Top 10 Flatbed Trucking Companies in Texas 2026

How did we pick the top flatbed trucking companies in Texas?

Every carrier here hauls flatbed or open-deck freight for outside shippers and is based in Texas or runs a Texas terminal. We favored carriers that own their tractors and trailers. Two entries run mainly on owner-operators, and their profiles say so, because that changes how service works. Fleet numbers come from FMCSA filings, company sources and trade press checked in October 2026.

The biggest "flatbed" fleets registered in Texas are mostly ones you can't book. We left out:

• Oilfield service fleets. Completion, fracking and well-service companies run thousands of flatbeds for their own equipment.
• Rental, utility and distribution fleets. Equipment rental firms, power utilities, roofing distributors and electrical suppliers haul only their own goods.
• Railroads and refiners. They register trucks for internal work, not for-hire freight.
• Self-dispatch platforms. Some carriers lease authority to independent drivers who book their own loads. That's a different model from a carrier that dispatches your freight.

Which Texas flatbed carriers made the 2026 list?

Here's the list at a glance. For national carriers, the base column shows the Texas terminal your loads would likely run through.

Fleet counts change often. Check any carrier's USDOT number on FMCSA SAFER before you sign a contract.

What does each Texas flatbed carrier do best?

1. MigWay (serves Texas from Pineville, NC)

MigWay runs its own flatbed and Conestoga trailers as part of a 400-truck, 750-trailer fleet. Every tractor is a 2023 to 2027 automatic Freightliner Cascadia, Volvo or Mack governed at 70 mph. In Texas, it hauls oilfield pipe, plant machinery, steel and building materials, with direct delivery to plants, well pads and jobsites that have no dock. Texas loads run as scheduled long-haul trips, usually on I-20, with planned multi-day transit to the East.

• Zero outsourcing: MigWay trucks and MigWay drivers on every load
• 24/7 in-house dispatch with live people
• Live ELD and GPS tracking, plus EDI
• Drop trailer programs for steady weekly volume
• Flat all-in rates, with permits planned up front on oversize moves

Strongest at: full flatbed and Conestoga loads from Texas to the Carolinas, Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. See the Texas flatbed service page for coverage.

2. Lone Star Transportation (Fort Worth, TX)

Lone Star Transportation runs from Northway Drive in north Fort Worth and lists about 400 power units and 1,000 trailers in its FMCSA filing. It offers flatbed, heavy haul, dry van, warehousing and driveaway service across 48 states, plus Canada and Mexico. Lone Star was part of Daseke, which TFI International bought in April 2024.

Strongest at: heavy and oversize equipment out of DFW that needs permits and escorts. Ask about: how pricing works now that the carrier is part of a larger group.

3. Melton Truck Lines (Laredo terminal)

Melton is a Tulsa-based flatbed and step deck carrier with about 1,400 trucks nationally, per its carrier profile. Its Laredo terminal handles most of its Mexico freight and includes a covered cargo protection area that holds 20 trailers. Melton dedicates more than 400 trailers to Mexico, crosses at Laredo and Eagle Pass, and runs through-trailer service so freight stays with one carrier.

Strongest at: cross-border flatbed between Mexico and the U.S. interior. Ask about: customs broker coordination and how long trailers sit at the border on your lane.

4. PGT Trucking (Laredo terminal)

PGT Trucking is a Pennsylvania-based specialty flatbed and dedicated carrier. It built a larger Laredo facility on 7.73 acres in the Pinnacle Industry Center near I-35, with an operations center, driver amenities and a maintenance shop. The company handles more than 4,000 cross-border loads a year.

Strongest at: international and specialized flatbed tied to Mexican manufacturing. Ask about: capacity for domestic Texas loads that don't cross the border.

5. McElroy Truck Lines (Texas terminal; HQ Cuba, AL)

McElroy is a family-owned flatbed carrier from Cuba, Alabama, running about 550 trucks and 1,100 trailers. Much of its freight is lumber, sheetrock, steel and building supplies moving from Texas to Pennsylvania, and it's a prime carrier for Lowe's (Truckers News, September 2026). It runs a company terminal in Texas.

Strongest at: building material shippers with steady Texas-to-East Coast lanes. Ask about: short in-state runs, which aren't its core pattern.

6. Mercer Transportation (Dallas and Houston-area terminals)

Mercer, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the largest open-deck fleets in the country, with about 1,600 trucks hauling flatbed, heavy specialized and dry van freight. It runs on owner-operators rather than company drivers, and freight platforms list it with terminals near both Dallas and Houston.

