Flatbed trailer
Also known as: Flatbed · Flat trailer · Platform trailer · Acik kasa · Kafi
A flatbed is an open semi-trailer with a flat deck and no roof or fixed sides. Cargo is loaded from any side or from above by crane.
Names in other languages
- English
- Flatbed trailer
- Türkçe
- Açık kasa dorse
- فارسی
- تریلی کفی
- Русский
- Бортовой полуприцеп (платформа)
- 简体中文
- 平板半挂车
- العربية
- مقطورة مسطحة
Specifications
Typical figures — they vary by manufacturer and by country rules on weights and sizes.
| Internal length | 13,600 mm |
|---|---|
| Internal width | 2,480 mm |
| Deck height | 1,350 mm |
| Max payload | 26,000 kg |
| Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) | 33 |
| Loading method | Side · Top · Rear |
Typical cargo
Steel products, pipes, timber, building materials, prefabricated parts, machinery, and cargo loaded by crane.
In plain words
Without walls or a roof, a flatbed can carry items that are hard to load into a box: steel beams, pipes, timber, building materials, and machinery. Some flatbeds have low side boards or removable posts (stanchions) to hold long items.
Everything on a flatbed is open to the weather and must be secured with straps, chains, and edge protectors. Cover sensitive goods with tarpaulins. If the cargo is wider or taller than the normal limits, it becomes an oversize load and needs permits.
Advantages
- Loads from every side and from above.
- Good for long, heavy, and awkward items.
- Higher payload than a tilt, because the trailer is lighter.
Limits
- No protection from the weather or theft unless covered.
- The load must be secured very carefully.
- The deck is high, so tall items reach the height limit quickly.
Example from real shipping
A steel trader ships 24 tonnes of steel beams, 12 m long, from İskenderun to a building site. A crane lifts the bundles onto a flatbed from above, the driver secures them with chains and edge protectors, and a tarpaulin covers the load against rain.
Related terms
- Extendable trailerAn extendable trailer is a flatbed or low-loader whose deck can slide out (telescope) to carry very long loads, then close again for the trip back.
- Low-loader (Lowbed)A low-loader is a trailer with a very low deck, so tall and heavy machines can be carried without going over the height limit. Many have ramps so vehicles can drive on.
- Flat Rack containerA flat rack is a container with a strong floor and two end walls, but no side walls and no roof. It carries large, heavy cargo that does not fit in a closed box.
- Road vehicle typesA side-by-side comparison of the trucks and trailers used in road freight: load space, payload, volume, pallet places, loading method, and typical cargo.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.