatory requirements
Automotive parts (boxed and palletized)	Dry van	Fragile, dust-sensitive, standard pallet format fits dock delivery

The table above covers the clear-cut cases. A grey area exists for cargo that is large but not technically oversized, such as a piece of heavy equipment that fits inside a large dry van but barely, or a long coil that could technically be side-loaded but the receiver has a dock. In those cases, get a quote for both modes and confirm the receiver’s unloading capability before you commit.

The Three Flatbed Trailer Options and How to Choose

Not all flatbeds are the same deck height, and that difference determines what your load can legally be when it sits on top. Ontario’s oversize permit threshold for height is 4.15 metres to the top of the load, and the deck the cargo sits on is part of that calculation.

Standard flatbed

Deck height around 1.4 metres from the ground. Maximum load height to stay under the 4.15 m threshold is approximately 2.75 metres. This is the most common trailer type and is available in most Ontario lanes on short notice. It handles structural steel, lumber, precast panels, and most machinery that is not overheight.

Step-deck / drop-deck

The rear section of the deck drops lower than the front, giving extra vertical clearance for cargo in the rear section. The lower deck sits roughly 1.0 metre from the ground, which leaves about 3.1 metres of cargo height before the total reaches the 4.15 m threshold. Step-decks work well for tall equipment, large generators, and industrial pieces that are too tall for a standard flatbed but not large enough to need a lowboy.

Lowboy / double-drop

The lowest deck configuration, sitting around 0.5 metres from the ground at the lowest point. This configuration is reserved for excavators, cranes, structural assemblies, and other freight that cannot legally or practically move on a higher deck. Cargo up to about 3.6 metres tall stays under the 4.15 m threshold, and taller loads can move subject to permit. Lowboys require drive-on or crane-placement loading and are typically pre-arranged rather than available on short notice. Securement method and permit requirements depend on the trailer and the load, and your carrier confirms both at quote time.

When Flatbed Shipping Makes Economic Sense

For cargo that clearly belongs on a flatbed, the cost comparison to a dry van is not relevant, because there is no dry van option. The question shifts to which flatbed configuration and what accessorial costs apply. For cargo on the borderline, flatbed shipping can sometimes be the less expensive option even when a dry van could technically work:

• No dock required: Site delivery without a dock eliminates liftgate charges and inside-delivery fees that often add cost to dry van moves to non-dock locations. A flatbed drops directly to the ground or to a site with a crane or telehandler already present.
• Payload configuration: Heavy pieces can sometimes move more efficiently on a flatbed when the per-piece weight exceeds what makes sense to stack on a pallet in an enclosed trailer.
• Permit threshold management: When your freight is borderline oversize, a flatbed may keep the move under the permit threshold where a dry van with the same cargo would not, because the deck height and configuration choices affect the total loaded height of the shipment.

Flatbed cost adders to confirm before you finalize a quote: tarping (typically charged per tarp, applied when cargo is weather-sensitive), oversize permits (carrier-arranged, included in the quote or invoiced separately, so confirm which), and escort vehicles where required by permit conditions. A flatbed quote and a dry van quote cost nothing to compare. If your freight sits in the grey area between modes, ask for both and factor in the accessorials. The difference is often smaller than shippers expect.

What to Expect When Booking a Flatbed Shipment in Ontario

Booking a flatbed move requires a bit more information upfront than a standard dry van load. A carrier who does not ask for these details at quote time will ask for them later, and getting them wrong delays both the permit and the dispatch.

Information you need ready

• Cargo dimensions: length, width, and height of the piece or pieces as loaded. For equipment, this means measured height in transport position, not operating height.
• Gross cargo weight: this determines tie-down requirements and whether a weight permit is needed.
• Origin address and any site restrictions: overhead clearances, ground bearing capacity, access lane width.
• Destination address and unloading method: crane, forklift, telehandler, or roll-off. Confirm this with the receiver before you book.
• Any time constraints: permit applications take time, and some moves cannot happen on the same day as the request.

Permit lead time

Standard oversize or overweight Single Trip Permits in Ontario typically take one to two business days to process through the Ministry of Transportation. Moves that require escorts, multi-province permits, or non-standard routing take longer. Build permit lead time into your planning window, especially for time-sensitive deliveries.

Tarping

Not all flatbed cargo is tarped. Structural steel, most precast, and construction equipment typically move without a tarp. Machinery with sensitive components, lumber, and cargo with painted or finished surfaces usually gets tarped. Let the carrier know upfront if your freight is weather-sensitive so tarping is confirmed before dispatch, not debated at the pickup dock.

Delivery expectations

Most flatbed deliveries are ground-level drops to a job site, a yard, or a staging area rather than dock deliveries. The driver parks the truck and the receiver’s equipment unloads it. Confirm that the receiver has the right equipment on site and that the ground can support the carrier’s truck and trailer combination. A soft or unprepared surface can turn a routine delivery into a recovery situation. S&R Trucking’s flatbed services team handles the permit application, load planning, and trailer selection as part of the booking process. For a quote on your flatbed shipment, call 905-951-2951 or get in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum weight a flatbed truck can carry in Ontario?

Ontario’s standard gross vehicle weight limit for a tractor-trailer combination is 63,500 kg. Loads above that threshold require a Single Trip Permit from the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario specifying the route and axle weight distribution. The cargo payload a given flatbed trailer can legally carry depends on the truck’s registered weight, the number of axles, and the axle spacing, not just a single number. Your carrier’s dispatch team calculates this based on the specific truck and trailer combination assigned to the move.

Does flatbed freight need to be tarped?

Not automatically. Whether a flatbed load is tarped depends on the cargo type and the shipper’s requirements. Structural steel, precast concrete, and construction equipment typically move without a tarp. Machinery with exposed components, lumber, finished goods, and cargo with painted or coated surfaces is usually tarped to protect it from road debris and weather. Tell your carrier upfront if the freight is weather-sensitive so tarping is arranged before dispatch.

How does flatbed shipping differ from a full truckload shipment?

Full truckload (FTL) refers to a shipping model where one shipper’s freight fills a dedicated trailer for a direct move from origin to destination. Flatbed is a trailer type, not a shipping model. A flatbed shipment can be a full truckload (one shipper, one trailer, one move) or, in some cases, a partial load where multiple shippers share the deck. Most flatbed moves for industrial and construction freight are full truckloads because the cargo fills the deck and cannot be combined easily with other freight.

Can flatbed shipping handle cross-border moves into the United States?

Yes. Cross-border flatbed moves between Ontario and US states are common for industrial and construction freight. Each jurisdiction requires its own permits: an Ontario MTO permit for the Canadian leg and a state permit (or a SuperLoad permit for multi-state moves) for the US side. Some corridors also require US DOT compliance documentation for the carrier and driver. A carrier with cross-border experience handles the permit applications for both sides as part of the booking process.

How do I get a flatbed shipping quote in Ontario?

Contact a flatbed carrier with the cargo dimensions (length, width, height in transport position), gross weight, pickup address, delivery address, and any site restrictions at either end. The carrier uses that information to assign a trailer type, determine permit requirements, and price the move. For complex or oversize loads, sharing drawings or photos of the piece helps the carrier confirm the securement approach before quoting. To get a quote from S&R Trucking, call 905-951-2951 or reach out through our contact page.