Running straps over tarps

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Dave1837, Feb 9, 2020.

  1. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    I'm mostly a tanker driver, but I do haul flatbed/Conestoga sometimes to help out our package division when they're short on drivers. More and more I've been seeing flatbeds with their tarps strapped over their load instead of being bungee'd to the tarp bar. It always looks neat with the tarp being tight against the load, but my question is, are the straps that hold the tarp down also securing the load? Or is the load secured under the tarps and are additional straps holding the tarp?
     
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  3. Atlaw4u

    Atlaw4u Heavy Load Member

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    Probably both. Straps under securing the load and straps over to help secure a difficult tarp and for extra securement.
     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2020
  4. Kyle G.

    Kyle G. Road Train Member

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    The running joke is that people do that because they don’t know how to tie the tarps down without any flapping.

    But to answer your question, i think it’s a little of both. But not to worry, a strap that is meant to secure a load isn’t going to be made less effective if there is a tarp between the strap and the load... as long as the weight rating of the strap isn’t exceeded.
     
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  5. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    With a regular step or flat ,Its tacky and should never be done under any circumstances. The only pass i will give is a strap over the middle of the 2 tarps to keep it together but u wont ever see it on my tarp because it aint that hard to keep them together even in high winds. The only time i ever thrown a strap over top , i had about 2 inches of overlap and 40 mph winds all day long.. Guys throw straps over because they are lazy . Simple as that.
     
  6. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    I figured, just seems like it would wear out tarps pretty quick lol
     
  7. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    It will. We try not to throw straps over tarps unless we really have to.
     
  8. Linte_Loco

    Linte_Loco Road Train Member

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    Some wallboard places actually make you strap over. They pull you in, load you, tarp you. You can’t get out. Strap afterwords. Out of the drivers control in some cases.
     
  9. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    What?? A shipper tarping u?? There is no way... id be redoing it because there is no way they would even do close to a good job of tarping . Probably just putting tarps over and saying ur good driver, without lining seams up and even it out and making it look professional
     
  10. Linte_Loco

    Linte_Loco Road Train Member

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    Some of the wallboard places are near perfect. They lay them flat and lift them both up and you drive under. They line it perfectly and side to side
     
  11. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    I never heard of such a thing. And id be calling the broker back saying find another truck, nobody tarping my load and no straps is going outside my tarps
     
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