Flatbedding Noob Curiosity

Most everyone that replied has good advice and answered the questions well. I got into flat bedding a couple of years ago myself. One of the best things about this job is you can always ask another flat bedder for advice or help if you are unsure about something. I haven't met anyone yet that wasn't willing to show me how things are done or give me a hand. Especially the first time I had to chain and tarp a coil or tarp my first drywall load.

You asked some good questions, so keep on asking. Hope you enjoy your new career.

 

Off topic, but...

Hammer: Not if you intend to go home vertically you won't?

Yardguy: What does that mean?

Hammer: Mr Kneecap, I'd like to introduce you to Mr Sledgehammer...Was that clear enough for you?

If you don't want to deal with the ramifications of "threat of physical harm", I use "Sure, when the check for $235,000 clears, you can do anything you like...until such time I'm the owner of said unit. If you have a problem with that the phone number for the company's Safety Officer is 1(800)...-.... BTW, he doesn't own this unit either!

 

Just for clarification, a common way to build such a bulkhead is to take six of your dunnage timbers and lay them sideways across the trailer in two stacks of three high, in front of the load. Take one of your 3/8" chains and loop each end around the trailer side-posts so the chain on each side is forming a triangle with the two sides of the triangle in front and in back of the stacks of timbers, respectively. Hook a ratchet binder or similar to the chain, in the middle of the trailer on top of the dunnage timber stacks and tighten it until the chain securely holds the timbers in place. The triangle arrangement of the chain on each side of the trailer, prevents forward or rearward movement of the timbers.

This is absolutely essential when hauling sheet stock and highly recommended even when hauling rods, bars and so forth. Obviously, the height of this bulkhead that you built should exceed the height of the sheet stock. I've seen drivers use more than six timbers and/or more chains, on occasion, to build an even larger bulkhead.

 

I didnt read all of the posts, so forgive me if this has already been covered.

With experience you will learn what does and doesnt work as far as securing your loads.

Flatbedding has as many specialty areas as trucking itself. There are steel guys, sheetrock, bricks, shingles, pipe, equipment, lumber, you name it. If it fits, it ships,.. and even when it doesnt always fit, you make it fit and make sure its secure and delivered safely.

Waiting,.. meh. Depends on what your getting. Sheet rock/formica, plywood and various pipe places you may have a waiting time. You typically have an appt time for those loads and waiting is usually minimal. Its not like going after produce pulling a reefer. Not even close. My experience has seen minimal wait at most places I go. Shingles from an Owens Corning facility can be a PITA at times. But most loads I go after, its just me. They are ready when I get there and usually my delivery location is just as eager to get me unloaded. I am pulling a step deck now, so many equipment loads are loaded and unloaded by me.

Little tips and tricks I have picked up,.. hmm. Rolling up the end of my strap and giving it a little twist before I pitch it over makes things much easier than trying to spear your strap over as a single line. The twist on each end helps prevent the strap from flapping in the wind and damaging the straps where they meet edges. Even soft edges can fray a strap that has been ratcheted tightly, yet has been smacking the load for the last 2000 mi or so.

Top heavy loads will require extra attention when going into turns and bends on the interstate. Slow and steady. Dont brake hard and dont jamb gears. Nice and smooth.

I was overly cautious when I first started. But you will learn how wasteful spending 3 hours to secure and tarp a load that took 20 mins to load ends up.

Never assume your load will stay secure for the entire trip,.. even if its just a short 400 mi run. I always stop after 20 - 30 mins and check straps/chains/binders. The load will settle and move as the trailer flexes while your rolling down the road. As a result, wind and other things will and do cause straps and chains to become loose. Anticipate that this will need to be done periodically during the trip. I like to stop every 2 - 3 hrs and check my load. Sometimes more if I hit a bump on a bridge or went into a turn a little harder then I wanted to. Use an exit ramp or rest area when possible. Dont stop on the side of the road redoing your straps unless its an emergency.

Spread axles will chew up tires much more than regular tandems will. Try not to turn too sharply if you can avoid it. I see guys at truck stops dragging tires doing a 180 turn, or 90ing back into a space when there was ample room to use more space to back in or use more of the lot to make that U-Turn.

Hurst

 

One more thing: No badge/No search warrant/NO ENTRY.....
One exception: Mil / Gov property with the understanding that when you (driver) enter the premises you ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH...
Otherwise....##### Off
JM2C

 

A good percentage of the loads are lumber or some derivative thereof. Lumber companies(and companies that make other kinds of building materials) always (always) try to load you to the max, and will overload you if you let them get away with it. It can be assanine with getting "scaled out" finding out that you are over 80,000, going back to get them to take some off of there. The forklift driver will say "all the other trucks haul this much" you call your dispatch ask what to do and they are gonna say "just run with it, you'll be fine"...but don't believe that lie..not for a second. It's your career and your license on the line if you get a $5k or $10k overweight ticket(or bridge weight in Cali) your company is not gonna pay that, both them and the customer will leave you with that headache to deal with...so my point here is you have to stand your ground with the customer/forklift driver and your company/dispatch and make them take a pallet/bundle off of there to make it legal "cover your --s" with the DOT on lumber companies trying to overload you and they always will try, you can count on that.

 

I haul pipe 99.5% of the time out of Houston. Wait times there are ridiculous, talking hours from signing in to leaving. Patience is a good quality to have but Houston rips my patience to shreds. One thing I do depending on the load is a strap for every winch, I would hate for something to fall off or shift and I had a winch empty, especially coated pipe when they won't let you use chains.