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RR-ROAD SERVICES STEP DECK

01 · Step deck trucking

More height than a flatbed. Every side open.

Our 53 ft low-pro step deck carries the freight that is too tall for a flatbed and too awkward for a van — loaded by forklift or crane from the side, the back or straight down from above.

Get a quote (559) 999-4191 Text us
UPPER DECK MAIN DECK · LOW-PRO

What it is

Drop deck · step deck · low-profile step deck

A step deck is a flatbed with a step in it. The front few feet sit up over the truck’s fifth wheel; then the deck drops to a long main deck set much closer to the road. That drop is the whole point: every inch the deck comes down is an inch your freight can go up before it reaches the legal height limit.

On a standard flatbed, the deck sits about five feet off the ground, which leaves roughly eight and a half feet for the freight. On a low-profile step deck’s main deck it is closer to three feet, which leaves about ten — the difference between a machine that ships at legal height and one that needs a permit, a route survey and a wider budget.

Because nothing encloses the deck, it loads from wherever your equipment can reach: a forklift from the side at a yard with no dock, a crane from above on a job site, a loading dock at the back. That makes it the everyday workhorse for machinery, building materials and anything that arrives on skids or in crates.

L H MAIN DECK UPPER 53 FT
Fig. 1 — Step deck, schematic. Your load’s L × W × H decides the rest.

Good for

What this is built to carry.

  • 01 Farm tractors, implements and Central Valley ag equipment
  • 02 Skid steers, compact excavators and forklifts
  • 03 Industrial machinery and parts on skids
  • 04 Steel beams, pipe, rebar and structural members
  • 05 Lumber, trusses and building materials
  • 06 Crated freight too tall for a flatbed

How we run it

Start to finish, on the step deck.

  1. Measure the highest point

    Height decides everything on a step deck. We check your freight’s tallest point against the main deck and confirm it rides at legal height before we quote.

  2. Plan the position

    Where the load sits — upper deck, main deck, or both — decides how the weight spreads over the axles. That is planned before the truck arrives, not worked out at your dock.

  3. Load from any side

    Forklift from the side, crane from above, or a dock at the back. If your site has no dock, a step deck usually does not need one.

  4. Secure it properly

    Secured to the federal cargo securement rules — chains and binders for machinery, straps with edge protection for finished goods — and re-checked on the road.

  5. Deliver and sign off

    Unloaded the way it was loaded, with the bill of lading signed at delivery.

Before you book

Three things that make the quote right first time.

Note 01

Measure to the very top

Exhaust stacks, mirrors, cabs and canopies all count. If something folds or comes off for transport, tell us — it may be the difference between legal and oversize.

Note 02

Know where it lifts

Lifting points, fork pockets and the weight of the heaviest piece tell us whether a forklift will do or a crane is needed at pickup.

Note 03

If it drives, ask about the RGN

Self-propelled equipment can go on a step deck with a dock or ramps, but a removable-gooseneck trailer is often simpler and safer for it.

The numbers

The step deck, in figures.

Typical figures for this trailer type, so you can see quickly whether your load is in range. We check every load against our own trailer and the route before quoting.

Sheet 01 Step deck UPPER DECK MAIN DECK · LOW-PRO

Drop deck · step deck · low-profile step deck

53 ft low‑pro step deck

A flatbed with a step in it: a short upper deck over the truck, then a long main deck set low to the ground. The low deck buys roughly two extra feet of legal height over a flatbed, and the open sides mean it loads by forklift or crane from any angle.

Choose it when Taller than a flatbed allows, but under about 10 ft — and lifted on, not driven on.

Typical for this trailer type

Overall length 53 ft
Upper deck About 10–11 ft long, about 5 ft off the ground
Main deck About 42–43 ft long, about 3–3½ ft off the ground on a low-pro
Legal freight height About 10 ft on the main deck (more in states with a 14 ft limit, such as California)
Legal width 8 ft 6 in
Legal payload Roughly 45,000–48,000 lb

Industry-typical figures for the trailer type. Every load is checked against our own trailer and the route's limits before we quote.

Questions

Step deck, answered.

01 How tall can freight be on a step deck?

On the main deck of a low-profile step deck, freight can usually be about 10 ft tall and still travel at legal height in states with a 13 ft 6 in limit. California allows 14 ft overall, so a little more there. Send us your freight’s exact height and we confirm it against our trailer before quoting.

02 What is the difference between a step deck and a flatbed?

A flatbed is one level deck about five feet off the ground. A step deck has a short upper deck, then drops to a lower main deck — about three feet up on a low-pro — which gives tall freight roughly two extra feet of legal height.

03 Can you load at a site without a loading dock?

Usually, yes. A step deck is open on both sides and on top, so a forklift or crane can load it from wherever it can reach. Tell us what equipment will be at pickup and delivery when you ask for a quote.

04 Is a step deck the same as a drop deck?

Yes. Step deck, drop deck and stepdeck all mean the same trailer. "Low-pro" or low-profile means the main deck sits lower still, for a little more legal height.

05 Can a step deck carry a farm tractor?

Many tractors ship well on a step deck, provided the height works and there is a way to load it — a dock, ramps or a crane. For larger tractors and equipment that drives on, the RGN lowboy is often the better fit. We will tell you which when we see the dimensions.

Also from RR Road

02 RGN & lowboy heavy haul Excavators, dozers, loaders and tall machinery — driven on, carried low, permitted when oversize. 03 Cross-border trucking, US ↔ Canada Los Angeles to Toronto and back — step deck and RGN freight, customs paperwork planned ahead.

Start a load

Got the dimensions? Get a number.

Send the pickup, the delivery and the size and weight of the load. We come back with a price and a plan — trailer, route, and permits if it needs them.

Get a quote (559) 999-4191 Text us

A quote needs

  1. 01 Pickup and delivery City and state or province — a ZIP or postal code is even better.
  2. 02 What it is Make and model for equipment; a plain description for anything else.
  3. 03 Length × width × height To the highest and widest point, including anything that sticks out.
  4. 04 Weight The operating or shipping weight, with attachments.
  5. 05 How it loads Drives on, forklift, crane or dock — at both ends.
  6. 06 When it is ready A date, or a window.