Curtainside vs. Van

I'm flatbed and recently got "stuck" with a curtain for a week. Hands down I want my skateboard. The curtain has its advantages, but dealing with that curtain to me is a bigger pain in the ###. I would rather tarp a load, plus I would at least get paid for it.
Oh, and in the cold... those big curtains don't fold up so easy... just saying!

I would still get some input from a curtain only guy. Skateboarding is the way for me!!

 

Very true, the older the curtain the worse it is.
I don't mind the work in securing loads, but I don;t want to throw tarps. Some of them weigh more than I do
It takes time to properly secure a load, and it has to be done whether it is pouring down rain, cold blowing snow, or a nice sunny day.
Plus you get dirty

 

Curtains aren't bad, I got stuck with one for a week and at first I was grumbling because of screwing with the curtains, but then after I got used to it, it got pretty easy. You only use straps and shut the curtain and go. I prefer flats too. I wish I could pull a stepdeck permanently. Oh the only thing I didn't really care for on curtains was tandems. Because of not having spreads I had to scale a lot more. With flats I almost never have to scale it.

 

I wish our curtains had spreads. I hate sliding tandems. I have pulled a couple of the conestogas on dedicated runs, really enjoyed not having to worry about weight issues.

 

To sum it up, a curtain side is a flatbed with a roof. You still have all of the securement that would happen with a flatbed, you just don't tarp. I would be careful of making a move to that fleet. There are some rumors that a big source of curtainside loads is moving, so we may not be doing as much business with them. I think I would take a wait and see on that. As far as miles, van is where they are at until spring, flatbed will pick up then. It will pick up more if the economy picks up some too.

 

Uh, don't.

As much as I love making fun of Curtainsiders, It's really the worst of both worlds. Especially when they have to call in because it turns out to be a crane-unload. Ugh.

 

I pulled curtain for years until I was injured (off-duty) and had to go to vans. I enjoyed the variety of loads and the freedom of making my own appointments, especially on multi-drop loads.
I'd been thinking about going back to curtain but everytime I have to deliver in the rain, I'm glad I'm warm and dry..

 

curtains are terrible. once you get one, they stick to you like mud. the biggest problem is that they're so heavy that you get overloaded easily by customers who are used to flats.

my prostar weighs 21,000, and the curtain behind me right now weighs 13,600. if they load me with more than 45,000, i'm in trouble with the axle weights.