thinking of flatbedding

Then stay in the land of the door slammers.

 

"We do it with straps and chains!" HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLL YEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHH!

 

Platforms aren't for SISSIES! With that being said, There is a lot of stuff to be learned and know form door swinging to platforms! In your case would be like going back to training again. You might be able to drive its all the securement and tarping and rules that apply to us

 

My first class A position was with a regional flat bed company running the east coast, I switched to van OTR route and do not regret it at all. I loved driving flat bed because it got you out of the truck for some well needed exercise; however, the downfalls far exceed the upside. When flat bedding, you cannot pull into a shipper or receiver and hop in the bunk while someone loads or unloads your truck, because you are part of this operation. You often pull into places where there are literally a dozen trucks waiting to be loaded, and if you think this is a good time to catch up on some sleep, you are sadly mistaken because the other trucks will just simply drive around you. (Sorry, no babysitters on duty). Most freight on a bed must be loaded, or unloaded with some piece of equipment; therefore, you are at their mercy when it comes to getting the job done in a timely manner. If you load or unload at union shop you will be furious when the whistle blows and everyone disappears for an hour.(Even if they could have finished you in two more minutes). Wrestling with frozen tarps and straps is no picnic either, and the wind can ruin your day as well. Flat bedding is supposed to pay more because of the work involved; however, I make on average 300 more a week, work 20 less hours and have a 3 day weekend. My major complaint about the flat bed company that I worked for was the 2hr. donation at the shipper and the 2hr. donation at the receiver. 4 hrs. a day x 5 days equals 20 hrs. a week for free. That's 1000 miles that you could have travelled and at 40 CPM. that's a 400 dollar loss per week, 1600 a month and 19,200 a year. Remember, no matter how much money you have, it is impossible to buy back time. I do realize that most of what I said here can also happen to all drivers no matter what they drive, this is simply what happened to me while bedding. I hand unload about 30k per week so I don't just swing the door. I am solely responsible for my time management, not a shipper or receiver! Hope this helps and I still respect all flat bedders, because it is hard aggravating work.

 

I forgot to mention that flat bedding is not a good choice for anyone that has back or knee issues. You will have to climb and do all sorts of different things in awkward positions. Some shippers will require you to put on a safety harness that attaches to a cable that spans the loading dock roof. If you drop a tarp into a loading dock between two trucks you are screwed. Definitely not a good choice for anyone that is afraid of heights; furthermore, some companies have a no driver on trailer policy. This means that you will have to secure your load, tarp your load and bungee your tarp all from the ground or harness, and I have seen shippers kick drivers off of their property for getting on the trailer when they were not supposed to. Many will read this and say that it is impossible to do the job properly without getting on the trailer and I will agree. I used to pull off of their property and put the finishing touches on the load.

 

I totally agree with you on the "free time" you have to do with flat bed work. I was regional OTR and did many many hours of free drops and free unloads and loads.. Got paid 12.50 per drop and 25 for a load or unload but sometimes that 25 bucks was worth it, most of the time you were there for two or three hours...

 

I am a flatbedder with a bad knee. And I am a bigger guy too. I climb on top of my loads and love it. It's not hard . This job is easy if you take your time and use your brain. I break a sweat. I get dirty. But in the end I feel like a true trucker. I wear boots not crocks or Sandels. I wear work pants not shorts. Flatbedding is a lifestyle not a job. I get respect from the shippers and customers. And I get challenged daily. That's the secret in this job. You don't get bored. This stuff keeps you on your toes. Or you can run van . Gain weight. Get treated like crap by dock workers and wait 6 hours . Oh but I guess you can play video games while you wait haha.

 

I have done it for years and now I train new drivers to secure and tarp. Some drop out right away, it is a lifestyle and not everyone is cut out for it. I get surprised every week when a new driver comes in and completely blows me away with their get it done attitude. Then they show up 3 or 4 weeks later and have lost a good amount of weight. If its something you want then go for it, no time like the present!!