53′ Flatbed
trucking
Open-deck capacity for freight that loads from the side, from the top or by crane. Our flatbeds run out of Joliet, Illinois, minutes from the steel, lumber and building-material yards of the Chicago area, and deliver to all 48 states.
- Deck length
- 48′ – 53′
- Deck width
- 8′ 6″
- Legal freight height
- 8′ 6″
- Max payload
- Up to 48,000 lbs
What it's best for
- Steel coil, plate, beams and pipe
- Lumber and engineered wood
- Building materials such as roofing, block and rebar
- Machinery and equipment that loads by crane or forklift
- Oversized-looking freight that is still within legal width and height
On every truck
- 4-inch winch straps and Grade 70 chain with binders
- Edge and corner protectors
- Lumber and steel tarps
- Dunnage for blocking and bracing
When to choose something else
Freight that cannot get wet and cannot be tarped well, such as boxed goods on wooden pallets. That is a job for a Conestoga or a dry van.
Flatbed questions
What size is a 53-foot flatbed and how much can it haul?
Our flatbeds have a 48 to 53-foot deck, 8 feet 6 inches wide. Legal freight height is about 8 feet 6 inches on a standard deck, and payload runs up to about 48,000 lbs depending on the tractor and trailer weight.
Do you tarp flatbed loads?
Yes. Every flatbed truck carries lumber and steel tarps. Tell us when you request the quote if the freight must be tarped so the rate includes it.
How do you secure flatbed freight?
Drivers secure every load to the FMCSA cargo securement rules in 49 CFR 393, using chains, straps, edge protection and blocking. Securement is checked again within the first 50 miles and then every 3 hours or 150 miles, as the rules require.
How do I get a rate?
Send the pickup and delivery locations, date, weight and commodity through the quote form or call dispatch at +1 (312) 350-2554. We usually answer within the hour on business days.
Do you broker loads to other carriers?
No. Be Limitless is an asset-based carrier. The truck and driver you book are ours, and we do not re-broker freight.
53′ Flatbed service by state
Lane distance, transit time and the freight each state ships, measured from our yard in Joliet.