Step Deck.
Go Tall. Stay Legal.
A dropped deck that clears freight a flatbed cannot, up to about 10 feet tall, under the 13 foot 6 inch legal ceiling with no oversize permit. Open-deck capacity for tall machinery in all 50 states.
Quote Your Step Deck Shipment
What is a step deck trailer?
A step deck, also called a drop deck or single drop, is an open-deck trailer built on two levels. A short upper deck sits behind the tractor at about 5 feet off the ground, then the deck steps down to a longer lower deck at roughly 3 feet 6 inches. That drop is the whole point.
The federal legal height ceiling is 13 feet 6 inches, road to the top of the load. A flatbed deck eats 5 feet of that, leaving 8 feet 6 inches for cargo. The step deck gives back a foot and a half, so it clears freight up to about 10 feet tall with no oversize permit. AFX Logistics runs step deck capacity in all 50 states, with spot rates and dedicated contract lanes for recurring tall freight.
Step deck is the right call when:
- ✓Freight taller than 8′6″, the legal load height on a flatbed
- ✓Construction and ag equipment: excavators, dozers, tractors, lifts
- ✓Tall steel structures, cooling towers, tanks, and vessels
- ✓Vehicles, balers, reels, and machinery that exceed flatbed clearance
- ✓Loads that would otherwise trip an oversize permit on a flatbed
Find the deck before you book the truck.
Every over-height question comes down to one line: 13 feet 6 inches from the road to the top of the load. Stay under it and you ship legal, no permit. Cross it and you are into route surveys, pole cars, and days of delay.
Enter your cargo height and the planner finds the lowest-cost deck that keeps you legal, shows the total height against the ceiling, and tells you the headroom you have to spare. If a flatbed already clears it, it will say so.
Step-Deck Clearance Planner
Cargo height in, the answer out: does it clear 13′6″, and on which deck?
Too tall for a flatbed by 8 in, but the step deck's dropped deck lands it at 12′8″ total, 10 in under the legal ceiling. No oversize permit.
A planning estimate using typical deck heights against the 13′6″ federal ceiling. Actual deck height varies by trailer, and a few states allow 14′. We confirm clearance and the exact equipment before dispatch.
- Flatbed8′6″
- Step Deck~10 ft
- Double Drop / RGN~11′6″ to 12′
- Over-height permitabove 13′6″
Built for Tall Freight
If it stands taller than 8 feet 6 inches but stays under 10 feet, the step deck is almost always the trailer. A few of the loads we cover every day.
Excavators & Dozers
Tracked earthmovers that stand taller than a flatbed can legally clear.
Forklifts & Lifts
Reach trucks, scissor lifts, and boom lifts with tall masts.
Tractors & Ag
Farm tractors, combines, headers, and tall implements.
Tanks & Towers
Cooling towers, pressure vessels, and tall fabricated tanks.
Cable & Wire Reels
Large-diameter reels of cable, wire, and pipe that ride upright.
Vehicles & Buses
Trucks, buses, RVs, and tall rolling stock loaded by ramp.
Tall Steel
Fabricated structures, frames, and crated assemblies over 8′6″.
Crates & Machinery
Boxed industrial machines and palletized equipment that stack tall.
Built to Scale.
Proven to Deliver.
Deck to Job Site in Four Steps
Quote It
Enter the lane and the load, height included. See a live step-deck rate in about two minutes, with the right deck already matched to the clearance.
Book It
Lock the rate online. Your specialist confirms the load clears 13′6″ on the chosen deck and lines up ramps or a crane for loading.
Secure It
The driver loads to the upper or lower deck, blocks and ties down to federal standards, and sends securement photos before rolling.
Track It
Follow the load on live GPS to delivery. The signed POD and securement record land in your account automatically.
Flatbed vs. Step Deck vs. RGN
It comes down to how tall the load stands. Here is where the step deck fits between a flatbed and a double-drop.
| Criteria | Flatbed | Step Deck | RGN / Lowboy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck height | ~60 in (5 ft) | ~39 to 42 in | ~18 to 24 in (well) |
| Max load height | 8′6″ | ~10 ft | ~11′6″ to 12′ |
| Max payload | Up to 48,000 lbs | Up to 48,000 lbs | ~38,000 lbs, multi-axle more |
| Loads onto deck | Crane, forklift, side | Crane, forklift, ramps | Drive-on, detachable neck |
| Best for | Legal-height open deck | Tall freight, no permit | Tall, heavy machinery |
Shorter than 8′6″? A flatbed is cheaper. Taller or heavier than a step deck handles? See specialized and heavy haul.
How Fast Does Step Deck Move?
