Who is a step deck dispatch service for?
A step deck dispatch service fits owner-operators and fleets of 1–10 trucks with MC authority at least 6 months old who pull a step deck and keep getting flatbed money for step deck freight. 48 or 53 ft, tandem or spread axle (the tandems set wide to carry more weight legally): tell us what you pull.
Know your lower deck height to the inch. Current 53-ft step deck listings run 36 to 41 inches on the lower deck. That number decides which loads you can legally take, so the lower deck height is the first thing we ask on the intake call.
- You set your lanes, home time and minimum rate. We run the boards.
- You'd rather approve a booked load than sit on hold with brokers all morning.
- You run Texas, the steel belt, or both.
Spanish-speaking carriers can text, email or WhatsApp us. Phone calls are in English.
When don't you need a step deck dispatcher?
You don't need a step deck dispatcher if direct shippers already keep your deck loaded at good money. Keep the 7–11%. Candor also isn't the right step deck desk in these cases:
- Your authority is under 6 months old. We take some newer MCs, but many brokers won't set you up yet, so your load options are thin.
- You run heavy haul. An RGN, the removable gooseneck trailer for heavy equipment, isn't on our list. Neither is wide freight that needs escorts. Under the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) escort rules, a permitted load over 14 ft wide needs at least one escort, and over 16 ft it needs one front and one rear.
- You want forced dispatch. We don't pick loads and send you. You approve every load, and you can cancel with written notice.
What does a step deck dispatcher do for you?
A step deck dispatcher finds, negotiates and books drop-deck loads under your MC, then handles the paperwork so you can drive. Candor does that as your dispatch agent, not a broker: we hold no broker authority and never decide which carrier gets a load. The federal broker definition in 49 CFR 371.2 draws that line: “Motor carriers, or persons who are employees or bona fide agents of carriers, are not brokers within the meaning of this section when they arrange or offer to arrange the transportation of shipments which they are authorized to transport and which they have accepted and legally bound themselves to transport.”
- Before you're empty, we hunt your reload by dims, weight and your real deck height (36–41 inches on current 53-ft listings), not just the step deck tag.
- We pull the broker's credit and days to pay, how long that broker usually takes to pay, and watch for double brokering, re-brokering a load without permission.
- We negotiate the all-in rate and weigh the rate per mile against the deadhead to get there.
- We send your carrier packet, the setup documents a broker needs before booking you, with your COI, your certificate of insurance.
- We read the rate con for tarp pay, detention and TONU, the truck-ordered-not-used pay you're owed when a broker cancels after you're dispatched, before you sign.
- We stay on the phone 24/7 while you're under load.
- We invoice, send factoring paperwork including the NOA, the notice of assignment that sends broker payment to your factor, and email your weekly gross report.
How tall can freight be on a step deck in Texas?
In Texas, a step deck with a 40-inch lower deck can haul freight about 10 ft 8 in tall without a height permit. TxDMV sets a 14-foot legal height for a vehicle and its load, so every inch of deck height comes off the freight.
That height is why step deck freight can't ride a flat, and why step deck freight should pay more. Before we book anything tall, we check the dims against your actual deck height and flag low clearances on the route. Measure your own trailer: a quoted deck height and the one on your tape can differ.
| Lower deck height | Texas legal limit | Max freight height, no height permit |
|---|---|---|
| 36 in | 14 ft | 11 ft 0 in |
| 38 in | 14 ft | 10 ft 10 in |
| 40 in | 14 ft | 10 ft 8 in |
| 41 in | 14 ft | 10 ft 7 in |
Why do step deck loads get booked at flatbed rates?
When does a step deck load need a Texas OS/OW permit?
| Dimension | Legal without permit | Escort needed above |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | 14 ft (two over 16 ft) |
| Height | 14 ft | 17 ft (front escort with height pole) |
| Semitrailer length | 59 ft | Not a standard step deck concern |
| Gross weight | 80,000 lb | Not set by weight |
How many tiedowns does machinery on a step deck need?
Machinery of 10,000 lb or more on wheels or tracks needs at least four tiedowns, set as close as practicable to the front and rear, under 49 CFR 393 Subpart I, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) cargo securement rules. Section 393.130(b)(1) adds: “Accessory equipment, such as hydraulic shovels, must be completely lowered and secured to the vehicle.”
The chains and binders also have to add up. The combined working load limit (WLL), the rated load each chain or strap can carry in use, must be at least half the cargo's weight. On a 20,000-lb machine, that's at least 10,000 lb of aggregate WLL as the rule counts it. The securement also can't exceed breaking strength under 0.8 g of forward braking.
For other freight, section 393.110 sets the count: two tiedowns for an article 5 to 10 ft long, and past 10 ft, two plus one more for every extra 10 ft. If the plan needs dunnage, blocks or material under or between cargo, ask the shipper before you leave the yard. Bring edge protectors.
Securement is your call and your liability. Our job is getting weight, dims and equipment on the rate con so you show up with enough chain.
Where do Candor's step deck loads run?
How much does step deck dispatch cost?
Candor Trucking dispatches step decks and conestogas, flatbeds or step decks with a rolling tarp system, for owner-operators across Texas and the steel belt at 7–11% of gross, with no contract and no forced dispatch.
Who books your step deck loads?
Sources
- Texas Size/Weight Limits. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (checked 2026-10-11).
- Escort and Equipment Requirements. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (checked 2026-10-11).
- 49 CFR Part 393 Subpart I: Protection Against Shifting and Falling Cargo. eCFR / Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (checked 2026-10-11).
- 49 CFR 371.2: Definitions. eCFR / Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (checked 2026-10-11).
- Flatbed Report: Farm iron stacks up, and flatbed demand will feel it (Sept 28, 2026). DAT Freight & Analytics (checked 2026-10-11).
- 2024 TTSA 53 ft step deck trailer listing (deck height reference). iTAG Equipment (checked 2026-10-11).
Step deck dispatch FAQ
Is a truck dispatcher the same as a freight broker?
No. A broker arranges freight for shippers and needs broker authority. Candor works for you as your dispatch agent, under your MC, with no broker authority. Under 49 CFR 371.2, a carrier's bona fide agent is not a broker.
Can my step deck haul flatbed freight on the backhaul?
Yes. A step deck can haul most flatbed freight, but a flatbed can't haul freight that needs step deck height. When there's no step freight headed home, we show you the flatbed reloads and the deadhead, and you pick.
Is a drop deck the same as a step deck?
Yes. Brokers and load boards use both names for the same two-level trailer, so we search under both, plus flatbed and open deck postings with the height in the notes.
Do I have to take every load you find?
No. There's no forced dispatch. You approve every load before we book it, and you can cancel our service with written notice.
Do you dispatch new step deck authorities?
Sometimes. We focus on MCs 6+ months old because more brokers will set them up. If your authority is newer, fill in the form and we'll tell you straight what we can book.
Can I reach Candor's dispatchers in Spanish?
Yes, by text, email or WhatsApp. Phone calls are in English.