Looking to become O/O

Once upon a time I thought I might do flatbed some day. Then one day I stopped on top of Elk Mountain in Wy. The winds were running 45-50 with gusts to 60. There was a flat bedder there trying to get his tarps back on his load and secured. He was trying valiantly, but failing miserably. Just as I was having thoughts about being helpful, a really strong gust hit him....actually, it hit the tarp he was man-handling. It picked him up and threw him about 25 feet from the trailer.

I NEVER even THOUGHT about going flat bed again.

 

It depends on what you want to do. When you pull a flat you will be out in all types of weather tarping and securing your load. With a van, you will just open the doors and back into a dock. If you plan on buying a truck and want to flatbed, you should plan on buying a trailer. Most carriers to whom you would lease usually require flat bed owner operators to have their own trailer and securement equipment. Tarps and all securement equipment will cost about $2,200-2,500. Some carriers will rent you a flat bed, but it would be less expensive to go ahead and purchase your own trailer.

You will probably do less deadheading with a van, but rates are usually lower. Some shippers will allow you to tarp inside when it is raining, but wind can sometimes be a problem. Last year I had to tarp a load in blowing snow and 16 degrees. Dealing with a cold tarp is like trying to bend cardboard.

 

What G/Man said. You don't list your age, that might have an impact on your decision as well, depending upon the shape you're in. You listed yourself as 0-1 year experience, what are you pulling now?

 

It is one thing to watch someone tarp a load. It is much different if you are the one who is doing the tarping. Sometimes you can get a loader to put the tarps on top of your load, but not always. It can sometimes be a struggle to put a 150 pound tarp over your head on top of a load. Then you get on top to spread it so you can cover the load. You could be 13' in the air with NO safety net in a blowing wind, rain or snow. You need to be very caution when on top of a load. It can be a long way to the bottom.

I think the rate differential is due more to there being fewer flats than vans. Many shippers and/brokers don't want to pay extra for tarping their freight so you will sometimes be tarping for free. Summer months are usually good for flats. Winter is a usually slower. There is going to be more van freight but more competition. A couple of years ago a friend of mine was getting better rates with his van than I could get with a step deck.

I would not pull any trailer just for a better rate. Find one that you will enjoy and pull that one. You will stay cleaner with a van. When you pull flats there is no way to stay clean when you are tarping a load. You will get cold in winter and sweaty in summer. It can take 2-4 hours to tarp a load. It only takes a few minutes to pull out of a dock and close or open the doors on a van. It has been a long time since I have pulled a van. I prefer open deck trailers. Some would rather pull a van.

 

Freightliner trucks start out in the factory as a single piece of steel frame rail and 8 hours later roll out of the factory as a new truck, not much time there for quality. They are the cheapest to buy and the cheapest quality as well, after just a year they start to rattle and creek then the trucks just fall apart.

They sometimes end up with more vertical miles than horizontal, because they are always on a lift going up and down. They will put you out of business no matter what you pull, large companies buy them because they are super cheap and they don't have to drive them. The things that will annoy you the most never seemed to get fixed either.

I would go with a kenworth or pete, higher initial cost but will last longer than you will ever want to drive and resale value is high.

 

There is more van freight than flat bed freight. It really depends on where you run and time of year. Over all I think you will probably stay loaded more with a van than flat. At least you will usually do less deadheading. You will likely generate more revenue with a flat bed.

 

I've tarped many loads. A high wind can be struggle, but it's not impossible. Wind in general is not a problem. Tarps are heavy, but not that heavy. The fact that they ARE heavy helps you when you are tarping in the wind. Lumber tarps with an 8 foot drop are the heaviest to me, but there are two of them. One goes on the back of the load and one goes on the front, they overlap in the middle. It's not just one continous tarp, from the front of the load to the back. If it was, now that would be a heavy tarp! It's never taken me more than an hour to tarp a load. But, I've mostly hauled plywood, OSB, lumber and the like.