OK so I started Prime about a month ago and wanted to go reefer but got a flatbed trainer instead for my PSD training. I'm wondering what everyone prefers flatbed or reefer trucks? My trainer thinks I should run flatbed but it seems like a lot of work. Any comments would be appreciated.
Lets see with Flatbed you have to secure and tarp loads from -10 to 110 degrees, if anything falls off your flatbed and kills somebody then your life is over as well. Not saying flatbed is bad but it's more work, risk and responsibility. Is the pay worth it to you? that is the question. If you can make say .42 pulling Reefer but .44 doing flatbed is it worth it? I wanted to do flatbed when I got into trucking, I wanted the exercise but ended up I myself am pulling a reefer because flatbed doesn't pay enough personally. If Flatbed paid .53 CPM then I'd ditch this reefer lol.
In reefer you have a reefer unit that can shutdown because of a slew of mechnical reasons. You need to keep it fueled and you sometimes have to find the. "Just right " balance point for scaling out.
With flatbed you don't sit at a meat packing plant for 24 hours waiting for the cows to gain enough weight to slaughter. Personal preference, I've done van/flatbed/reefer/tanker and flatbed beats reefers any time. You get tarp pay which can range from $15.00 to $50.00 depending on the company you drive for. Just depends on what you want; some drivers are die-hard reefer drivers and that's fine, it's their preference.
How hard is it to switch from reefer to flatbed? I'd like to get some f/b experience in before my tenure with Prime ends. (I only plan to spend 2 years max with Prime.)
Not hard to switch. Talk to your FM then go through Bill's little securement class and that's it. I ran box truck for a long time. It was ok, but now that I'm Flatbed I'll never pull a box or reefer again. Sittin in dock doors for hours upon hours did me in. I absolutely love flatbed.
