Swift Flatbed Division... ?!

RedRover, in dry van it was pretty common to have issues with trailers, finding empties, and when opening the doors on a sealed trailer you picked up to make a live unload find an unsecured load that creates a nightmare. I don't know how that will apply to the flatbed side of Swift.

Do your time as a door swinging dock banger and get to flatbed as soon as possible. Get a year or two experience, then move up to your next job, maybe your dream job.

Some of the experienced forum members commented about the idea of leather problem for the next driver. Even at Swift, whenever possible look out for the next driver to handle that trailer or load. Make that your mind set.

 

Not sure, 9 main flatbed DMs with about 65 drivers each. Not counting dedicated stuff. Think last I heard was round about 700, but I'm not sure. I'll ask around.

I was just gonna drop my status, but I was encouraged to keep it. RAY, Chris, and my DM told me to keep it. And before I'd pulled out of Phoenix with my first skateboard, a guy from driver development called and convinced me to do it, so that these guys wouldn't end up with a van driver. But I didn't do it without consulting with 3 other active flatbed mentors (we have a secret Facebook page, which one of the corporate guys knows about, and he gets in the mix some.) Even they all encouraged it.

So I'm doing my best to help out, granted the pay helps. But in about 6 months or so I'm going into the western dedicated doing Canadian runs, currently pays .50cpm (it's only for solo drivers at this time.) wanted to get some variety in first with OTR, so I can get some practice with a variety of stuff.

So far I'm enjoying mentoring flatbed more. We are packed tight for sure, getting showers in hasn't been an issue yet. I just hit 90hrs with the current student. It's worked well so far, far better than reefer and the strict delivery times. Alot of the customers I've been dealing with just want me there during buissness hours. And thus far my planner has also made good on his promise to give us wiggle room. Granted with the wrong student it could be miserable. But this one does give me hope.

 

I ran into a special flatbed case of buddy ####ing. Picked up a load of scrap electric cable in bails. Put on the net, strapped it down, even X chained the front and back.

Well someone couldn't make thier load, so me and me and my student took it off his hands. He gave us a few extra straps that weren't already on his load to make up the difference.

In the box the straps go. Well I get a load of lumber, thow some of the straps the driver gave me, and everyone he gave me had an inch or better cut, one was cut 3 inches across all standard 4 inch straps. Fortunately I had plenty of mine that I carefully examined, but still. I have a cheater bar with his name on it.

 

That's one thing that would drive me NUTS, doing drop and hooks with all your securement on the tractor... let alone the poor habits of other drivers, keeping straps that should have been retired LONG ago. I just purchased a truck with all tarps, dunnage, and securement. I had to throw away about 30% of the straps and half the binders are a "project" (I need to see if I can salvage most of them).

I am particular about the arrangement of my straps, dunnage, chains, and binders. Everything is in its place with a purpose, for most efficiently securing or unsecuring a load. Most are organized in the trailer side box, with tubs and dividers keeping everything neat. I can tell at a glance if anything is missing. It drives me nuts watching drivers running back and forth from the tractor to get more straps, slowing down the process.

 

I envy your trailer boxes (seems like I can always stow more crap somewhere else.) I have an obsession about having nothing strapped to the medicine cabinet or my catwalk (it's an ocd thing.)

I found a few milk crates I put my 4 inch straps in, and another for my edge protectors, I just walk around the trailer and lay em where they need throwing, best solution I've came up with. Haven't had time yet to really get it perfectly organized yet, but a few more milk crates might do it, and I like the idea of your tubs.

 

Hopefully things stay smoother for ya.

Fortunately your flatbed planner will not be such a usless autonomoton. It's been a night and day difference dealing with flatbed support staff vs reefer support staff (which from some of the stories I've heard are leagues above the dry van staff in the first place.)