Rolling tarp trailers that combine the side-loading flexibility of a flatbed with full weather protection — no manual tarping required. The smart choice for steel, glass, machinery, and weather-sensitive open-deck freight on every North American lane.
The conestoga solves the core limitation of open-deck freight: the need to choose between side-loading access and weather protection. With a rolling tarp system that slides open for loading and closes completely during transit, conestoga trailers give you both — without the cost, time, and safety risk of manual tarping.
MyExpressFreight maintains a dedicated conestoga carrier network covering every major US freight corridor. Whether you're moving steel coils from a mill, precision machinery to a plant, glass panels to a construction site, or any other open-deck freight that can't get wet, we have the capacity and the expertise to move it right.
Conestoga trailers are built on standard flatbed frames with an integrated rolling tarp framework. Key specs to plan your load:
Conestoga is the right equipment when your freight needs open-deck loading but can't afford weather exposure — or when manual tarping is impractical, unsafe, or damaging to the cargo.
Steel coils, sheet steel, aluminum sheets, structural steel, and processed metal. Side-loaded with coil racks or crane, fully enclosed during transit to prevent rust and surface damage without any manual tarping required.
Flat glass panels, insulated glass units, curtain wall sections, and architectural glass. Fragile and weather-sensitive — conestoga eliminates the risk of tarp contact damage while providing complete moisture and road debris protection.
Industrial machines, printing presses, CNC equipment, generators, and precision instruments with electronic components. Full enclosure protects from rain, dust, and debris during transit without requiring manual tarping over complex shapes.
Solar panel arrays, inverter equipment, and renewable energy components that require side-loading and protection from moisture and debris. Conestoga is increasingly the preferred equipment for solar project freight logistics.
Windows, doors, exterior cladding, and manufactured building components that require side loading and cannot tolerate weather exposure. Conestoga delivers construction material to job sites ready to install without weather damage.
Paper rolls, newsprint, printing blankets, and coated paper that require absolute moisture protection but are loaded with forklifts from the side at mills and warehouses — making conestoga the natural fit over a manually tarped flatbed.
Commercial electronics, server equipment, telecom infrastructure, and high-value manufactured goods requiring side loading, weather protection, and the added visual security of a fully enclosed trailer during transit.
Large automotive stampings, body panels, and OEM components in racks that must be side-loaded by forklift. Conestoga protects finished surface parts from weather contamination without any handling or contact with manual tarps.
Everything you need to know about conestoga trailers — how they work, when to use them, and how they compare to standard flatbed and dry van.
A conestoga trailer is an open-deck flatbed fitted with a retractable rolling tarp system — a framework of bows and a heavy-duty tarp that slides along rails to fully enclose the cargo. When open, it allows crane, forklift, or overhead loading from any direction. When closed during transit, it provides complete weather protection equivalent to a van trailer — without any manual tarping. It is named after the famous Conestoga covered wagons of American frontier history.
A standard flatbed has no weather protection — cargo is exposed to rain and road debris unless manually tarped. A conestoga has an integrated rolling tarp that closes to fully protect the cargo during transit without manual tarping labor. Conestoga trailers carry slightly less weight (due to the tarp framework) and cost a bit more per mile, but eliminate tarping cost and time while providing better protection — often making them the smarter total-cost option for weather-sensitive open-deck freight.
Use a conestoga when your freight requires side or top loading (ruling out dry van), but is also weather-sensitive enough that manual tarping is impractical, damaging, or a safety risk. Best fits: glass and mirror products where tarp contact causes damage, steel and aluminum where moisture causes rust, precision machinery with electronic components, high-value freight where added enclosure provides security, and any load where the time and cost of manual tarping exceeds the conestoga premium.
A 48-foot conestoga carries approximately 45,000–47,000 lbs of freight — slightly less than a standard flatbed because the rolling tarp framework adds 1,000–2,000 lbs to the trailer weight. Interior dimensions when closed are approximately 8–8.5 feet wide and 8–8.5 feet tall to the bow frame. Step deck conestoga trailers provide additional height clearance on the lower deck. Contact us with your specific dimensions and weight and we will confirm equipment fit before booking.
Conestoga rates run approximately 10–20% above standard flatbed on the same lane. When you factor out the manual tarping cost on a standard flatbed ($150–$350 per load), the net difference can be minimal — and you get better protection and faster loading. During high-demand periods, conestoga availability can be tighter than standard flatbed, pushing rates higher. Contact MyExpressFreight for a real-time conestoga quote returned same-day on most standard loads.
Conestoga is ideal for steel coils and sheets, flat glass and glazing products, precision machinery and electronics, solar panels, windows and doors, paper rolls, automotive stampings, and any high-value open-deck freight that requires side or crane loading plus full weather protection. If your freight can be loaded through dock doors and doesn't exceed dry van dimensions, a dry van is usually cheaper. If it must load from the side and needs weather protection, conestoga is the right call.
Similar but not the same. A curtain side trailer has fixed rigid sides with sliding fabric curtains, common in Canada and Europe, and loads primarily from the sides. A conestoga has a rolling framework that slides over bows for full overhead and side coverage, and can also load from the top with a crane. Both provide side-loading access and weather protection, but conestoga is the standard in US open-deck freight and offers greater top-loading flexibility for crane-loaded industrial freight.
"We ship flat glass and insulated glass units weekly. Conestoga is the only equipment that works — the tarp can't touch the glass. MyExpressFreight finds conestoga capacity when other brokers tell me it doesn't exist."
"Our steel coil program runs 15+ conestoga loads a week. MyExpressFreight nailed contract pricing, reliable carriers, and zero damage claims in 8 months. That track record speaks for itself."
"CNC machines can't get wet and can't be manually tarped — the irregular shapes make it impossible. Conestoga through MyExpressFreight has been flawless. Every machine arrives dry and undamaged."
"Solar panel freight needs side loading, full enclosure, and careful securement. MyExpressFreight checks all three boxes every time and their conestoga rates are competitive with what we were paying for tarped flatbed."
"Switched our window and door outbound lanes to conestoga through MyExpressFreight. Damage claims dropped to zero, load times got faster, and the drivers show up with equipment that actually works."
"The account rep at MyExpressFreight actually understands conestoga freight — loading requirements, tie-down for coils, tarp inspection before dispatch. That expertise makes a real difference on every single load."
Spot and contract rates on all North American conestoga lanes.