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Flatbed Shipping for Heavy Haul Freight

Two J.B. Hunt Freightliner semi-trucks parked in an industrial yard, each carrying flatbed trailers loaded with neatly stacked green pipes. A yellow forklift is in the process of loading or unloading pipes between the trucks, while a worker in a yellow safety vest and hard hat walks nearby. A large warehouse is visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Sometimes freight just doesn’t fit neatly inside a standard 53-foot trailer. It might be too big, heavy or awkwardly shaped. When it comes to specialty and oversized freight, sometimes you need a solution that’s outside the box. J.B. Hunt has you covered with a multitude of open-deck trailer options and solutions for heavy haul and oversized freight shipping.

 
Discover Outside-the-Box Solutions

When Do You Need a Flatbed Solution? 

Some freight requires flatbed or other open-deck trailers simply because of its size. For example, agricultural machinery and many building materials cannot fit into a standard trailer with four sides. In some cases, open-deck trailers provide better and safer options for loading and unloading. Heavy and oversized freight often cannot be loaded and unloaded from a dock, and instead requires the use of cranes or forklifts. Open-deck trailers offer the flexibility to load and unload freight from other angles, like from above or from the sides of the trailer.  

It’s important to select the right type of open-deck trailer for your freight. That’s where J.B. Hunt comes in with access to company-owned assets, qualified third-party carriers and flatbed experts to walk you through the process. 

J.B. Hunt Has the Flatbed Shipping Solution You Need 

Does your freight require a single or double drop trailer? Would a hot shot flatbed suffice? Do you need a multi-axle trailer? All these types of equipment offer distinct features and serve different purposes. Our experienced flatbed team is available to provide expert guidance in selecting the equipment that will serve you best.  

With thousands of company-owned trailers and more than 24,000 qualified and vetted third-party carriers, J.B. Hunt is poised to create custom flatbed solutions throughout North America to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for surge capacity with pop-up fleets, cost-savings with intermodal transport or the consistency of a dedicated fleet, J.B. Hunt has the experience, expertise and resources to make it happen.  

We’ve worked with countless types of freight that require creative open-deck solutions, including industries such as:  

  • Agriculture 
  • Manufacturing 
  • Construction 
  • Machinery 
  • Oil 
  • Energy  

Many of these industries must frequently ship super loads requiring special permits, escorts and routing—all of which we manage for our customers. Plus, because of our company’s commitment to safety, our company drivers and operators are extensively trained in best practices and safe handling of heavy haul freight. And all J.B. Hunt customers get access to shipment tracking and in-depth analytics through their Shipper 360°® account to help make sure shipments arrive when and where they are needed.  

Whatever your situation, J.B. Hunt can create the open-deck solution that’s right for you. Contact us to get the conversation started today.