Flat Beds

For me:

It's safer, no one wants to jack a 50,000 pound coil.

Better load/unload zones (usually). Big yards to load steel, big yards to unload steel.

It hauls better, not 13' 6" usually, lower ctr of gravity.

When you're empty, you can run thru the Wyoming wind past all the flipped over Roadway pups in the ditch.

Fuel bonuses are easier to reach.

Visibility is better.

It's physical. Hard work is good.

It's easier to load hard stuff in tough locations.

I can see what's going on with my cargo.

The loads are interesting, cool stuff to haul and creative securement/tarping helps to beat the boredom.

Because bedbuggers rule

LOL

 

Absolutely, OMG some of the places we have to back into, around corners, down allies. Flatbedding (or trucking) definitely isn't a job for a non-backer

Lots of places, like smaller machine shops, etc, don't have great docking facilities and dozens of doors with 20 acre lots like a lot of the reefer outfits do.

 

I'm down with the flatbed lifestyle... I hate tarp loads, so i don't do them...ever...there are so many different types of freight for flats, you literally can pick and choose what you haul...I've hauled wood products( lumber,plywood, and my least favorite particle board) pipe, coils, flat steel, beams, porta potties, fiberglass products, plumbing supplies, but above all else in my opinion, the best flatbed freight to haul is machinery, farm tractors,forklifts,backhoes,excavators,chillers/boilers, sometimes other trucks, ect. Pays really good, no tarps, I get to drive cool stuff( I load and unload my truck) so for me, machinery/equipment is the way to go!

 

The best thing I like about flatbeds is you don't feel the wind as you do in a van

 

Flatbedders are getting more miles: I was at my local truckstop and struck up a conversation with guy who drives for Cypress out of Jax. Says he gets an av of 2400-2500 in a week in this slow economy. This case was one of few where he switched loads with another driver. His loaded for an empty. Rarely takes any resets and if he needs too he'll drive slower or drive less to avoid them.

Hunter

 

Kinghunter do you believe everything you here in a truck stop?????

 

Why did he swap a loaded for a empty? And yeah I pull flats and we are just as busy as we allways were.

 

I believed it because hes been out for three months. If you looked into his you would believe it too.

I do not believe a guy working for Prime paid 159K for his truck unless he had bad credit.

Hunter

 

Good question; my guess is he wanted to get out of this state and a senior driver who only does FL delivered the load the 170 miles to its destination.

Also, does Prime sell trucks? Could a current Prime driver Pm me or someone who has knowledge about that company.

Hunter

 

only bad thing I can say about hauling a flat is when you have an odd load you get the red on the scale so the poor board DOT man can come out and ask "what ya got there?"