Diary of a current Swift flatbed driver

Poking my head back in here... don't post much because I've pretty much been running the same route for the last six months and I'm pretty sure everyone here would get as bored with all my photos of CAT loads, steel beams and coils like all my friends on Facebook

 

That route is nice isn't it? Good miles and taping coils isn't bad once you get used to it. Beats the Cali to phx runs any day IMO but others have said they prefer west runs.

 

i would love a cali to phx run with flats. have a question. would you rather run otr to start out or day cabs on a dedicated delivering to stores?

 

Actually, I'm so tired of the triangle its insane. I love coils....though I'm the oddball Swift that prefers to haul them suicide. I don't run west....not enough profit and the fuel surcharge doesnt make it worth it for me to play with Oregon's road taxes.

 

When I was flatbedding I too prefered to haul coils suicide. Think about the chain arrangement for a bit and you'll see why.

 

Yes. I used to teach guys how to flatbed over at Arrow Trucking. Which also means I don't haul my shotgun coils via the Swift method (which, is perfectly legal to DOT, but not the safest method IMHO out of the 3 options provided in regulations).

 

does anyone know if swift hires out of louisiana for flatbed division?

 

I used to haul coils quite often when I was on a flatbed but can't recall ever referring to "hauling them suicide". What do you mean by this? I always hauled them with the center hole towards the sides of the trailer and forward/backwards chains. Never had a problem with either the large or small ones. Of course where one chain was required I put two, where two then three but I was always anal about that stuff even putting extra straps on loads. Never had a load shift, though.

 

You hauled them suicide. It is called that because if the coil breaks free it is likely to roll thru the headache rack into the cab. If the coil's eye is pointed at the cab it is called shotgun, although I have also heard it called homicide, if it breaks free it rolls off the side of the truck potentially killing someone.