Were all you flatbedders nervous when you started driving?

My first flatbed experience involved mixed freight headed up by pallets of booze . . . sphincter spasm inducing freight . . .

Make sure, then check it again.

 

Yes and yes.

 

I bet new drivers are nervous regardless of what they're pull'n.

 

When you start out regardless of what your pulling / hauling and if your NOT NERVOUS there is something WRONG with you.

 

Excited and nervous I still feel that way twenty odd years in.

 

good to be nervous as a rookie flatbed driver,,always stop every hour or so after you load and recheck your load,,usually after 2 or 3 times adjustments are no longer necessary,,as a rookier when you park at night at a truckstop walk around and observe how other flatbeds are loaded and secured,,you will learn a lot,

It was always at night the I was nervous,,can't see what's falling off

 

I came from pulling van and reefer. My first few loads were 46,000lbs. steel coil. Talk about nervous! Definitely check and recheck, and though it may take a little more time, I generally add more securement than what is necessary by legal standards, even if it's just an extra strap or chain. And you've come to a good place for advice. The drivers in this forum are the ones who helped me to get my feet wet. Welcome to the wacky, wonderful world of open-deck freight!

 

No such thing as over securement. DOT says x amount of securement for x amount of weight, I go with at least 1 to add many chains/straps till I feel it ain't going anywhere.


Take your time going through the turns, if it says 45mph, and your hauling a 40k coil, I go 35 or less if I see fit through that turn.

And yes I'm still pulling leather from the crack of my ### at times