A solo driver legally covers about 500 miles a day under hours-of-service rules. Add time when a load needs an over-height permit, a route survey, or daylight-only travel.
The Step Deck Partner
Serious Shippers Keep.
Tall freight punishes guesswork: a load that busts 13 foot 6 inches gets red-tagged at the first scale or low bridge. AFX confirms clearance up front, runs vetted open-deck carriers, and holds pricing from quote to invoice.
Step Deck Capacity Where You Ship
Daily open-deck coverage in all 50 states, with deep capacity in the busiest markets.
Step deck freight by industry
The Open-Deck Playbook
Three guides for sharper rates and smarter equipment calls.
Flatbed vs. Step Deck
Exactly where the 8′6″ flatbed ceiling ends and the step deck earns its place.
Read the guide SavingsHow to Cut Freight Shipping Costs
Lead time, the right deck, and the booking habits that lower every open-deck invoice.
Read the guide Mode StrategyLTL vs. FTL: Which Mode Wins?
How full open-deck capacity compares to shared freight, and when each one pays off.
Read the guideStep Deck Shipping FAQs
A step deck, also called a drop deck or single drop, is an open-deck trailer with two levels: a short upper deck just behind the tractor at about 5 feet off the ground, and a longer lower deck that drops to roughly 3 feet 6 inches. That lower deck gives about 10 feet of legal cargo height under the 13 foot 6 inch ceiling, versus only 8 feet 6 inches on a standard flatbed. It is the trailer for freight that is too tall for a flatbed but does not need a full double-drop or RGN.
A step deck legally hauls cargo up to about 10 feet tall. The math is simple: the federal legal height ceiling is 13 feet 6 inches from the road to the top of the load, and the step deck lower deck sits about 3 feet 6 inches off the ground, which leaves roughly 10 feet of vertical clearance. Anything taller moves on a double-drop or RGN, or under an over-height permit. Use the Clearance Planner above to check your exact load.
A flatbed has a single level deck about 5 feet off the ground, which caps legal load height at 8 feet 6 inches. A step deck drops its main deck about a foot and a half lower, to roughly 3 feet 6 inches, which raises legal load height to about 10 feet. Same legal width and similar payload, but the step deck clears taller freight without the cost and delay of an oversize permit. If your load is 8 feet 6 inches or shorter, a flatbed is usually cheaper.
They are the same trailer. Step deck, drop deck, and single drop all describe an open-deck trailer with one lower main deck behind a raised upper deck. Carriers and brokers use the terms interchangeably. A double drop is different: it has a recessed well between the upper deck and the rear axles for even taller freight, and is often combined with a removable gooseneck as an RGN.
A step deck legally carries up to about 48,000 lbs, similar to a standard flatbed, against the 80,000 lb federal gross vehicle weight limit. The exact payload depends on the tractor, the trailer, and bridge laws on the route. Loads heavier than that move on a spread-axle step deck, a double-drop, or multi-axle RGN equipment with overweight permits.
Not for height, as long as the total stays at or under 13 feet 6 inches, which a step deck holds for cargo up to about 10 feet. You do need an oversize permit if the load is over 13 feet 6 inches tall, over 8 feet 6 inches wide, or over legal length or weight. A handful of states allow 14 feet, but routing for the lowest common limit keeps the load legal end to end. We flag any permit before you book.
When the load is taller than a step deck can clear, roughly over 10 feet, or heavier than a step deck carries. A double-drop or removable gooseneck (RGN) has a deep well that sits close to the ground, clearing freight up to about 11 feet 6 inches to 12 feet, and the detachable front lets equipment drive on. For tall, heavy machinery like large excavators and cranes, the RGN is the right call.
Step decks load three ways: by crane or forklift from the side or top, or by ramps off the rear for equipment that drives or rolls on. Many step decks carry their own ramps for wheeled and tracked machines. The two-level design also means lighter, taller pieces can ride the lower deck for clearance while the upper deck carries shorter freight.
Step deck full truckload is priced per mile, a linehaul rate plus a fuel surcharge, with ramps or permits added when needed. Step decks are a little less common than flatbeds, so capacity runs tighter and rates usually carry a small premium, often 5 to 15 percent, depending on the lane and equipment availability. Rather than published averages, we price your exact load in real time and show you the number in about two minutes.
Step deck transit follows the same hours-of-service rules as any truckload, so a solo driver covers roughly 500 miles a day: a 500-mile lane is usually next day, 1,000 miles about two days, and coast to coast four to five. Add time if the load needs an over-height permit, a route survey, or daylight-only travel. Because a full truckload moves direct, step deck transit is faster and more predictable than shared freight.