Trailer shipping in Canada for utility, cargo, dump, and equipment trailers works two ways: power-only (tow-away), where a truck hitches to your trailer and tows it on its own wheels, or flatdeck, where your trailer rides loaded on a larger trailer. Power-only runs $1.70–$1.80/km; flatdeck runs $2.50–$2.60/km. Red Foot Haulers moves both, coast to coast. Request a quote at /quote?type=trailer.
Trailer Shipping Across Canada
This page is for utility, cargo, dump, and equipment trailers — the kind that get towed empty or loaded behind a truck, not the kind you sleep in and not the kind that floats. If you're moving a travel trailer or fifth wheel, those are covered on our RV shipping and camper trailer and fifth wheel shipping pages, with their own published rates. If you're shipping a boat on its own trailer, that's boat and trailer shipping. This page owns the rest: open utility trailers, enclosed cargo trailers, dump trailers, landscape trailers, and empty equipment or car-hauler trailers.
Red Foot Haulers quotes trailer shipping across Canada using two methods, and we tell you the rate for both up front rather than making you fill out a form to find out. Power-only (tow-away) trailer shipping is $1.70–$1.80/km — this is the default method for any trailer with working axles, tires, brakes, and lights, since it can legally roll behind a truck without needing to be loaded onto anything. Flatdeck is $2.50–$2.60/km — this is the exception method, used when a trailer can't safely roll on its own wheels or when it's being shipped loaded with cargo that needs a deck under it. Coverage runs coast to coast, from British Columbia to Atlantic Canada, including rural and small-town pickups — all within Canada.
Most utility and cargo trailer moves we quote are power-only, because most trailers people ship are in towable condition. Flatdeck becomes the right call for damaged, non-rolling, or seized-axle trailers, or for trailers being shipped alongside equipment that needs to travel loaded. We'll tell you which method applies to your trailer before you book — not after a truck shows up and can't tow it.
Trailer Shipping Rates
Below are our published per-kilometre bands for both methods. These are company rates, not a marketplace average pulled from bids — you'll get a real number before you commit to a quote.
| Method | Rate | What Determines This Method |
|---|---|---|
| Power-only (tow-away) | $1.70–$1.80/km | Default method. Trailer has working axles, tires, brakes, and lights, and can legally roll behind a truck under its own wheels. |
| Flatdeck | $2.50–$2.60/km | Exception method. Used when the trailer can't roll on its own wheels — missing/seized axles, unsafe tires, no working lights or brakes, damage — or when it ships loaded with cargo that needs a deck. |
These bands assume a standard single-axle or light tandem-axle utility, cargo, dump, or equipment trailer. Extra-heavy trailers — tandem or tri-axle equipment trailers heavier than what the standard band assumes — cost more to move and are quoted individually rather than folded into the published rate. If you're not sure which category your trailer falls into, tell us the weight and axle configuration when you request a quote at /quote?type=trailer and we'll confirm before booking.
Power-Only (Tow-Away) vs Flatdeck — Which Does Your Trailer Need
Most trailer owners assume their trailer will tow-away, and most of the time they're right — but the decision comes down to a specific set of conditions, not a guess. The table below is the same checklist our dispatchers use.
| Method | Condition of Trailer | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Power-only (tow-away) | Working axles, roadworthy tires, functioning brakes and lights — legally towable on public roads. The default, cheaper method. | $1.70–$1.80/km |
| Flatdeck — trailer condition | Missing or seized axles, flat or unsafe tires, non-functioning lights or brakes, or structural/frame damage that makes towing unsafe. | $2.50–$2.60/km |
| Flatdeck — loaded cargo | Trailer is roadworthy but is being shipped loaded with cargo or equipment that needs to sit on a deck rather than be exposed on its own axles. | $2.50–$2.60/km |
Note that a trailer can be perfectly roadworthy and still ship flatdeck — that's the "loaded alongside cargo" row above, and it's a separate reason from the trailer itself being unsafe to tow. If your trailer is empty and roadworthy, tow-away is almost always the cheaper and correct choice. If you're unsure which row describes your trailer, describe its condition at /quote?type=trailer and we'll tell you plainly which method it needs before you're quoted a price.
