Step deck dispatch for owner-operators
A step deck carries freight a standard flatbed cannot legally haul. Your dispatcher checks dimensions, permits and routes first, so you only accept loads that work.
What a step deck does
A step deck, also called a drop deck, has an upper deck over the tractor and a lower main deck behind it. The lower deck sits closer to the road, so taller freight stays under the legal height limit. In most states that limit is 13 feet 6 inches, and a step deck lets cargo stand roughly 10 feet tall.
Typical loads include construction equipment, tall machinery, large vessels and anything that is too tall for a standard flatbed but does not need a specialty trailer.
Over-dimensional loads: where mistakes get expensive
Once freight exceeds legal width, height, length or weight, it is over-dimensional. That brings permits, route restrictions and sometimes escorts. Some states limit when oversize loads may travel, for example daylight only, or no weekend or holiday movement.
- Check dimensions before you say yes. A few inches can change the permit class.
- Confirm who pays for permits and escorts. Usually the carrier buys them, so the cost belongs in the negotiated rate.
- Plan the route and the clock. Travel restrictions affect delivery dates and your next load.
What step deck dispatch adds
Specialized freight pays better when it is booked correctly and costs you money when it is not. Your dispatcher collects dimensions and weights on the first call, flags states and routes that complicate the move, and negotiates for permit and escort costs before you commit.
How Sonex dispatches step decks
Tell us your setup
A short onboarding call covers your step deck, home time, preferred lanes and the weekly revenue you need. About 30 minutes.
We find and screen loads
Your dispatcher works load boards and broker relationships around the clock, screening for rate, deadhead and broker history, then sends you the load.
You approve, we handle the rest
You say yes or no to every load. We negotiate, send rate confirmations, track check calls and handle BOLs and invoicing. Dispatchers answer 24/7.
A flatbed has one flat deck, while a step deck has a lower main deck behind a raised front section. The lower deck lets taller cargo stay within the legal height limit, so a step deck can haul loads a flatbed cannot.
Most states set a legal height limit of 13 feet 6 inches. Because the lower deck sits close to the road, a step deck can typically carry cargo around 10 feet tall and stay within that limit.
Usually the carrier buys the permits and recovers the cost through the negotiated rate. Confirm this on the rate confirmation before you book the load.
Sonex dispatches step deck owner-operators across the 48 contiguous states. Your dispatcher checks dimensions, permit needs and routes before presenting a load, and you decide whether to accept it.
Let's get your truck moving.
Apply in four short steps. A Sonex team member responds within a few hours, and most qualified carriers start within 24 hours.