Best Flatbed Owner Operator Companies

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by truckingmonster702, Aug 27, 2014.

  1. truckingmonster702

    truckingmonster702 Bobtail Member

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    How's it going fellow flatbedders?? I got a couple of questions for some of you owner operators. I live in Las Vegas and am about to buy a 2010 Mack from Lone Mountain Truck Leasing and going to get either a flat or step I aint decided yet. I have a little over a year hauling flat and step. I have been looking at different companies to lease on with but I am being alittle picky cause I want to choose my own loads. I would also rather go with a smaller family owned company if thats at all possible but I am on here to ask you guys what are some of the best companies. Everyone keeps saying Landstar or Mercer but I want to hear what everyones got to say. Thanks in advance and God Bless
     
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  3. baha

    baha Road Train Member

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    Depending on your record with insp. and tic. you can go with either one, if you have been able to find your own loads to get back to hi paying areas in the last job you were at it will be better, the hi $ loads sometimes go to places that have low $ loads going back?
     
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  4. Battle Born

    Battle Born Heavy Load Member

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    From my research, I've found that mercer is the place for me, but each person is different. That being said, flat is always going to have more load options to get you out of places than step, but step seems to be pretty decent as well. I personally love to have options, but at the same time, I love how a step rides. It's a tough battle, but you also gotta think of where you're going to haul, what you'd like to haul, how long you will stay out, things like that. I hope that makes sense.
     
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  5. walterjacobo15

    walterjacobo15 Light Load Member

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    Try CRST Malone or Swift! LOL, JKT.

    Landstar and Mercer would be it. As far as flat or step, there is money on both as long as your step is a container step (40'bottom) and 50' overall would be better than 48'. You have to chase LTL's so the more deck the better. I do very good with my Flat b., I find it easier to squeeze every inch out of it when doing LTL's, plus most O/O at this companies have Steps making us Flat bedders a minority, so there is a lot of
    "flat bed only" freight that pays really good. When I had my Stepper 75% of the stuff I pulled was "flat or step" freight anyways. I hate to prescribe stuff to people, specially in the trucking arena because no One Thing works the same for two different people. So that's my take on this subjects. I really hope it helps. GL!
     
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  6. hawkjr

    hawkjr Road Train Member

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    Landstar or Mercer, find the one that fits best with you.
     
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  7. White Dog

    White Dog Road Train Member

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    Had a buddy on with Landstar (got out due to health), and he loved their system. He showed me how the load board worked, and that he was even capable of booking his entire week. YOU know how you can run, and YOU get to dispatch yourself (via Landstar load board).

    If I remember correct, he had to rent his trailer though (on the flatbed or stepdeck side---vans are free but Landstar pays a lower percentage to the O/O).

    I have no experience with a stepdeck, so I know which trailer I would choose. But it seems like with a stepdeck you'd be able to run higher loads or better paying OS&D---but I think if I pulled stepdeck, I would want to carry those floor joists (not sure the technical name) to even the deck out for long loads such as beams, joists, rafters, pipe, etc...

    Don't know anything about Mercer.
     
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  8. heavyhaulerss

    heavyhaulerss Road Train Member

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    talk to a couple of potential co's who you are considering & ask them if flat or step would be better. I would say flat. my reason is 1 day years ago I was asked to take a load on a sat, hot load to a place I have never been. G.R. MI. it turned out to be my semi dedicated run, 1 or 2 rounds a week with a reload to 5 miles to my home. it was skidded coils, that had to be rear load/rear unload. I made a lot of money that year just on those loads. that run would not be available to me if I had a step, cause ya cannot rear load/unload a step. the dock plates just don't line up. just something to consider.
     
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  9. fireba11

    fireba11 Heavy Load Member

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    We are on with Landstar and love it! Make sure that you look at 100% owner operator companies to work for. If you work for a company that has company trucks to compete against you will get screwed. Found that out the hard way!
     
  10. milskired

    milskired Road Train Member

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    Have not seen it mentioned yet but Sammons is another.
     
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  11. Battle Born

    Battle Born Heavy Load Member

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    I still have a lot of questions about sammons. No one on here seems to know a whole lot about them. They do seem legit though.
     
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