Flatbed O/O in Florida?

SHC is correct. I live in Orlando and setting up my authority in the Carolina's. That cut my insurance rate almost in half. Florida sucks for flatbed, just no other way to say it...

 

Very true. I'm also 22, have grown up in the family trucking business. Got my CDL for intrastate work when I turned 18 and drove interstate when I was home from school once I turned 21. My father had to fight with our Ins. Company to cover me. GL.

 

I did the same, got my CDL at 18 and with the intrastate restriction on my CDL I drove the state of FL only. Even then the company I worked for had to pay an additional $2,000.00 per year to keep me on as a driver till I turned 21. That was back in the very early 90's - things are a lot different now....

 

Why not move to Texas?

 

And that biz is hurting... I'll be loading spuds next week in Bunnell, FL on a former sod farm...

 

That is actually a good idea.... Plant the potatoes and then plant the sod. Remove the sod and there are the taters LOL !!!

 

Best bet is to take the hit on dead head to get lumber out of the Jacksonville area. Best rates you are going to get coming out of that state. So be ready to factor something along those lines in as well. So around $250 in the red each time you leave Miami would be a safe bet.With that I say load in Jacksonville because you can usually get a long enough run to the Carolina's or VA to make a tiny profit and get the Hell out of Fl on a flat. Regardless insurance is going to brake it off in you pretty good at your age and experience level any way.

 

Yeah, that's "crop rotation" at it's finest...

 

I'll bet it was a spud farm before sod too. That whole area around Hastings is potatoland. I think everybody and their brother started a sod farm when the building boom started up. All I know is the rates were too cheap, and I've never hauled a single load of it. I also have a floor on my trailer, so I'm disqualified, I believe. BTW, the Pig Stand has pretty good BBQ next to the Loves in Ormond.

OP, I would try leasing with a FL based carrier to avoid that age insurance hit you're going to take. They will also have FL freight to avoid all that deadheading. Believe it or not, their is some good paying FL freight out there, but it is locked up by carriers that have trucks. If not check Benton and Parker, that is who I had my insurance through when I had my authority. They always had the lowest prices come renewal time as well.