Advice needed: Flatbed vs Step/Dropdeck

Hello everyone, I've done a lot of reading on here over the past year, but normally search to find answers rather than create new posts. . . I haven't seen much on this item though: What to buy?? Flat or stepdeck??

I'll start with a brief history on my situation. . . I own a company that creates and delivers a seasonal winter item. My business is busy from Nov. to Jan. and takes all of my time for that portion of the year. This business requires use of trucks/trailers. I own a couple trucks, and 6 trlrs. The trucks I own are 2000 and 2001, the trlrs are a bit older, and suite my needs very well. I stay pretty local with my trailers, they work for me, but arent very practical OTR trlrs.

In the time that I am not working full swing with my business, I have been working as a company driver for a local Co. that mainly does heavy hauls, but has recently (over the last 3-4 years) gotten into general freight/flatbed work. Although times are getting tough, we have stayed busy, and have a lot of regular clients. Being that I already OWN a couple trucks, I am leasing on to this outfit. I will need to get a better trailer for this to work. I have the chance to get a good deal on a lease to own flatbed or stepdeck, and I am tied as to which to go for. Obviously both have their advantages and disadvantages. . . . Can anyone give any experienced advice on this matter??

I did a quick comparison of available freightloads and found flatbed freight was available 3:1 to freight calling for a step. Do any of you guys find in general freight hauling that a step can generally haul flat loads?? obviously with a good set of ramps a step can do a lot that a flat can't, though i'm sure there are shippers with docks who won't load a step. . . . Decisions, decisions. . . . . Any advice??

 

I dont know of anywhere at all that would load on a dock, just wondering in general as i'll be doing a significant amount of general brokered freight. . . I pointed out to someone that almost every flatbed load i saw on the road today would have loaded fine on a step, though the opposite wasn't true, and he countered by saying "yeah, but a lot of big shippers will only load onto a flat because they load off of a dock." I'm not thinking of any place in particular, just passing on a voiced point. . .

 

Yeah, The trailer I think i'm getting is 51.5' with container locks for 1-40', 2-20's, or 1-heavy 20. I didn't go with the beaver tail as it added too much weight, and couldn't get cont. locks. Trailer is a combo, spread with cali slide. Im getting ramps/load levelers with it. Seems like a very versatile setup to me. I really rarely see flatbed loads that won't work on a step. Why do some places gotta be so crabby about loading steps?? I guess just to make my decisions in my life more difficult. . . .