Flatbedders Input: Boyd or Melton

Yes I rarely I mean rarely see Melton with out tarps

 

I have had several without tarps. Yes we tarp a lot but so does everyone else unless you haul junk broker freight.

Tarping is a part of the job. If that is a problem maybe flatbed is the wrong segment in to the industry.

 

In my opinion if u need it tarped the get a curtain side trailer. ..i don't tarp nothing...i might have tarped two times in the last 8 months

 

I drove for Melton about 14 years ago. They were a top-notch company then. I can honestly say I was NEVER lied to by them and only had 1 "they can't put the ball in the cup" moment. Had to sit for 6 days in the Tulsa terminal because they mixed up the base plates on my truck and another one. Instead of us just fed-exing the plates and registrations to each other, I had to wait for the other driver to get to Tulsa. Didn't understand that. Anyway, the only reason I left them was because it was very hard for them to get me home (southeastern Va.) and then I usually had to dh a couple of hundred miles to get a load when coming back to work. Had a sweetheart of a dispatcher in Sue Blackman(sp?) She dh'ed me home from Columbus Oh for my wedding after trying to find me a load going home for about 6 hrs. She finally told me to just go home and enjoy myself and paid me for the dh. Full disclosure: communication is key. I told her 2 months ahead of time when the wedding was and would periodically remind her.

 

I was on with TMC for the past 3-4 years. Went from line haul to training, to local dedicated, to specialized. In the Midwest I work my ### off. If I wanted to run, they ran me as hard as I could. If I wanted to be home the weekends, I'd be home. Made really good money, and the benefits are good. Trucks are nice, and they're getting new 579s, but the drawback is the 9 speed with the cummins. 13 speeds and cats I feel are made for flat bedding. Just communicate what you want with who you work for. That's the most important thing. Every company has their downfalls, and every company has their perks. In the long run, it's all about you and your work ethic.