• SMU new site announcement banner
  • Skip to main content

    Shipping and Logistics

    Flatbed Truck Availability Tightens as Demand Increases

    Written by Sandy Williams


    Flatbed trucks are generally first choice to move steel products from mills to distribution centers to manufacturing clients. What determines what freights will be for this workhorse of the steel industry?

    Freight costs are influenced by fuel costs, weather, seasonal demand, historical costs, and load-to-truck ratios. Flatbed rates are particularly vulnerable to weather conditions in the Midwest and Northern states. During winter months, flatbed capacity shifts to the South, pushing rates up in the colder regions as fewer trucks become available and weather conditions make driving more hazardous. During summer weather, capacity generally eases in the region but can still be volatile due to other factors.

    Latest in Shipping and Logistics