Open deck · T&A Solutions
Hotshot Freight
Not every open deck load needs a Class 8 tractor. A pallet of steel that has to be on a job site tomorrow morning, a skid steer, a piece the plant forgot to put on the last truck - that's hotshot. Smaller trailer, faster to cover, priced for the load instead of the whole truck.
What rides on it
- Small steel and fab orders
- Skid steers, mini excavators, attachments
- Pallets, crates and machine parts
- Job-site emergencies and short-notice partials
- Anything under about 16,000 lbs and 40' long
Spec sheet
- Equipment
- 1-ton and medium-duty trucks pulling 30' to 40' gooseneck flatbeds
- Load
- Typically up to about 16,000 lbs, 8'6" wide, 8'6" tall
- Best for
- Time-sensitive partials, short and mid-length runs, sites a semi can't get into
- Lanes
- Michigan to Florida and everything east of it - the Great Lakes down through the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, plus the Northeast.
How we run it
- 01
Hotshot is about speed, so the quote is fast and the cover is faster. Send the load and a hard delivery time.
- 02
Same securement and vetting rules as our full-size open deck work - a smaller trailer isn't an excuse for a loose load.
- 03
If the load is really a full-truck load in disguise, we'll say so and quote it that way. Cheaper for you and safer for everyone.
Questions shippers ask us
How fast can you quote?
Send us origin, destination, dimensions, weight and when it needs to move. Standard open deck usually comes back the same business day. Permitted over-dimensional takes longer because the route and permits drive the price - we'll tell you up front how long we need.
When does hotshot make sense instead of a full flatbed?
When the load is small enough - roughly under 16,000 lbs and 40' - and the timing matters more than the per-mile rate. Short runs, tight windows, and sites where a semi can't turn around are the classic cases.
Can hotshots handle tarps and securement?
Yes. Chains, straps and tarps are standard on the trucks we use. Tell us what the load needs and it goes on the tender.
How do you vet the carriers you put on my freight?
Every carrier is checked before they get a load - authority, insurance on file for the commodity, safety record, and whether they've actually run this kind of freight. Open deck is not the place for a first-timer. If a carrier doesn't clear, they don't get the load, no matter how cheap the truck is.
What's your on-time record?
We track on-time pickup and delivery on every load and will show you our current numbers when we talk. If a load is going to be late, you hear it from us before you'd have to ask.
Have a hotshot load?
Send us the dimensions and the date. We'll take it from there.
Open deck
Flatbed Freight
Flatbed freight brokerage for structural steel, coils, rebar, pipe, panels and precast - Michigan to Florida and everything east. Tarped, strapped and chained to spec.
Open deck
Step Deck Freight
Step deck (drop deck) freight brokerage for tall loads that won't ride legal on a flatbed - equipment, fabricated steel, tanks, crated machinery. Michigan to Florida and east.
Heavy haul
RGN & Lowboy Heavy Haul
RGN, lowboy and stretch / expandable trailer brokerage for heavy equipment, transformers, generators and long fabricated steel. Permitted, escorted, coordinated end to end.
Heavy haul
Over-Dimensional & Permitted Loads
Over-dimensional freight brokerage - wide, tall, long and heavy loads with multi-state permits and pilot car escorts, coordinated by people who do this all the time.
Everything else
Dry Van, Expedited & Dedicated Lanes
Dry van, expedited and dedicated-lane freight brokerage for shippers who already trust us with their open deck. Same people, same standards, enclosed freight.
Get in Touch
Ready to optimize your supply chain? Contact us today for a quote or consultation.
Headquarters
1090 36th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508