WooHoo!

So what are the cons of flatbed? I heard some guys hate reefers but no idea why.

 

It's like asking what meal plan you should follow. It depends on if you are trying to lose weight or gain weight, which allergies you have, what food is available, what can you afford, restaurants or cook at home, spicy or bland, etc.

You have to decide which type of work (local, regional, nationwide), type of freight (dry van, reefer, flatbed, tanker), how much money is necessary, how often you have time off, if there is any work in your area, etc.

You will also have to decide if a little more or less of one desire can make up for a lot of some lesser desired feature.

You don't need to say "I want to make as much money as possible doing what I love." You need specific amounts of money, time off, etc in mind. The industry is slow right now. Being a vet with a clean driving record is good.

 

That sounded like a good time. I tried to enlist, was tired of a local dead end warehouse job and figured I was young enough at that time that I could do twenty and retire. Well, I found out that they didn't want me because I'm missing internal organs (motorcycle wreck at sixteen and they took my spleen out) this was during the beginning of the first Gulf war. The usaf recruiters also asked me (because I wanted to fly) how many hours did I have on my current pilots license? Said I didn't have one was hoping to learn thru this establishment. They nonchalantly told me that they were out of the business of teaching people how to fly, that they didn't do that no more! Well not having ever traveled before that point in my life, I didn't know any better. Couple years later I'm driving down a Colorado interstate and guess what I see on the east side of the interstate at Colorado springs? Ya how come they told me that #### when they clearly had a flight school right here. I lost a little faith that day, but I'd still die for my loved ones if we ever had a red dawn type situation here. And good luck to your new carrier, I know I don't have to tell you to keep your head on a swivel out there.

 

Carrier=Career #### phone keyboard was modeled from a 12yr old chinese girls hand!

 

Everything looks easy on YouTube.

 

I apologize sir me I won't make that mistake again.

 

I've done flatbed, 48 states & Canada, and didn't find any cons worth remembering.
Same with reefers.

 

The cons of flatbed?

Mostly the tarping. Especially in less than perfect weather. The load securement world is something that flatbedders come to either love, or hate.

In your case -- I recommended flatbed/open deck because:

• You're still young; you can handle it
• If you learn how to back up a spread axle, open deck, 53-ft trailer, you can back up A-N-Y-THING else
• You are much more likely to be home much more often -- so your relationships outside of trucking don't decay (you may be used to the nomadic lifestyle -- but others are not)
• The skill sets acquired in/during a successful flatbed tour will set you up properly to haul military/DoD loads later. This is easily one of the coolest gigs in the trucking sector -- & very recession-resistant
• Flatbedders ROCK!!!

Need I really say more?....

-- L

 

Born and raised in South Dakota. Since I’ve been an adult I’ve lived in Montana, back in South Dakota, Montana again, Hawaii, and now live in Nebraska. Honestly the whole tax free thing is not the huge deal people make it out to be, especially if you plan to actually live there. You will pay tax on literally everything except your income.

Live where you want so you can work the job you want in the long run. Don’t make choices because you might save a couple grand a year.

 

I do appreciate that insight, and that’s the best reason I’ve heard of not to do it. I will say that I don’t plan to “live” in South Dakota. Honestly I plan to live in the truck for a year or two, until I am able to get enough experience for a good local job somewhere. From what I’m hearing the market is rough right now, so sounds like it might be a great time for me to get in my 12-36 months of experience, keep my record squeaky clean, and start looking for a permanent type job after I get some good experience. Maybe in a year or two I’ll have that juicy resume and the market will start turning around.