The obvious difference between flatbed trucking and dry van trucking is the difference in freight. While dry vans haul mostly palatalized loads, flatbeds haul a wide range of diverse loads. Pipe, I-beams, machinery, aluminum extrusions, steel coils and cable reels are only a few of the products hauled by flatbed trucking companies.
It is fairly common for a flatbed to haul oversize and/or overweight loads. Generally speaking flatbed drivers with many years of driving experience handle the largest of all oversize loads, many of them being 12 feet wide and greater.
With freight being transported on an open platform it is imperative that the freight is properly secured to prevent movement and the possibility of losing a load. Many types of securement devices exist but the most common types of securement devices are 4 inch nylon straps and steel chain.