"Top Paying Flatbed Companies?"...

If your just starting out in flat bedding, I would look into the companies with the best training programs...Things need to be done right with a flatbed..Your first mistake could be fatal..
I have seen Maverick and TMC talked about on this forum..Both seem to have good training programs,..and the pay doesn't sound too bad.....just my .o2....

 

let me start by saying good choice in fletbeddin. i have been a flat bedder for 11 years. maverick has lots of hang ups. meanin they arent that great. tmc is pretty good to. with flatbeds it mainly what you want to haul as to who you go with. each company has its own style of freight.

 

Flats do a lot of tarping generaly, stuff like lumber, and steel coils..

Stepdecks are in the same family but I find stepdecks are less likely to tarp.. They are a lot easier to climb around and they pay a bit better than flatbed freight..

Flats and steps are a LOT different than reefers and vans.. In those you usually have strict appointments, lumpers, pallet exchanges..ect. Flats and steps you are first come first serve for the most part. About the only time you'll have a "appointment" is if you have to meet a crane.. Lumpers... what are those? You'll never have to deal with them in flatbeds.. Unloading and loading times are usually around 1-2 hours. (Some steel mills are a pain, If they are busy you'll be waiting for a while..)

The next step is O/D, RGN, beam trailers.. Some of these jobs are challenging as well as pay decent... You can start at .45 - .50cpm and go up from there w/ some companies. Experiance is required before jumping into the high, wide, and heavy stuff..

 

That depends on the driver. For the most part all the one's that have had trouble have maxed out on points by hitting stuff and running over something............ I just did a trailer swap with a guy. He hit a bridge and tore up the trailer. Blew 2 tires and busted 2 rims. Tore up the tarp box. He has 9 points. They just gave him 3 for this one...... last time I checked bridges have the right away.

 

Ouch! all that at once?

Do points drop off your record with Maverick?
like at a certain rate per year?

or are you stuck once you get to a certain number...?

 

Yes. Points fall 1 year from when you get them or you can go in and take a class and drop 2 points from taking a class. You can only drop 2 points a year from classes. Last time I was in NLR I asked about them letting drivers go from someone I know. He said when you pull the records on these guys they keep getting the same points over and over again. As in most cases there is usually something you don't hear about from the fired driver. The poster on here that was let go I admire the fact that he stated he had 5 incidents. Most tend to skip that little detail and just go on to say how ate up a co is because they got fired.
A guy I went thru orientation with was let go awhile back. I knew he had 2 incidents. He hit a curb and blew a tire and another time he tore up his tarp box. He had some other points on him. He called me and said they fired him and he was upset with them. He neglected to tell me he hit a pick up truck when he was pulling out of a place.
For the most part most of these guys complain about the point system. 6 points in a year and you can be put on probation or let go. It is their call. I myself do not think to highly of the point system, but it is a level field. It is in the handbook. I would imagine that if a guy racked up 6 points they would look at his history. Is he a problem? Does he do his job without crying or complaining all the time? If you are borderline and have been a pain in the backside I would say start packing. If you don't complain a lot and keep a low profile and do your job I would think you have a better chance of staying on. Some have complained it can be used to weed you out. True, but if you are not a weed and good crop why worry about it?
The guy I just swapped trailers with had 6 points. They just put 3 more on him for hitting a bridge. He blew 2 tires and destroyed 2 rims and tore a tarp box off. I am sure he will be gone. I have to take this trailer in. I hate to pull it. Will make me look like the rookie driver. Anytime I see a flat with most of the trailer strapped to the deck I think man what did that guy get into?