What Changes Your Quote
The published rate bands are a starting point. A handful of specific factors move a quote up or down within — or occasionally outside — those bands. The table below breaks down what we actually look at.
| Factor | How It Affects Price |
|---|---|
| Distance and route tier | Base cost is distance × the per-km rate for your chosen method. Longer hauls typically land at the lower end of the per-km band; short hauls sometimes trend higher. |
| Power-only vs flatdeck | The single biggest driver. Flatdeck costs roughly 40–50% more per kilometre than power-only because it requires a larger carrier trailer and loading/unloading labour. |
| Single-axle vs tandem/tri-axle | Heavier tandem and tri-axle equipment trailers cost more to tow and more to secure on a flatdeck. Extra-heavy configurations are quoted individually, above the standard published band. |
| Open vs enclosed trailer | Enclosed cargo trailers add height and wind resistance versus an open utility trailer, which can factor into which carrier equipment is assigned but rarely changes the per-km rate itself. |
| Trailer size and length | Longer trailers (16-ft+ equipment or landscape trailers) may require specific hitch classes and towing capacity, narrowing which trucks in our network can take the job. |
| Loaded vs empty | An empty trailer is simpler and cheaper to move. A loaded trailer adds weight, may require flatdeck instead of tow-away, and must have its cargo and cargo weight disclosed up front. |
| Roadworthiness | Directly determines power-only vs flatdeck eligibility — see the comparison table above. This is usually the single factor that decides which rate band applies. |
| Season and route | Winter routes through mountain passes or northern corridors can affect scheduling and, occasionally, price, due to road conditions and driver availability. |
In practice, two factors dominate almost every quote: whether the trailer is roadworthy (which decides power-only vs flatdeck) and the axle configuration/weight (which decides whether the trailer falls inside the standard band or needs an individual quote). Distance sets the base number; everything else adjusts it.
Utility, Cargo, Dump and Equipment Trailers — What We Move
Red Foot Haulers ships the trailers people actually tow behind pickups and work trucks — not recreational trailers, not marine trailers. Here's what falls inside this page's scope, and what doesn't.
Open utility trailers — the single- or tandem-axle open-deck trailers used for hauling landscaping equipment, ATVs, small machinery, or general cargo. These almost always ship power-only if the axles, tires, lights, and brakes are functional.
Enclosed cargo trailers — box-style trailers used for moving tools, motorcycles, or business inventory. Roadworthy enclosed cargo trailers ship power-only at the same published rate as open trailers; damaged or non-rolling units ship flatdeck.
Dump trailers — hydraulic dump trailers used in landscaping and construction. These are typically heavier than a standard utility trailer even when single-axle, so we confirm weight and axle count before quoting to determine whether the standard band or an individual quote applies.
Equipment and car-hauler trailers — empty flatbed and car-hauler style trailers used to move skid steers, mowers, or vehicles. This page covers the empty trailer only. If you need a vehicle shipped on a trailer, that's a car shipping quote — see car shipping Canada — rather than a trailer-only quote.
Landscape trailers — low-side open trailers common in lawn care and small construction fleets. These ship the same way as standard utility trailers: power-only when roadworthy, flatdeck when not.
What this page does not cover: travel trailers and fifth wheels, which have their own published rates on RV shipping and camper trailer and fifth wheel shipping, and boats on their own trailers, covered on boat and trailer shipping. If you land here searching for either of those, those pages have the rates and process specific to that equipment.
Preparing Your Trailer for Pickup
A little prep before the driver arrives avoids delays and keeps your trailer eligible for the cheaper power-only method rather than defaulting to flatdeck. Before pickup day, confirm:
- Tires are inflated and roadworthy — or, if they aren't, tell us that up front so we can quote flatdeck correctly instead of dispatching the wrong equipment.
- Axles and hubs are in working order — no seized bearings, no visibly bent axles, no wheels that wobble under load.
- Lights and brakes are functional if the trailer is going to be towed — this is a legal requirement for tow-away, not a preference.
