"Do not ever drive flatbed"

There is many reasons why people do not drive Flatbeds, some u are correct lazy others health issue prevents it. But Pulling a Van does not make you a lazy bum. Yes even in a Van you have some cases where you have to secure the load, Coil Steel I even hauled tractors in a Dry Van. It all different strokes for different folks. I pulled a flat bed on several occasion and enjoyed it but it not something I can physically can do full time. But now I can not even drive full time but health issue interfer. But cause they do not pull flatbed does not mean they are lazy.

 

No such thing as drop & hook when hauling blanketwrap furniture Rob. Just like flatbed , you need to figure out how you are going to load it, what pieces will fit where and also a lot of stacking for a good paying load. Throw in multiple picks and multiple drops and you've got yourself one hell of a puzzle!!

 

I get paranoid making sure my trailer doors are closed. I know I couldn't handle a flatbed. Plus there's no blood or water dripping out the back of your trailer when you hauling a bloody meat load or iced down produce. If I put on a load lock that's more work then normal. Load em up so I can hit the pedal. I'm thankful for flatbed's and the service you provide, but. No thank you. I was a nervous wreck bringing my motorcycle up from Houston to Oklahoma city in the back of a pick up. I told the guy who sold me the straps. You sure just these 2 little straps are going to hold the motorcyle. He said yep. So I bought 2 more and strapped down the back as well. G day folks

 

People say I'm doubly crazy since not only am I a flatbedder, but I'm a flatbedder trainer.

Flatbedding: You have to love it to do it, since no one in their right mind would do it otherwise.

 

Before I bought some flatbeds, the places I'd go were named Wakefern, Pathmark, White Rose, Winn Dixie, Bozzutos, Hannaford, Food Lion, Stop&Shop, DeMoulis?, Walmart, etc. Enough said.

 

They must have meant "don't ever pull flatbed [as a company driver unless you get paid percentage]".

I would rather pull drop and hook vans if I was a company stooge paid by the mile.

 

When I was with roehl we got paid $22 for a large tarp and $12 for a small one. It was nice because that's to tarp and un-tarp. One time on a 4 stop load I made over $100 just in tarp pay.

The company I'm with now pays a flat $30 to tarp. Though I get a lot more miles and I hardly ever tarp. In the past month I've only tarped one load

 

Oh I've seen some of those loads and puzzle is correct! I give tons of credit for those that pack some of the vans up. I did HHG years ago (not driving tho) and loading to maximize space is an art form for sure! Still tho, I wouldn't trade flatbedding for anything... well maybe driving one of those Nascar trucks around.. now that could be fun!

 

To the OP just so you realize that You do not drive a FLATBED , you pull 1 behind your tractor.

 

Post of the year right here gents.

On a more serious note, I gotta echo some of what the others have said. But it's not only the challenge of making sure you are loaded and secured/tarped properly that I like about skateboarding, but the general quality of the customers and people you meet are just plain better then with dry van and reefer customers. Not saying individually but on average. While you do sit at times it's NOTHING like what you'll deal with at grocery warehouses and such. I can appreciate the "load me up and lemme run down the road" mentality, but for me the respect and appreciation I get from folks at both ends of a trip are worth the extra blood, sweat and tears that go along with pulling open deck freight. The extra pay is a bit of a incentive as well too.