The open-deck segment continues to lose millions in preventable revenue leakage every year. Flatbed and Conestoga carriers routinely provide 4-foot, 6-foot, and 8-foot steel tarps, lumber tarps, smoke tarps, and machinery tarps at the request of shippers, yet brokers and shippers frequently deduct or deny these accessorial charges citing "lack of prior authorization" or "insufficient proof of service."
Strong Tower Consulting has developed and refined a comprehensive operational standard that eliminates this bleed. The Strong Tower Open-Deck Standard™ combines real-time driver-captured photographic evidence through the CheckPoint platform with automated tariff injection inside modern TMS platforms such as Truckmate, McLeod, and TMW.
The Open-Deck Accessorial Bleed
A typical flatbed load of steel coils, lumber bundles, or building materials will require tarping. Shippers request the service on site. Drivers comply using company tarps valued at $800-$1,800 each. The carrier then bills the agreed accessorial - often $125 to $275 depending on tarp size and type - only to have the broker deduct the charge during 210 processing or issue a short-pay on the settlement.
Without geofenced, timestamped, high-resolution proof tied to the specific load, carriers lose between $150 and $250 per load. At 220 loads per year per tractor, this represents a material drag on equipment profitability and driver take-home pay.
The Strong Tower Open-Deck Standard™
Our methodology replaces handwritten notes and after-the-fact photos with a disciplined, technology-enabled workflow:
- Driver optical proof capture: Using any smartphone, the driver accesses the CheckPoint mobile interface at https://exspeeditecheckpoint.com/login.php to photograph the secured load from multiple angles before departing the shipper. The system requires specific images: overall securement, chain and binder condition, and completed tarping (showing all corners, bungees, and straps).
- Automated tariff rate injection: CheckPoint forwards the event to the Exspeedite rules engine, which matches the tarp type (steel, lumber, machinery, smoke) against the carrier's contract rate matrix. The correct accessorial line item is automatically populated in the load record within Truckmate, McLeod, or TMW before the load is dispatched.
- Geofenced securement timestamping: Photo metadata is locked to the GPS coordinates of the origin facility and the precise time of capture. This creates irrefutable evidence that weather-protective tarping was installed at the shipper's dock rather than added later or fabricated after delivery.
Open-Deck Billing Performance Matrix
| Metric | Traditional Hand-Written | Post-Trip Email Photos | Strong Tower CheckPoint Automated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessorial Collection Rate % | 41% | 67% | 94% |
| Broker Dispute Resolution Time | 19 days | 11 days | 1.8 days |
| Driver Tarp Pay Disbursal Speed | 24 days | 14 days | 6 days |
| Annual Flatbed Revenue Recovery per Tractor | $4,200 | $9,800 | $23,400 |
Performance data compiled from carriers running 40-180 flatbed and Conestoga units using Truckmate, McLeod, and TMW TMS platforms (2023-2025).
DOT Cargo Securement Defense
Beyond revenue protection, the CheckPoint archive serves as a powerful compliance tool. High-resolution photographs of grade 70 transport chains, lever binders, 4-inch winch straps, and edge protectors are stored with immutable timestamps and GPS coordinates. In the event of a CVSA Level I or Level II inspection, carriers can produce photographic evidence of proper securement at the time of departure. This has proven decisive in defeating securement-related citations and out-of-service orders.
Integration with Existing TMS Workflows
The Strong Tower Open-Deck Standard works with your current systems. EDI 204 load tenders are ingested normally. When the driver completes the CheckPoint workflow, the system writes the appropriate accessorial codes and amounts directly into the load record. The 210 invoice is generated with supporting documentation attached or available via secure portal link. Fuel surcharge, detention, layover, and other accessorials continue to be rated according to your existing tariff logic.
Strong Tower Consulting, LLC and Exspeedite LLC are separately organized sister companies under common ownership (founded 2008 in Minnesota by Scott Elliott). Carriers are never required to purchase or license our software to benefit from these operational standards. Many clients continue using their existing Truckmate, McLeod, or TMW installations while adopting the CheckPoint verification discipline and tariff matrix logic we help them implement. Phone: 763-244-1373.
Conclusion: From Reactive to Systematic Revenue Control
The difference between average and superior open-deck profitability in 2026 will not be found in higher linehaul rates. It will be found in systematic capture and defense of every legitimate accessorial - especially tarping. The Strong Tower Open-Deck Standard replaces hope and handwritten notes with automated, auditable, geofenced proof that protects both carrier revenue and driver earnings.
Carriers who implement this standard report not only higher collection rates but also improved driver satisfaction, faster broker relationships, and materially stronger audit defense.
Take the Open-Deck Revenue Assessment