Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

Haha, no worries. It may take a little while to put together the necessary images (and even video if I had equipment). I don't tarp much at this time of year, and when I do, it's all steel.

I did a load today, but didn't have any time to take pictures.

 

I struggle with that same problem, frustrating when you look at everyone else's nice tarp jobs and your struggling to make yours look ok. So if anyone has any tips.

 

We/I used to be that way but times have changed. The company I work for is real good to me, they are the company I started pulling detach for and I owe them a debt of gratitude. My big boss and I have known each other since we were farm hands on neighboring farms he's how I got on here originally. He remembers the way it used to be and how we did it back then and doesn't understand why we still can't. They don't pressure me but I can tell it frustrates him sometimes. I tell them all I have is my back and my CDL, and I'm not screwing either one up.

 

I have a tip, practice practice practice.

It's no different than any other thing you do every day. Today was a good example on a 27 I use 10 chains and binders, there was an apprentice helping me chain down, he put on three chains I put on seven. He said man you made me look bad I told him that after 19 years if he had put on as many chains as I did that would make me look bad. I'm no better than him just a LOT of practice.

 

Ugly load is ugly. One of those ones that the shipper should have a better idea of what they're supposed to be doing.

Like Oscar said, they shouldn't have stacked dunnage on dunnage and alternated. Not to mention, those tubes should be packed without the dunnage wrap (just the banding) and be stacked ON dunnage. I've never seen this kind of tube packaged in this manner, and it's scary.

I'm not even sure more straps would have made a difference. The way it was stacked looks like it would have shifted regardless. +1 for the fact it stayed on the trailer and didn't ruin your tarp frame.

 

I agree they should have known better but I should have done better too. At the end of the day it's my fault.

I got very lucky about the tarp frame. This trailer without the tarp is about 35k with the tarp is 55k. Very scary that something so seemingly flimsy and easy to damage costs 20k.​

 

How's this for a first time?

 

CHP story. 2001 or 02 I was hauling a 345 northbound thru Morro Bay, CA . like on the trailer in the pic. 11'11" wide, no pilot car req. A CHP cruiser comes up behind, then along side, lookin, lookin. Loudspeaker comes on & says pull over on the shoulder up ahead then drops in behind me. We stop & he says follow me up to the next intersection where we can be off the road. OK. Pulled off STATE Hwy 1 onto a Co. rd. Obvious to me he was very young. Says, dont you need a pilot car for this load? How wide is it? I say 11/11 and I dont need a pilot til it over 12'. He wants to measure it.. 11'11". I offer my permit & he hasn't a clue how to read it. I explain the CA. yellow, green, blue & brown route system and the permit. He was a really nice guy, says well you seem to know what your doing, have a safe trip. I could not resist it so I said, now that I'm off my route I will need a Co. permit to go up this frontage rd. 1 mile to get back on Hwy 1. He was dumbfounded. What do we do now? I said well, I can order a permit that might take several hrs. to get or you can go south & I'll just mosey on this road & be on my way. He apologized again for the mess & I said politely that as a rule reg. patrol officers shouldnt stop oversize loads, that was the commercial officers job. He thanked me for the advice & shook my hand & said " I think I will head south, have a safe trip"