To tarp or not to tarp??

hi pebhvc,,,i am thinking going with the flatbeds, can you tell me if a company tell me 70% of there loads are pretarped i am right in thinking that the driver still straps the load down?

 

pre tarped loads are more work than untarped loads because you have to remove the tarp to see what you have there. It's not uncommon to re-stack items for better securement. The few straps they have on the load will be their torn and mutilated ones. Always treat the load as if your wife and kids were riding in a car beside you. If the DOT requires 4 straps, use 5. There's no such thing as over securing a load.

 

I like flat beds a whole lot better than vans. Like, one poster said, the exercise is good for you, and once you learn how to tarp, it isn't that hard. With flats, they are usually glad to see you, and rarely have to wait at the docks. Not much backing up either. I've pulled, reefers, vans, and containers, and flats are the best. Also, most the time your load is not that tall, so you can see what's happening behind you.

By the way, I started flats with Prime. At the time, out of 900 or so flats, there were only 8 women solo drivers, and I was the oldest.

 

i did a small amount of flatbed driving, and it stinks. this was done at or around winter time. the cold, the ice, the snow. then the heavy rains, the heavy winds. then of course, you (who else) gets the simple pleasure (or joy) of clearing off the flatbed deck for the loads. good luck, breaking up all that ice. you'll sweat so much, you'll start ripping your warm coat off. then you'll catch a cold. or worse, maybe pneumonia(sp?). nope, it was DRY vans for me, and if i ever go back to a trucking job, DRY vans again...

 

Notice what most of the 400 lb + drivers are pulling? The only thing I enjoy pulling is a deck, whether it be flat step or rgn. I just talked the boss into buying the rest of a sidekit so i get a little more exercise every day and possibly better fuel mileage. Rarely do i tarp its just a choice I've made

 

stepdeck is the way to go.

 

I like pulling a Step deck lots of machinery and not much tarping, but i pulled maxi for awhile and tarping every load of lumber you do get fast at it, then shingles back home but no tarp for those