Flatbed work is more physical and more skilled than van freight. The driver is responsible for load securement — chains, straps, binders, edge protectors — and often for tarping the load against weather, which is billed as an accessorial.
Securement is regulated and inspected. A load that shifts or a strap that fails is a safety violation and a claim, so flatbed carriers price in the time and risk. Specialized variants — step deck, double drop, RGN (removable gooseneck) — handle taller or heavier pieces.
Flatbed freight is tied to construction, energy, and manufacturing activity, so its rates move with those cycles more than with retail demand.
Example
A carrier loads 44,000 pounds of steel coils at a mill. The driver secures each coil with chains through the eye and adds a $150 tarp charge because the consignee requires weather protection. The rate confirmation lists the linehaul, the tarp, and one extra stop — all agreed before pickup.
Why it matters
Flatbed rates and volume track industrial and construction activity, not consumer demand, so a flatbed carrier reads a different set of signals than a van carrier when deciding where and when to run.