Oilfield pumpers — the field techs who check, adjust, and service pumpjacks and wellsite equipment on a
daily route — put a truck bed through a specific kind of abuse: rough caliche roads, constant in-and-out for
tools and gauges, and the need to haul the occasional pump part, chemical drum, or piece of scrap iron back
to the yard. The two most common choices are a flatbed and a service body, and picking the wrong one means
either wasted cargo space or unsecured tools bouncing around a bare deck all day. At
Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we build both configurations
for oilfield fleets across Texas and Louisiana, and here’s how to decide between them.
Flatbeds: Built for Hauling Bulk and Odd-Shaped Loads
A flatbed truck body gives pumpers an
open deck for hauling pump jacks parts, wellhead components, drums, pipe, or a skid of chemical totes —
loads too big or oddly shaped for a service body’s compartments. Stake pockets and headache racks let crews
strap down long items securely, and the flat deck makes loading with a forklift or hand truck straightforward
at the yard. Norstar and
CM flatbeds are common choices for pumper trucks
that spend as much time hauling material as they do running a route, since the open deck doesn’t limit what
you can load.
Service Bodies: Built for Tools, Gauges, and Daily Route Work
Pumpers who spend most of the day checking wells rather than hauling freight typically do better with a
service body. Lockable side
compartments keep torque wrenches, pressure gauges, valve keys, chart recorders, and spill kits organized and
dry, and separated from the cab. Our
STI (Service Trucks International) lineup is
built for exactly this kind of route work — compact enough to still carry drums or a small toolbox rack on top,
while keeping small tools secured and easy to find between stops.
Which Setup Fits Your Pumper Route?
- Mostly hauling (chemical totes, pipe, pump parts, scrap) — a flatbed gives you the open deck and payload flexibility
- Mostly route work (gauge checks, valve adjustments, minor repairs) — a service body keeps tools organized and weatherproof
- Both — many oilfield fleets run a mixed lineup, flatbeds for supply trucks and service bodies for field techs
- Rough terrain — either configuration should be paired with a heavy-duty DRW chassis and skid plates for lease road use
Not every pumper truck fits neatly into one category — some crews want a service body with a small flat
deck section up front, or a flatbed with a bolt-on toolbox. We’ll spec the build around your actual route,
not just what’s sitting on the lot.
Get Your Oilfield Pumper Truck Built Right
Star Truck Equipment builds flatbeds and service bodies for oilfield pumper trucks and field service
fleets across Texas and Louisiana from our shop in Wharton, TX. Call us at (979) 532-1486
or browse our flatbed truck bodies and
STI service bodies to get started.