Strongest at: large or unusual open-deck loads that need a big pool of specialized trucks. Ask about: how consistent service is across drivers, since each truck is independently operated.

7. JITC Inc. (Fort Worth, TX)

JITC has held FMCSA authority since 2018 and runs from West Trinity Boulevard near DFW Airport. Its carrier profile lists about 350 tractors and 420 trailers, mostly owned, covering dry van, reefer and flatbed. It also offers crossdocking, warehousing, distribution and customs services.

Strongest at: DFW shippers who want one asset-based provider for trucking and storage. Ask about: how many of its trailers are flatbeds, since its fleet is mixed.

8. PS Logistics / Blair Logistics (Houston operation)

Birmingham-based PS Logistics, which runs the largest for-hire flatbed fleet in Alabama through P&S Transportation, bought the trucking assets of Houston's Patriot Transit in 2021. That operation runs under Blair Logistics, a PS Logistics subsidiary. P&S also handles over-dimensional freight and cross-border loads to Mexico.

Strongest at: Houston-area shippers who want access to a large national flatbed group. Ask about: which PS Logistics company will handle your account and where dispatch sits.

9. Tri Star Freight System (Houston, TX)

Tri Star is a family-owned, certified woman-owned company founded in Houston in 1987. Its FMCSA filing lists about 135 power units and 264 trailers, run mostly by owner-operators. It offers flatbed, van, drayage, warehousing and freight forwarding, plus a U.S. Customs bonded container freight station.

Strongest at: port and project cargo around the Houston Ship Channel. Ask about: flatbed truck availability, since it runs several services from one fleet.

10. First Choice Transport (Fort Worth, TX)

First Choice Transport runs from southwest Fort Worth with about 78 power units, per its February 2026 FMCSA filing, and holds a Satisfactory safety rating. Freight platforms list flatbed among its trailer types.

Strongest at: regional DFW flatbed shippers who want a smaller, local carrier. Ask about: backup capacity during construction season, when a 78-truck fleet fills up.

Which flatbed carriers serve DFW, Houston and the border?

Texas is too big for one carrier to be close to everyone. Here's how the list maps to the state's main freight regions.

What is driving Texas flatbed freight in 2026?

Texas flatbed demand comes from three places at once: the ports, the Mexican border and construction. Here are the numbers that matter:

• Laredo leads all land ports. Port Laredo handled $353.94 billion in trade in 2025, up 4.4% from 2024, and remains the Western Hemisphere's leading land port (Port Laredo, March 2026). Automotive manufacturing and energy products are among its key sectors.
• Port Houston had its best year. Public terminals moved 54.5 million short tons in 2025, up 3%. Steel through its multipurpose terminals fell 8% to 4.2 million short tons, still a huge volume of flatbed freight (Container News, January 2026).
• Pipe and energy equipment. Oilfield pipe, drilling gear and pipeline materials move on flatbeds from the Gulf Coast to the Permian Basin and beyond.

For shippers, this means flatbed capacity in Texas is often pulled toward the border and the ports. If you ship from inland plants, a carrier with scheduled lanes out of your area will usually beat the spot market on reliability.

What are Texas oversize and permit rules?

Texas allows more room before a permit kicks in than many states. Without a permit, a load can be 8 feet 6 inches wide, 14 feet tall and 80,000 pounds gross. A semitrailer in a two-vehicle combination can be up to 59 feet long (TxDMV size and weight limits). Permits come from the TxDMV Oversize/Overweight Permits Office.

When does a Texas load need escorts?

If a load exceeds the limit in two dimensions, it needs front and rear escorts (TxDMV escort requirements).

When can oversize loads move?

• From a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, including Saturday and Sunday
• Loads up to 10 feet wide, legal height and 100 feet long can move at night, but only on Interstates
• Overweight-only loads can move around the clock
• City and county curfews, such as rush-hour limits in major metros, are printed on each permit
• Superheavy permits apply over 254,300 pounds gross, or 200,000 pounds with less than 95 feet of axle spacing

Unlike Alabama, Texas lets permitted loads move on weekends. But some holiday limits still apply depending on load size, so check your permit before planning a holiday move.

How does cross-border flatbed work through Laredo?

Most flatbed freight between Mexico and the U.S. crosses at Laredo, and it doesn't work like a domestic load. Here's the usual flow:

1. Mexican pickup. A Mexican carrier or a U.S. carrier with Mexico authority loads the freight at the plant.
2. Customs paperwork. Customs brokers on both sides file the export and import entries before the truck reaches the bridge.
3. The crossing. A short-haul transfer truck often moves the trailer across the bridge to a Laredo yard.
4. U.S. linehaul. A U.S. carrier picks up the trailer and hauls it to the final destination.

