Side-Load Freight Protection — No Tarps, No Compromises
Flatbed access, weather protection, no hand-tarping. Built for high-value Midwest freight.
What Is a Conestoga Trailer?
Side-load access plus full weather protection.
A Conestoga trailer is a flatbed with a retractable tarp-and-curtain system mounted on a rolling frame. The cover slides forward and back along the length of the deck, so freight loads from the side like an open flatbed and then seals up under cover — with no hand-tarping, no straps over plastic, and no chains over a tarp.
You'll also hear these trailers called "curtain side trailers" — same equipment, different name. Laufer uses "Conestoga," but the technology is identical: a rolling tarp system that gives you flatbed-style access plus enclosed-trailer weather protection in a single piece of equipment.
| Conestoga trailer | Usable deck length | Usable width | Usable height (under cover) | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Conestoga | 52 ft | 100-101 in | 102-104 in | 47,000 lb |
| Step deck Conestoga | Upper 10 ft / lower 41 ft | 100 in | ~95 in upper / ~115 in lower | 46,000 lb |
Conestoga Trailer Dimensions and Capacity
Standard Conestoga and step deck Conestoga specs.
Laufer's standard Conestoga offers about 52 feet of usable deck length, roughly 100 to 101 inches of usable width, and a usable height around 102 to 104 inches under the cover, with a maximum payload of 47,000 pounds. For taller freight that still needs side-load protection, our step deck Conestoga pairs a lower deck with the same retractable cover.
The retractable cover adds a small amount of weight compared with a bare flatbed, which is the only real trade-off for the weather protection and faster, tarp-free loading it provides. For taller loads that need both the lower deck and the cover, the step deck Conestoga is the right fit — see our step deck trailers page for the lower deck's full specifications.
How a Conestoga Works — and Why It Matters
The Conestoga's tarp system rides on a frame of bows and tracks that runs the length of the trailer. To load, the driver retracts the cover to one end of the deck, exposing the freight area from the top and either side. Forklifts and overhead cranes work the same way they would on an open flatbed. Once the load is secured, the cover rolls back into place and latches down.
That single design solves the two problems a plain flatbed can't. First, it eliminates hand-tarping — which is the slowest, most weather-dependent, and most physically demanding part of running a flatbed. Second, it keeps freight dry and out of road spray across long Midwest hauls, without forcing you into a dry van that can't take side or overhead loading.
For shippers, that translates to faster dock turns, fewer weather delays, and a much shorter list of freight types that have to be excluded for "tarping risk" alone. If your freight is open-deck but doesn't need weather protection, an open flatbed is usually the cheaper and simpler choice — the Conestoga earns its place when the load needs to stay dry, clean, or out of public view. For a side-by-side view of how the Conestoga stacks up against our dry vans, flatbeds, and step decks, see our Wisconsin trucking services overview.
What Laufer Hauls on Conestogas
Our Conestoga fleet runs the kind of freight where the cost of the load — or the cost of damaging it — makes weather protection non-negotiable. That includes high-value manufactured goods, steel coil and finished steel products, and plastic injection molds moving between tool shops and production plants. These are loads where a wet tarp, a torn tarp, or an exposed surface in road spray simply isn't acceptable.
The Conestoga is also the right call when your shipping team is comparing "conestoga vs flatbed" for a load that could technically move on either. If the freight is sensitive to weather, time-sensitive to load, or sits with you in a building you'd rather not roll a tarp out in front of, the Conestoga wins on every count except a small weight penalty for the cover system.
Step Deck Conestoga Option
For taller freight that still needs side-load protection, Laufer also offers step deck Conestogas. A step deck Conestoga combines the lower main deck of a step deck trailer with the same retractable tarp system as a standard Conestoga — so you pick up the extra vertical clearance without giving up weather protection or going back to hand-tarping. It's the right tool when your load is too tall to clear inside a standard Conestoga but still belongs under cover.