- Hitch and coupler type and condition are known — ball size, pintle hook, or gooseneck, and whether the coupler locks properly.
- VIN and plate are on hand if the trailer is licensed and registered — our driver will need this for paperwork.
- Cargo is removed and secured, or disclosed if it's staying on — loaded trailers must have their contents and weight declared before pickup, since it can change the method required.
- Photos of existing condition — scratches, dents, tire wear, existing damage — taken before the driver arrives, for the claim record on both ends of the move.
If any of the roadworthiness items above don't check out, say so when you request your quote at /quote?type=trailer — we'll simply quote flatdeck instead of tow-away, rather than finding out at the curb.
Coverage Across Canada
Red Foot Haulers moves utility, cargo, dump, and equipment trailers province-to-province across the country — British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces are all within our network, with rural and small-town pickups and deliveries handled alongside major cities. We don't publish fixed corridor pages for this vertical because trailer shipping volume doesn't run in the same predictable lanes that vehicle shipping does — coverage is genuinely national rather than concentrated on a handful of routes, so we quote it that way: tell us your pickup and delivery points and we'll price the actual distance.
If your equipment falls outside this page's scope, we still move it, just under a different rate card: travel trailers and fifth wheels go through RV shipping or camper trailer and fifth wheel shipping, and a boat sitting on its own trailer goes through boat and trailer shipping. And if what you actually need moved is a vehicle rather than an empty trailer, see car shipping Canada.
Why Ship With Red Foot Haulers
Red Foot Haulers has shipped vehicles and trailers within Canada only since 2016 — no cross-border operation to dilute focus, no U.S. fleet to manage. We're rated 4.9/5 across more than 700 reviews, and every trailer we move is covered by cargo insurance for the duration of transport.
The biggest practical difference between us and most of what shows up when you search for trailer shipping is structural: much of that market is a bidding marketplace, where your trailer gets listed and independent carriers bid on the job — you don't know who's driving until someone accepts. Red Foot Haulers is one accountable carrier from quote to delivery. You get a published rate, a method (power-only or flatdeck) confirmed before pickup, and one company responsible if anything needs to be addressed along the way.
Get a real number for your trailer at /quote?type=trailer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to ship a trailer in Canada?
Power-only (tow-away) trailer shipping is $1.70–$1.80/km. Flatdeck is $2.50–$2.60/km. Extra-heavy trailers — tandem/tri-axle equipment trailers heavier than the standard band assumes — cost more and are quoted individually rather than folded into the published rate.
What is the difference between power-only and flatdeck trailer shipping?
Power-only (tow-away) means a truck hitches to your trailer and tows it on its own wheels — the default and more economical method when the trailer has working axles, tires, brakes, and lights. Flatdeck means your trailer is loaded onto a larger trailer, used when yours cannot safely roll on its own wheels or when it is being shipped loaded with cargo that needs a deck.
Do heavier trailers cost more to ship?
Yes. The published rate assumes a standard single or light tandem-axle utility or cargo trailer. Heavier equipment and tandem/tri-axle trailers cost more to move and are quoted individually rather than at the standard band.
Can you ship an enclosed cargo trailer?
Yes, open utility trailers, enclosed cargo trailers, dump trailers, and empty equipment trailers all ship power-only when roadworthy, or flatdeck when they are not.
Do you ship travel trailers, fifth wheels, or boat trailers?
Those have their own pages with their own published rates: travel trailers and fifth wheels are RV shipping, and a boat on its own trailer is boat-and-trailer shipping. This page covers utility, cargo, dump, and equipment trailers.
What condition does my trailer need to be in for tow-away shipping?
Working axles and hubs, roadworthy tires, and functioning lights and brakes if it will be towed on public roads. A trailer missing any of these ships flatdeck instead.
Do you ship trailers with cargo already loaded?
Yes — tell us what is loaded and its weight when you request a quote, since loaded weight can change which method and carrier equipment fits.
Do you ship trailers to or from the United States?
No. Red Foot Haulers ships within Canada only. Cross-border trailer moves involve CBSA clearance and paperwork outside domestic transport.