Through-trailer service, which Melton and PGT both offer, keeps the same trailer on the load the whole way. That means fewer transloads and less chance of damage. If you're shipping steel or machinery from Mexico, ask about secure trailer parking in Laredo too.

What should you ask a Texas flatbed carrier before booking?

Texas has a deep pool of flatbed trucks, but service varies a lot. MigWay recommends these questions before you tender the first load.

1. Company driver or owner-operator? Both can work well. Just know which one you're getting and who's accountable when something goes wrong.
2. What equipment do you own? Confirm flatbed, step deck, Conestoga or lowboy counts, not just the tractor total.
3. What does FMCSA SAFER show? Check operating status and out-of-service rates against national averages of about 21% for vehicles and 5% for drivers.
4. Who files the TxDMV permit? For oversize freight, ask who handles the permit, the escorts and the city curfews.
5. Is tarping in the rate? Get tarping, permits and escorts in writing as part of the price.

What does MigWay charge on Texas flatbed lanes?

MigWay quotes flat, all-in rates with fuel and all standard charges included, so you see one number up front. When a load needs permits or escorts, MigWay plans them and builds them into your quote before pickup.

For an exact number, send dimensions, weight and pickup details through the rate calculator or the contact page.

Which Texas flatbed carrier should you call first?

Match the carrier to the lane. For heavy haul and oversize out of DFW, start with Lone Star. For cross-border freight from Mexico, Melton and PGT both run Laredo terminals with through-trailer service. For building materials headed east, McElroy runs that lane every week, and Mercer offers a deep pool of specialized owner-operator trucks.

Do you ship full flatbed or Conestoga loads from Texas to the Carolinas, the Mid-Atlantic or the Northeast? Then put MigWay on your list of the top flatbed trucking companies in Texas. You get zero outsourcing, 24/7 in-house dispatch and a published all-in rate. Request a quote through the contact form or website chat, or call +1-980-255-3200.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the largest flatbed trucking companies in Texas?

Most of the biggest flatbed fleets registered in Texas are private fleets run by oilfield, rental and utility companies. Among for-hire carriers, Lone Star Transportation in Fort Worth runs about 400 power units. National carriers like Melton and Mercer run more than 1,000 trucks each and have Texas terminals.

Is MigWay based in Texas?

No. MigWay is headquartered in Pineville, North Carolina, and runs scheduled long-haul flatbed lanes between Texas and the East Coast. It owns its 400 trucks and 750 trailers, including flatbeds and Conestogas, and does not broker loads.

How much does flatbed shipping cost in Texas in 2026?

It depends on lane, weight, dimensions and timing. MigWay's flat all-in rates from Texas run $3.30 to $4.30 per mile to most Eastern states and $5.00 per mile to Florida. Loads inside Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma are $1,500. Confirm your lane on a written quote.

Can oversize loads move on weekends in Texas?

Yes. Texas allows permitted oversize loads to travel from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, including Saturday and Sunday. Some holiday limits and city curfews still apply, and they're printed on the permit.

When does an oversize load need an escort in Texas?

Loads over 14 feet wide need one escort, and loads over 16 feet wide need front and rear escorts. Loads over 17 feet tall need a front escort with a height pole. Loads over 110 feet long also need an escort.

Can oversize loads travel at night in Texas?

Only some. Loads up to 10 feet wide, legal height and 100 feet long can move at night on Interstates. Overweight-only loads can move around the clock, but most wider or taller loads must travel in daylight.

What is the legal height for a flatbed load in Texas?

Texas allows 14 feet total without a height permit. On a standard 5-foot flatbed deck, that leaves about 9 feet for freight. A step deck raises that to about 10.5 feet.

What is through-trailer service for Mexico?

Through-trailer service keeps the same trailer on a load from the Mexican origin to the U.S. destination, instead of transloading at the border. It cuts handling and lowers damage risk. Melton and PGT both offer it from Laredo.

What's the difference between an asset carrier and an owner-operator fleet?

An asset carrier owns its trucks and employs its drivers. An owner-operator fleet contracts independent drivers who own or lease their own trucks. Both can deliver good service, but asset carriers usually offer more control over equipment and dispatch.

How long does a flatbed load take from Texas to North Carolina?

A Dallas to Charlotte load runs roughly 1,000 miles, which is usually a two-day trip for a solo driver at legal hours. MigWay runs Texas lanes as scheduled long-haul moves with planned multi-day transit, so you get a delivery date before pickup.