@spyder7723 I think you kind of down play the responsibility of flat bedders a little. Yes common sense helps, but you must also be willing and able to do the work. And pulling a flat is work, much more work than swinging the doors shut on a van or reefer. Then there is the responsibility of securing the load, cause if anything comes off that trailer its your but, not the shipper, not the company, not the other guy that told you that it doesn't take that many chains or straps to tie the load down, it your responsibility to make sure the load is secure. There's a reason open deck usually pays more, more work and more responsibility involved. If you like to pull vans, want to pull a van for Mercer, call em up and ask the important questions. Better yet, fill out an app and let them see that your a a driver that they want, then ask the important questions.
Larry you may be right but it just seems so common sense to me. I also don't consider it actual work either. I'm one of those guys that says if anyone thinks chaining and tarping is work, then they've never done real work. the most physical party of the job us tarping, and while it takes a bit of time, and being out in the hot and cold can suck, it's really nothing but rolling it out and hooking some bungee cords. growing up I spent my summers and early falls baling and loading hay. That was work, even an odd shaped ugly load requiring 8 ft drops ain't nothing compared to throwing 80 lb bales of hay for ten hours.
I agree with you for the most part spyder, and I sure don't miss those days throwing around hay bales. I guess the main point I was trying to make is that a flat ain for everyone. Some driver would prefer the ease of putting in load locks and swinging the doors shut,not that easy pulling a flatbed. And occasionally I see someone short cutting the load securement that I wish was pulling a box.
Got no idea what the van guys do, but the only weeks I don't bring home 2200 are because I sat home all week. It's nothing to see me never even start my truck for a week. Or a month for that matter. That's the beautiful thing about Mercer, they truly let you work when you want, and go home for as long as you want. never any pressure here to take a load you don't want.
Does anyone know if you can come on as a van then swItch to F.B . I lease to the wrong carrier and really don't have the 1500 Mercer wants for the equipment.
