Difficult backing with flatbedding ?

It isn't that common. They do seem to load faster than when loading from the ground or driving on from the back but safety probably has a lot to do with it.

 

I loaded at a similar dock one time in Wyoming if I remember right. They said the docks were built many years ago when trailers were much smaller.

 

I work as a yard jockey at the Continental Building Products(Lafarge) wallboard plant in Buchanan, NY. I back about 50 to 60 trailers a day into docks like the one in Tamko Frederick. Piece of cake for me! Watching some of the outside carriers back their own trailers in does provide some free entertainment everyday! I do feel sorry for the guys with curtainsides though...they just barely fit. Watched a Canadian back a b-train in one day. Masterful job!

JD

 

Been both places quite a bit (former TMC monkey) and I can assure you that Tamko's docks are much much tighter than Lafarge Buchanan's are, and the floors are in much worse condition too. They are 104" at best...fitting a 102" into one is often an exercise in replacing marker lights.

 

You know I think it is kind of funny that a lot of folks make a big deal out of flatbedders not being able to back supposedly, now that I have really started thinking about some of the situations I have had to back a trailer into, you know I get the feeling it is really a bunch of guys feeling crappy about their job yanking a dry van pushing the stereotype.

I've had to back trailers up old logging roads to build sites, I've had to back into buildings that were under construction, I've had to back into some really tight spaces to get equipment unloaded at places that normally would never have a big truck in their driveway.

I'd say that is one heck of a lot harder than backing into docks all the time that were "engineered" to have trucks back into them. I am not saying there are some tough ones out there, I have bumped some of them myself. But to say that flatbeds don't know how to back, Id say that is totally wrong.

It may look a little different when a guy is backing a 10'6" spread in at the truck stop. But that doesn't mean a guy can't do it right.

Granted there are some very under-qualified people out there on the road today too in all aspects of this business.

 

Mr beast, is your signature pic taken from glacier bay national park? They have a lot of hanging canyons like that.
j

 

I took it back in September down in Yellowstone park, it is at the lower falls on the Yellowstone river

 

I spent a few days in yellowstone in august but I guess I never saw that, or at least dont remember it. There is so much to take in and everything is so dam beautiful.
j

 

Yeah I grew up there and still haven't seen it all.