No tarp flatbed

I wish.

I picked up a couple 2016 New Holland tractors out of the Galveston port,.. One was going to Arkansas,.. the other in Missouri. I get to my first stop and my stomach drops to my knees. I see this,.....


No idea how it happened. I'd like to blame manufacturer defect,.. but how could I prove something like that. I did not hit anything,.. the lack of any damage to the muffler and mirror are proof of that.

The kicker was,.. that glass cost me $2600. Because this was the first batch of these machines here in the states,.. they had to special order a new windshield from the UK.

From that day on,. I cover all glass facing forward.

Hurst

 

You have clearly never been to National Gypsum in Medicine Lodge KS. They have a company who tarps every load, and the drivers still have to basically redo everything and take almost an hour sometimes to fix it

 

I have been there.

Thats where you have to drop your trailer,.. the yard dog comes and takes it inside,.. your supposed to leave your bungee and tarps out right? Then when it comes back out you have to redo the whole dang thing.

Once was enough for me. Heavy and took half a day to get loaded and tarped. No thanks.I dont like not seeing how my trailer was loaded much less trying to guess how they strapped what is under my tarps.

Hurst

 

Hurst's post made me realize how spoiled I've been when it comes to tarped loads haha

 

LOL yep thats the place. Takes them about 30 minutes to load your trailer, then takes them 4 hours to get your load tarped while the help that's supposed to do it take breaks every 5 minutes

 

I'm going on a year of flatbed without tarping a load. This is working primarily for delivery to and from oil rigs at ACME Truck Line. Most loads are FRAC equipment, drill pipe or casing, or bottom tools, with the odd pallets or totes. Some chaining but mostly straps.

The catch is you need a minimum two years OTR experience, and there isn't anything like a training program for securement. You need Hazmat and tanker endorsement. You also need to have "mud in your blood", lots of off paved highway driving in ALL conditions with freight that needs to be there yesterday.

 

I read only the first 2 pages of this thread, my two cents here........I work for 2 broker's, I don't tarp for neither, but I run local, 2 to 3 and sometimes 4 loads on a good day, also, I live in sunny So. Cal., where it don't rain. BTW, if it rains, I still don't tarp because of the type of freight I haul doesn't required it.

 

Hurst, what did you cover the glass with?

 

Probably a rock kicked up by a passing truck. I have had a side window break on me one time.

 

I use an old steel tarp I had cut up for patching. Had enough left to make an 8x8 square. I originally made it to be used as a smoke tarp.. but doubles to protect glass on machinery as well. Next time I do one, I'll take a pic.

Hurst