Pipeline contractors work in some of the most demanding conditions in Texas and Louisiana — remote right-of-way corridors, Eagle Ford Shale country, coastal marshes, and Permian Basin desert. Your support trucks need to haul pipe inspection equipment, welding supplies, line locating gear, and safety supplies to job sites where there’s no infrastructure and no tolerance for breakdowns. At Star Truck Equipment in Wharton, TX, we build pipeline contractor trucks that are ready for the right-of-way.
What Pipeline Contractor Trucks Carry
Pipeline support trucks are loaded out for the specific demands of construction and maintenance work on transmission, gathering, and distribution systems:
- Pipe inspection and testing equipment (pressure gauges, hydrostatic test gear)
- Welding supplies — rod, wire, grinding wheels, PPE
- Line locating and cathodic protection equipment
- Valve actuators, flange hardware, and fittings
- Excavation hand tools — shovels, mattocks, probe bars
- Environmental containment supplies — absorbent pads, berms
- Safety equipment — gas monitors, rescue packs, H2S monitors
- Torque wrenches and specialty tools for bolted flange connections
That combination of organized tool storage, heavy equipment support, and the need to work on rough unimproved roads makes pipeline trucks one of the more demanding applications for truck body builders.
Best Truck Bodies for Pipeline Companies
Service Bodies — For Organized Field Support Trucks
Service bodies are the standard for pipeline support trucks. Organized lockable compartments keep safety supplies, testing equipment, and tooling separated and secure. Pipeline companies in the Eagle Ford and Permian Basin have trusted service bodies for decades.
- STI Service Bodies — Heavy-duty service bodies built for oilfield and pipeline environments. STI understands the Texas field — their bodies are built for chassis cabs (F-450, F-550, Ram 4500–5500) with the compartment depth and body durability that pipeline contractors need. STI is a natural fit for pipeline fleets running F-450 and larger.
- RKI Service Bodies — Made in Houston, TX. RKI service bodies are widely used in oilfield and pipeline applications across South Texas and Louisiana. Steel and aluminum options. The aluminum RKI bodies save 300–500 lbs on SRW truck configurations — useful when payload is tight on a 3/4-ton or 1-ton pickup.
- CM Service Bodies — Cost-effective option for pipeline companies outfitting half-ton and 3/4-ton pickups used as light-duty field runners, inspection trucks, or supervisor vehicles.
Crane Bodies — For Valve and Equipment Lifts
Pipeline construction and maintenance involves lifting — setting valve assemblies, placing cathodic protection rectifiers, rigging equipment for hydrostatic testing, and lowering components into valve pits. A crane body with a truck-mounted crane brings that capability to the job site in a single truck.
- STI Crane Bodies + Tiger Cranes — The combination most commonly seen on Texas pipeline service trucks that need dedicated crane capability. STI crane bodies are factory-engineered for Tiger truck cranes (3–10 ton-meter). On an F-550 or Ram 5500 chassis, this combination handles valve setting and equipment lifts that pipeline crews run into daily. View our Tiger Crane lineup.
- RKI Crane Bodies — Houston-made. A practical option when you need crane capability on an F-450 class truck without moving to a larger chassis. Used on pipeline inspection and maintenance trucks across South Texas.
Flatbed Bodies — For Pipe and Equipment Transport
When pipeline crews need to haul fittings, short pipe sections, testing equipment frames, or small construction equipment to remote right-of-way locations, a flatbed truck body with stake pockets and pipe rails is the right platform.
- Bedrock Flatbeds (Granite series) — High load capacity and stiff deck construction make Bedrock a solid choice for pipeline crews hauling heavy fittings or testing equipment. Available in 9’–12′ lengths for DRW and chassis cab trucks.
- CM Flatbeds (RD or ER) — Popular for DRW pickup flatbeds used as general-purpose utility trucks and supply haulers on pipeline projects.
Chassis Recommendations for Pipeline Fleets
- F-250 / Ram 2500 — Inspection trucks, supervisor vehicles; light service body (CM SB, aluminum RKI) or flatbed
- F-350 DRW / Ram 3500 DRW — Mid-duty support truck; steel service body (RKI, CM) or flatbed for fittings and supply hauls
- F-450 / Ram 4500 — Primary support truck; handles full RKI or STI service body with crane-ready option
- F-550 / Ram 5500 — Dedicated crane truck; STI + Tiger crane body build for valve and equipment lifts
Serving Pipeline Companies in Texas and Louisiana
Star Truck Equipment is based in Wharton, TX — in the heart of South Texas pipeline country. We’re close to the Eagle Ford Shale, the Gulf Coast LNG terminals, and the pipeline corridors running from Victoria through Corpus Christi. We also regularly support pipeline contractors working in Louisiana. Our team understands oilfield and pipeline truck requirements — from body specs to chassis selection to installation timelines.
Call us at (979) 532-1486 or visit 2507 County Rd 231, Wharton, TX 77488. Browse our inventory: Service Bodies | Crane Bodies | Flatbed Bodies | STI Trucks | RKI Truck Bodies