Unload times for flatbeds

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by jasonb1, Sep 1, 2007.

  1. jasonb1

    jasonb1 Bobtail Member

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    We have been running refeers and dry vans and depending on shippers and receivers the load times vary from 1.5 to 5 hours for loading or unloading. We have been considering adding flats. What are the typical load and unload times?
     
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  3. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    I am not an O/O, but flats unload fast. Sometimes I am unloaded in 5 minutes. (single coil, etc) Have to wait sometimes, but not like vans. My avg is probably a half hour tops. Every now and then an hour.
     
  4. kelgar50

    kelgar50 Medium Load Member

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    It all depends on how fast you are,I can usually laod and roll out in less than an hour about 30 min.If I have to drop tarps about 1 1/2 hours depending on what has to be tarped and if it is odd pieces.
    I won't ever go back to pulling anything but my Step deck.
    :biggrin_25525:
     
  5. Etosha

    Etosha World Citizen

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    Also, decks dont need to wait for an empty dock door... I prefer decks from a time point of view. The most time consuming part is finding the shipper/receiver's address and then tarping and strapping/chaining.
    Also less useless protocol with respect to chocking wheels, bringing the truck keys into the receiving office until offloaded, and other similar nonsense...
     
  6. kd5drx

    kd5drx <strong>Master of Electronic Communications</stron

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    ANd some loads can be self unloading whether you want them to or not(pyramid pipe) comes to mind. But that the good part you get a bad attitude untie it do a u turn hit the brakes it roles off no problem unload containers over here that way all the time.
     
  7. Etosha

    Etosha World Citizen

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    Boy have I wanted to do that with some of my dry van loads... put the skids near the open door... back up fast... slam on brakes... and there the skids are on the ground now... wish I could!:smt077
     
  8. Pur48Ted

    Pur48Ted Road Train Member

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    I threatened to do that once at a WalMart DC one Sunday morning. I clearly had a Sunday AM delivery Appointment, they told me I had to wait until Monday afternoon. I had a re-load Sunday afternoon that would take me close to Ft Benning, GA, where my step-son was graduating from Basic Training.
     
  9. L.B.

    L.B. Third Generation Truck Driver

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    Hey me and my brother used to put our Dad's boat in the water like that. ot some funny looks at the ramp, but we were always on the lake before everyone else.:biggrin_25525:
     
  10. old57

    old57 Bobtail Member

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    Shortest For Me Was 15 Min Longest 2.5 Hours
     
  11. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Not necessarily. GAF, a roofing company, sometimes does transfer loads which are rear loaded. I've ran a few of those from here up to N. Brunswick, NJ. Those require bumping a dock at both ends.

    Some of the building supply places are a big pain in the rear. For some it's because they feel like it, like Arzee in E. Brunswick, NJ. Most of the time it's for a tolerable reason like they have to load their own trucks first.

    There's an easy way to handle that. Just give them a dummy key.
     
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