For flatbed
Flatbed loads carry extra costs that never show on the rate con
Tarps wear out. Straps and chains get replaced. Permits cost money and time. Job sites keep trucks waiting. The audit lists which of those costs you billed and which you paid out of the line haul.
- Tarp, stop-off, permit and job-site waiting charges are billable only if the rate con says so.
- Straps, chains and tarps wear out. Put an average wear cost on every load, even when no one bills it.
- Job-site waits need written times, same as any detention claim.
Where flatbed money leaks
Four costs that sit outside the line haul
Tarps, straps and securement
A tarp job costs driver time and wears the tarp. Chains, binders and straps get cut, lost or replaced. If the rate con has a tarp fee, bill it. If not, price the wear into your cost per mile so a tarped load is not quoted like a bare one.
Permits and oversize paperwork
Over-dimension loads need permits, and routes can be restricted. Permit rules vary by state verify with each state before you run. Keep the permit copy with the load file, and check road restrictions for the route.
Stop-offs
An extra pickup or drop is extra miles, extra waiting and extra paperwork. Many rate cons name a stop-off fee, some do not. Get the fee agreed in writing before the truck moves.
Waiting at job sites
Construction and yard receivers often have no gate log. Ask the driver to message arrival and departure times and photograph the signed BOL. See detention evidence.
Paperwork to keep for a flatbed load
| Document | What it supports | Common gap |
|---|---|---|
| Rate con with fees listed | Tarp, stop-off, TONU, detention | Fee agreed by phone, not in writing |
| BOL with times and piece count | Detention, shortage defense | Date only, no in/out time |
| Photos of load and securement | Damage disputes | Taken after the tarp went on, or not at all |
| Permit copy and receipt | Billing the permit cost | Receipt stays in the cab |
| Cancellation message with time | TONU at the job site | Cancelled by phone, no record |
What the extras add up to
The line haul is the large block. The extras are small next to it, and they are the part that gets dropped when nobody checks the invoice against the rate con.
The same check works for a TONU. If the broker cancels after your truck reaches the site, the amount is whatever the rate con says. No TONU line, nothing to bill. See the TONU guide.
Worked example EXAMPLE VALUES
All numbers below are invented. One load, 400 loaded miles and 100 deadhead miles, so 500 miles driven. Line haul is $1,900. The rate con lists a $75 tarp fee and a $50 stop-off. The driver waited at the job site 4.5 hours against 2 free hours at $60 an hour.
- Detention: 4.5 h - 2 h = 2.5 billable hours x $60 = $150.
- Billed total: $1,900 + $75 + $50 + $150 = $2,175.
- Cost: 500 miles x $1.50 = $750, plus $50 of replaced straps = $800.
- Net with the extras billed: $2,175 - $800 = $1,375, or $2.75 per mile driven.
- Net if the extras were never billed: $1,900 - $800 = $1,100, or $2.20 per mile driven.
The gap is $275. See which of your last 20 loads have unbilled tarp, stop-off or detention charges.
Before you book a flatbed load
- Tarp requirement and fee written on the rate con.
- Stop-off count and fee confirmed.
- Dimensions and weight checked against route and permits.
- Detention terms for the job site, with free hours.
- TONU wording if the site cancels on arrival.
Related tools and data
- Detention calculator for job-site waits
- Deadhead calculator for repositioning between sites
- Lane costs and weather risk for tarped loads
- Rate con vs invoice check
We do not publish flatbed market rates. Your own file is the benchmark.
Questions
Can I bill a tarp fee that is not on the rate con?
You can ask the broker, but without a written term there may be nothing owed. Get it on the rate con next time. We are not lawyers.
Do you track permit rules by state?
No. Permit rules differ by state and change, so check with the state before you run. The audit only checks that the permit cost and copy are in the load file.
How is a stop-off different from a second load?
A stop-off is an added stop on one load under one rate con. A second load has its own rate con and invoice. Mixing them up causes short pays, so match the invoice to the rate con.
Related: detention pay, TONU, deadhead miles, dry van.
See what your last 20 loads show.
One short form. We reply by email with the next step, and a one-page report follows. Free, no obligation.
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