Am I Cut Out For Flatbed?

Sorry Deano, just speaking in general terms, not directed toward you, per say. Its just that, and I learned over the years, that one or two bad apples doesn't spoil the whole bunch. Sorry if I offened you. You find it in any industry, you hear this or that, then you get there and find it isn't like you heard.
Jerry

 

Deano??? Guess I am missing more again, unless it was a typo.
Here is how it is in THIS industry.
Swift is bad. Pay crap, train crap, run crap, secure crap, and so on.
Swift is to trucking, what China is to manufacturing.
Does China get a load of stuff out cheaply? Sure do.
Does China make anything of high quality? Not that I have seen.
Go get yer feet wet by all means, but my statement of going to a dedicated flatbed company to learn flatbed, still stands.
I can promise you that when the time comes, having Swift on your CV isn't going to do you many favors when the next guy has a company of higher standards on his.
I moved here in 1999, and figured that out within a few months. England, where I drove for @10yrs prior to being here, also have their Swift counterparts, as does any industry, country, etc.

Martin

 

I really enjoy flatbed. I think it is really cool when I get to my destination and what I did worked and the load is still there and securely in place, and if I am unsure of something, I ask.

 

I don't have too much to offer to the discussion other than to say that I have just completed my first week with Mercer so I'm about as new as one can get! It has been a LOT of work, but I LOVE it! Money is better (previously hauled containers) and everyone seems to be a lot more professional and helpful than I ever imagined. I've kind of written off the first month in terms of money so that I can focus on load securement (learning how to take my time and do it correctly) and looking at what is offered in the different lanes. The actual driving has been great. Central Michigan, Ohio, Indiana; not really venturing too far from home for right now. I've always been in pretty decent shape but I must admit; I'm using muscles that have not been used in a long time. And, I have the aches to prove it! My biggest mistake so far has been buying used heavy duty Lumber tarps with 8 foot drops. As soon as I can, I plan to get a 4 or 6 foot drop tarp that hopefully is lighter that what i previously have. That's really been the only drawback so far.

 

I enjoy flatbedding. Tarping is some work when you have to get up 14' or so in the air and tarp a load in the rain, snow, wind, or high heat. For me though, its worth it. Ive slept better since I started flatbedding last July. I love it and wouldn't go back to pulling a box. Im not in shape either, Im a 250lbs 5'7" dude with some muscle and some fat lol. Its all in what you make of it though, I find it easy sometimes, and other times i wanna quit. At the end of the day, Im happy with the work I put in for the day.

 

The other day I loaded with a guy working for a company been pulling a flat,step for 4 months they gave him an RGN with a wide load, had no clue what the rules where and how to chain it down never mind setting up the neck for the load! SCARY!
I asked what kind of training he had, his reply was 3 weeks. he came over from there dryvan side after 2 yrs.
This is todays modern drivers the companies don't care as long as you can get from point A to B. If something happens we can replace him with another driver mill driver! This is why you don't see any carrier drivers anymore, ive been at it a longtime and I don't see it getting any better

 

Our company upgrades you with baby steps. I just got upgraded to level 1 (out of levels 0-5). I've been flatbedding for a year, been with this company for 2 months. They help you out if you have questions. I pickup an oversize monday but i have pulled OD loads before. When i worked at roehl they put a driver that had 3 weeks experience on the van side into the heavy haul division with a trainer hauling 100,000lbs load. Ive been driving for almost two years now and i still dont think im qualified to haul stuff extremely big. Though I know i won't get anything too big until i have the experience for it

 

What are you talking about you're in shape? Although if you got about 20-30lbs of that fat you could spare I'll take it off your hands lol. 5'10" 110lbs sopping wet. Remember what you said about standing on that tall load in the wind trying to tarp? Think about my scrawny butt up there with 8ft lumber tarps when that 40 mph gust comes up. Take off in Nebraska land in Texas or Canada and hold on for dear life the whole ride.

running a skateboard is just like the rest of trucking it has it's days and it has it's challenges. I left it for a few months now I'm itching to get back running one. Yes it has it's downfalls tarping in all types of weather stopping every 150 miles or so to check the load and it's got a lot of responsibility but hey it's worth it in my eyes. I seen my chains, binders, tarps, and my trailer sitting the other day and a tear came to my eye. As much as I complained I miss crawling around on that trl throwing straps and chaining that steel. To be honest I even kinda miss tarping loads and it pains me to say that but I do.

 

Yeah i about laughed my butt off, i could see you flying across the states holding onto that tarp haha.

Yeah thats one reason im glad to be my weight, although getting on top of the load with this weight aint easy haha. At least ive never had a fork lift driver refuse to put my tarps on top of the load for me.... knock on wood

 

lol you wouldn't be the first to laugh about that I got it a lot running a flat. People would watch me tarp in the wind and just laugh at me fighting with them up there during the gusts happens. Never know you might come up here one day and see me flying across the sky I'll be sure to wave and yell get me down from here.

I imagine being a bigger guy it can be tough getting up there sometimes. You have a ladder to climb up there? I know when I've had to have lumber tarps lifted (of course they won't lift 4ft drops but they're not to bad to throw around) I just rode up sitting on the skid not smart but I don't carry a ladder on my truck cant afford another 70lbs.

And keep knocking on that wood driver glad it's never happened to you before. Here's a tip when they REFUSE to lift your tarps up for you call your company and inform them that you will not be tarping that load. I have had that happen before. I don't know if you carry 6ft drops or 8ft drops but mine are 8s and 115lbs a piece if I recall correctly. I refuse to lift them tried it once and about fell off the trailer dropped the tarp bout ended up killing myself never again. I don't know how people at your company are sound like they're decent from the post above mine so I'd just call them and inform them. They're paying you to tarp not get hurt or killed. hell lifting my lumber tarps onto the trailer and into my tool boxes from the ground is a bit of a chore at my size but hey it's what has to be done. I don't know what kind of damage a lumber tarp would do to somebody if it fell on them but I do know it would not be a good situation at all.