1st day of school done today, going Swift flatbed

Swift just told me I’m going to be doing that same route you mentioned! They mentioned school bus chassis specifically

 

@cmarona463, how many Skaters does Swift have now? I had a friend that drove there for years and years..."Bear." Do you know him?

 

@TripleSix

Last I heard was there was approximately 500 but I don't know that number to be accurate. I made the switch in January of 18 and only really "know" a handful of guys. I can't say I know anyone that goes by "Bear". Is he still here?

 

I don't know. Used to frequent Laredo for years and would see him at the TA. Haven't been there in a few years. He was a flatbed trainer for Swift.

 

What is up with Indiana and Laredo? It seems a lot of truck drivers already know about those locations when it comes to flatbed even though they don’t drive for Swift. How come?

 

Everyone knows that Swift flatbed runs the triangle. Sprinter vans from near CharlestonSC or bus chassis' from GafneySC The Srpinter vans will go all over. The bus chassis' will go to a couple spots in northern Indiana. If you are in northern Indiana, they're most likely going to send you to Burn's Harbor (GaryIN) to pick up a coil to LaredoTX. From Laredo, you're probably going to get a load going back to South Carolina. It's the big triangle. Smart actually.

The good thing about doing that run is that when you tarp, it is an easy tarp job. And, since there are so few flatbedders, if you choose to be sociable and make friends, you will see your friends often SINCE they will more than likely try to stay on the triangle.

 

####, I can’t wait. Only thing I’ve been told is that those steel coils will move no matter how tight they’re tied down so you basically got to pray nothing happens.

 

Not true. If a coil was sat on a flat deck, yes it will shift no matter what (round object on a flat deck), but in a proper coil rack and dunnage, it won’t when properly secured. You will find that there are a bunch of fearmongers that have never done the job that go around telling stories of lunch counter lies that they overheard.

If you have a coil shift, you didn’t secure it according to regulation. And if a coil can shift, it’s coming off that trailer with the kinetic power of a bomb.

 

Yeah that's not true either lol. As long as you follow the proper methods, and don't do anything crazy, the coil will stay where it is.

I always over-secure for my own personal comfort but that's more for preventing something from happening if I'm put in a situation out of my control. It's not to keep the coil from moving while I'm just driving regularly.