Coils, plate, beams, pipe and rebar moved on flatbed and step deck by carriers who know coil racks, chain counts and when a load has to be tarped.
Steel weighs out long before it cubes out. A single coil can take a truck to its legal limit, and a load of plate leaves almost no deck space empty but very little weight to spare. That makes metal freight a matter of weight distribution and securement more than space. Mills, service centres, fabricators and distributors use us to move coils between mill and processor, plate and structural steel to fabricators, and finished product to job sites, on both sides of the border. We match the commodity to the trailer and to a carrier that hauls metal regularly, and we confirm tarping, edge protection and coil racks before pickup, not at the dock.
Coils are the most regulated cargo on a flatbed. Eye-to-the-side, eye-to-the-rear and eye-vertical coils each have their own securement pattern, and a coil that rolls can take the trailer with it. Carriers need coil racks or a coil well and drivers who load them every week.
A flatbed may be full at 40 to 48 thousand lb with half the deck empty. Point loading a coil over the wrong part of the trailer overloads an axle even when the total is legal, which is a fine and a reload at the scale.
Cold-rolled, galvanized and coated products stain or rust when wet. They need tarps, and sometimes a second layer underneath. Hot-rolled and structural steel often travels bare. Getting this wrong is a claim against the product, not the freight.
Beams, pipe and bar often run longer than a 48 ft deck. Overhang limits vary by province and state, and long loads can need flags, lights or an over-length permit.
Steel and aluminum moving between Canada and the US have faced tariffs and counter-tariffs that changed several times since 2025. Paperwork that worked last quarter may not work now, so the customs side needs checking on every cross-border lane.
Product type, piece weights, dimensions, coil orientation and whether it must stay dry. Mill or service-centre paperwork usually has all of it.
Flatbed, step deck or conestoga, with coil racks, edge protectors, dunnage and the right tarps confirmed with the carrier before it is dispatched.
We book carriers who run steel regularly and know the securement rules for coils, plate and long product on both sides of the border.
For cross-border loads we coordinate the customs broker, the commercial invoice and the origin documents so the current tariff treatment is applied correctly.
Mills and fabricators run tight receiving windows. We track the truck, keep the receiver informed and send the signed bill of lading after delivery.
US and Canadian rules set the tie-down pattern for coils by weight and orientation. Coils of 5,000 lb or more must follow the coil-specific rules, not just the general ones.
Plate, beams and pipe follow the general rules on working load limits and the number of tie-downs per length of cargo, with blocking or bracing to stop forward movement.
Rear overhang limits and flagging requirements differ by province and state. Loads beyond them need an over-length permit.
US Section 232 tariffs and Canadian countermeasures on steel and aluminum have changed repeatedly. Your customs broker confirms the current rate and any origin requirements before the load crosses.
Many receivers will not accept steel without the mill test report and matching heat numbers. We make sure the paperwork travels with the load.
Most metal moves on a flatbed because it loads from the side or top with a crane or forklift. A step deck adds height for taller bundles and lowers the centre of gravity for heavy coils. A conestoga, a flatbed with a sliding tarp system, protects finished product from weather without the driver tarping by hand, and it costs more for that reason.
Coil equipment is specific. Coil racks or chocks hold each coil in place, and some trailers have a coil well, a recessed section in the deck that cradles the coil and keeps it low. The carrier has to bring this equipment, so it has to be confirmed at booking.
Dunnage, edge protectors and corner guards are not optional extras. Chains and straps cut into soft edges and coated surfaces, and damage from securement is still damage. Receivers notice it, and it ends up as a claim.
Tarps come in weights and drops. Steel tarps are usually smaller with a shorter drop than lumber tarps, sized for low, dense loads. If the receiver specifies a tarp, a smoke tarp on the front or double tarping, we pass it to the carrier word for word.
Steel and aluminum have been at the centre of trade disputes between Canada and the US. Tariffs, surtaxes and quotas have been added, raised and adjusted several times since 2025, and the rules depend on where the metal was melted and poured as well as where it was processed.
That puts the paperwork ahead of the truck. The commercial invoice needs the correct tariff classification, value and origin, and some receivers or brokers ask for mill certificates to support the origin claim. A load that arrives at the border without them waits there.
We work with your customs broker, or one of our partner brokers, so the entry is ready before the truck reaches the crossing. The broker confirms the current tariff treatment on the day; we make sure the documents they need come from the shipper on time.
For regular lanes it is worth reviewing the paperwork whenever the trade rules change, not just when a load is held. A short call with the broker after each announcement saves a day at the border later.
Coils travel on flatbeds or step decks with coil racks, or in a trailer with a coil well. The tie-down pattern depends on whether the coil's eye faces the side, the rear or up. Carriers that haul coils regularly carry the racks and know the patterns.
Cold-rolled, galvanized, coated and finished products usually need tarps to prevent rust and staining. Hot-rolled coils and structural steel often travel uncovered. Tell us the product and the receiver's requirements and we will book the right tarps.
Yes, within the overhang limits of each province and state. Beyond them the load needs an over-length permit, and sometimes a stretch trailer. Send the lengths and we will plan the trailer and route.
Yes. Cross-border steel needs a commercial invoice, origin information and the current tariff treatment applied by a customs broker. We coordinate the broker and the carrier on one schedule.
Yes. Aluminum, copper and other non-ferrous metals move the same way as steel, with extra care for scratching and moisture on finished product. Higher value loads may need additional cargo insurance, which we can arrange.
Price depends on weight, trailer type, tarping, distance and whether permits are needed. Most steel loads are priced as full flatbed loads. Send the product, weight and addresses for a quote.
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