A Brief Overview of Various Types of Flatbed Trailer

An open semi-trailer with no roof and no sides is known as a Flatbed trailer. It is popularly used for the transportation of heavy and oversized machinery and building supplies. You should know about the various types of semi-trailers and their uses before considering semi-trailer leasing for storage. The best thing about such trailer is that the loading and unloading of goods are easier.

As the name suggests, it looks like a flatbed, and it is used to carry heavy construction material. The following trailers fall under this category.

1. Extendable flatbeds – There are various types of flatbeds like two-axle and three-axle. The best thing is that it can also be extended for larger cargo. The length of the flatbed can be extended from 48’ – 80’.

2. Lowboy – Again, as the name explains, this type of trailer sits low to the ground. So, they are used for carrying tall freight. It is popularly used for large construction equipment, infrastructure piping, oversized items, and farm equipment.

3. Drop – For this type of trailer, two-deck heights are combined in one trailer. It is again divided into three parts –

• Single drop means the trailer with two deck heights. The length and weight restriction for this type of trailer are the same as the standard flatbed.
• Single drop stretch can be stretched from 48’ – 63,’ and the maximum weight is 80,000 pounds GVWR. All other features are the same as a single drop flatbed.
• Double drop stretch has two deck heights. It can come in any length between 29’ – 65’, and the maximum weight is 90,000 pounds GVWR.

4. Removable gooseneck – The gooseneck is the component that attaches the trailer to the tractor. The gooseneck can be removed from the trailers that fall in this category. It is perfect for carrying long and tall freight. Another interesting fact about such trailers is that they have a minimum of three axles, and they can have up to 20 axles.

The bottom line

A flatbed trailer is one of the best options for the transportation of heavy and bulky cargo. It is suitable for almost every type of cargo. The flat nature and open sides of this trailer make it different from others.