Step deck load planning: deck height, ramps and axle weight
A step deck load plan comes down to three numbers: how tall the machine stands on the deck, how much weight sits on each axle, and what height limit applies in every state on the route. OpenDeck, powered by Load Work, wrote this guide for owner-operators planning step deck loads in 2026, so you can decide before you accept the freight whether it moves legally on the lower deck.
TL;DR
Step deck lower decks sit about 36 to 42 inches up, leaving roughly 10 feet of cargo height under a 13-foot-6 limit.
Add the deck height to the load height first: a machine standing 10 feet 4 inches on a 42-inch deck totals 13 feet 10 inches.
Federal limits are 80,000 lbs gross, 20,000 lbs per single axle and 34,000 lbs per tandem axle.
Machinery on a step deck needs the same half-the-weight securement math as an RGN load.
Step one: add the deck height to the load height
Height on the road is deck height plus the height of the cargo as it rides. Measure the machine as it will travel, with the boom folded, the bucket lowered and any tall attachment removed or lowered. Step deck vs flatbed: deck height, freight and rate differences covers why the lower deck gives more cargo height than a flatbed, about 18 to 24 inches more at the same state limit.
At a 13-foot-6 state limit, which is 162 inches, the room left for cargo looks like this:
Trailer | Deck height | Cargo height that fits |
Step deck, 36-inch lower deck | 36 inches | 10 feet 6 inches |
Step deck, 42-inch lower deck | 42 inches | 10 feet |
Standard flatbed, about 60 inches | 60 inches | 8 feet 6 inches |
Worked example: a skid steer or telehandler that stands 10 feet 4 inches tall on a 42-inch lower deck totals 13 feet 10 inches. That is 4 inches over a 13-foot-6 state limit. Your options are to lower or remove what you can, reroute through a state with a higher limit, or get a permit. Plan that before you take the load, not at the first overpass.
Step two: check the ramps and the lower deck
Ramps must be rated above the machine's weight, latched to the deck, and long enough that the slope stays shallow. The lower deck means less rise to climb, so at the same ramp length the angle is gentler. Put the tracks fully on the ramp surface and center the machine before the first move.
Step three: secure the machine
A tracked or wheeled machine of 10,000 lbs or more needs at least four tiedowns under 49 CFR 393.130, restraining it forward, rearward, sideways and upward. The combined working load limit of those chains has to be at least half the machine's weight. Block the tracks or chock the wheels when the machine has no fixed tie points.
Step four: check the axles
Keep weight within 20,000 lbs on a single axle, 34,000 lbs on a tandem and 80,000 lbs gross. A machine sitting too far forward can put the drive axle over its limit even when the total weight is legal. Measure before you sign for the load.
Step five: check every state on the route
There is no federal height limit, so each state sets its own. Many states cap total height at 13 feet 6 inches, and some allow 14 feet. A route that is legal at the first state line can fail at the next. Check each state on the route, and get any permit before the truck moves.
Common mistakes on step deck machinery loads in 2026
These are the mistakes that cost step deck operators the most in 2026.
Loading the machine too far forward. A machine set over the drive axle can overload that axle while the total weight looks fine. Slide it toward the trailer tandems and weigh before you leave.
Chaining to the neck, hoses or cylinders. Keep chains off the drop neck and hydraulic parts. Attach at the machine's rated points.
Skipping blocks. Chains hold a machine down; blocks keep it from walking on the deck. Tracked machines need timber or mats under the tracks.
Ignoring the deck transition. The drop from the main deck to the neck changes how straps bind. Check strap angles across the transition.
Booking without the height on the deck. A 10-foot-10-inch machine on a 42-inch deck totals 14 feet 4 inches, well over a 13-foot-6 limit. Measure the machine as it rides.
Dispatch checklist for step deck machinery
Run this list before every machinery load in 2026:
Machine weight and height on the deck, in writing.
Total height checked against 13 feet 6 inches or the lower state limit on every state of the route.
Machine placed toward the tandems, with the drive axle at or under 20,000 lbs and the tandem at or under 34,000 lbs.
Four direct tiedowns with a combined working load limit of at least half the machine's weight.
Blocks under the tracks or wheels, and corner protection wherever chain crosses paint or hoses.
Tiedown re-check written at 50 miles and at every stop.
FAQ
What is the lower deck height on a step deck?
A step deck's main deck sits about 36 to 42 inches off the ground, against roughly 54 to 60 inches on a standard flatbed. That gap is what gives a step deck its extra cargo height.
Is a step deck better than a flatbed for a skid steer?
For a skid steer or telehandler, a step deck gives 18 to 24 inches more cargo height than a flatbed at the same state limit. For steel and lumber, a flatbed is the better trailer.
Do I need a permit on a step deck?
Only when the loaded height, width, length or weight goes over a state limit. Check the route before you accept the load, because limits differ from state to state.
How tall can a load be on a step deck?
At a 13-foot-6 state limit, a 36-inch lower deck leaves about 10 feet 6 inches of cargo height and a 42-inch deck leaves about 10 feet. Add the deck height to the load height before you accept the freight.
Does machinery on a step deck need chains?
Yes. Tracked or wheeled machinery of 10,000 lbs or more needs at least four tiedowns under 49 CFR 393.130, with a combined working load limit of at least half the machine's weight.
Where do I find step deck freight?
OpenDeck, powered by Load Work, tags open-deck freight by trailer type, so step deck and flatbed loads show as separate streams. Plans and pricing are on the OpenDeck pricing page, and signup finishes inside Load Work.
One last thing
Before you accept a machinery load for a step deck, get the machine's weight and its height on the deck in writing from the broker. Those two numbers decide whether the load is legal on the lower deck, and a broker who cannot give them is a load to pass on.
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