Is flatbed work much different than reefer or dry van.

First let us know what your looking for, otr, local, specialized, what area of the country excc... it will get you better responses

 

Open deck trucking is a different animal. You will either love it or hate it. And honestly,. you have to try it to really understand if its something you like or not.

Its not for everyone And even for me,.. I love it,.. I still have days where I curse and wish I was anywhere except where I am at that moment.

You have the weather to contend with, yes you will have tight spaces to maneuver, forward and backward. Job sites, mud, rain, sleet, snow. Chains, straps, binders, edge protectors, V-boards, corner guards, cargo blankets, tarps, 4x4's and coil racks, OD an OS loads. You will take the gammot of pretty much if it fits it ships.,. an if it doesnt,.. permits and it ships anyway. Its up to you to figure out how to secure it.

Flatbed requires not much more than some good old common sense and the right attitude. If you can muster that,. then you will have it made.

Ignore the negative 1099 and White Volvo comments that are sure to come in a few more posts. You are a grown man. If you are comfortable with 1099,.. then do it.

Hurst

 

I've done tank, van and open deck. I've done enough around refrigerated to know I'd be in jail for battery if I had a steady diet of it. The only advantage I see in van is no tarping or securing in bad weather. Open deck generally is treated much better than van or reefer by our customers. We get to spend time outside in great weather and take pride in our work. Iv'e done local and regional, and OTR, I am an OTR open deck driver, its what I like. Like Hurst said, you have to try it to see if its for you.

 

I remember going from reefer to flatbed. I didn't want to it. I signed on with CRST Malone and got a hell of a deal on a lease purchase. Paid it off in a year got to choose my own loads and I did really good.

It gets you into shape quickly. Hauling the chains up and down and picking up the lumber tarp is a great exercise.

Just remember everything you haul can kill you. Don't cut corners.

Look again at x1Heavy said. A lot of wisdom there.

 

How would I get Into flatbed? I have 15mo OTR reefer. I pulled flatbed in the oilfield but my experiences are irrelevant.

What is the primo flatbed starter co? I want good training and mentorship. No problems going out with a trainer. I live in Texas.

I like the company I'm at and make good money but I'm getting bored, complacent, stupid, and irritable. I perceive flatbed as more demanding both physically and mentally and that appeals to me at this moment.

 

Lonestar might be a good place to look.

 

I have been trucking 37 years. 3 years of it was door slamming. The rest, flatbedding. End of story...........

 

There you go swearing at people again with that 4 letter "W" word. You ever notice how it is worded. You pull a van but you do flatbed work

Cons of pulling a van

1. You have walls
2. You are no different from any of the other 5 gazillion trucks out there.
3. There are walls on the trailer
4. bumping docs all the time
5. Walls on the trailer.

You don't get to operate cool machinery like this without damage to the trailer...

Pros of pulling a van

1. Can't think of any
2. Still can't think of any
3. I give up trying to think of any.

Cons of doing flatbed work...

1. Can't think of any
2. Still can't think of any
3. I give up trying to think of any.

Pros of doing flatbed work....

1. You are not pulling a van...
2. mostly daytime pickup and deliveries
3. You go where no van has ever gone before.. LOL
4. You never look at another van and think that load is cool and you want to haul some of that.
5. You get really good a puzzles.