Flatbed Wages

I will take a guess that your first year of running a flat you would not make more then 45,000.00. If you do, you probably picked it up really quick and you didn't see your own driveway very often. My first flat job, I did about 10,000 miles a month for six months. Next company, I think I averaged around 11000 miles a month. Summer is usually a little better then the winter months for business and weather. There is a pretty big learning curve for most running flat, if your a new driver on top of that, it just takes time. Be patient and enjoy your new career. I am glad that I learned while running flats, but I was humbled more then once. Remember that drivers have the best office view most days!

 

Feanor,
Don't know if this will answer your question but I've got a relative who found himself downsized out of a job about 18 months ago despite having a masters degree at 52-53 years old there wasn't much of a demand in job market for him He got his CDL and work for like 6-8 months for a local Flatbed bed company got the hang of it . Than sold his house in Southern California. Brought his own truck and got his own authority and mc number. He currently runs his truck in a 200-250 mile radius around Houston working 5-6 days a week and his truck is consistently Grossing $7500-$8000 per week now keep in mind he's still try to grow his business and recoup his initial investment so he's not paying himself a #### load at this time but he's happy and it's his own business.

 

People complaining so much about a new guy trying to get in the business.
Here's what Western will give you bud
36cpm and cover your school
If you flatbed you will be on shift 14 hours or more a day.
You will average between 1800-3200 miles a week.
Tarp pay is everytime you touch it. 12.50 to put it on. 12.50 to take it off.
You will receive no bonuses here.
They give you 16cpm non taxable per diem.
Hope this helps. This company works me to death and I fight for my money and for better loads every week. Like all companies mind your checks. If somethings missing be prepared to fight for it multiple times.

 

Maverick.

 

W

Well put.
To many people think they can just jump in to flatbed or any other open deck trailer without some form of traing.
Oh I've been driving 15 years, want to move to open deck.
Wrong.
They don't realize that every load is different. Some loads can be a nightmare while others can be a jenga puzzle.
Open deck is a whole different animal.

 

Whoops. Was I supposed to get trained for this stuff? My initial flatbed training was "make sure you strap stuff done so it doesn't fall off the trailer"... This from the guy who told me that he doesn't like people tail gating him, just in case something falls off the back of the trailer. I've done all right. The securement regs are pretty straight forward, throw in a bit of common sense and there's not much you can't figure out for yourself.

 

Unfortunately commonsense. Isn't very common

 

I never once said anything about something falling of my trailer. I said I don't like tailgaters because they can't see past me. If I have to make a sudden stop or lane correction they don't have time to react. I have never had something come off of my trailer nor did I ever make reference to that end.
As far as open deck training, you're right, a lot of it is common sense. Yet you have to consider the quality of driver today and their lack of common sense.

 

Just to clarify, it was the guy who "trained" me on flatbed who said that, I'm not saying that you said that at some point.