Do Flat Beds Have Loading Docks??

If your are thinking of switching to flatbed, I would HIGHLY advise watching some youtube videos on flatbed loading and securing. There are tons of them and they are very helpful.

 

Spread axles can be a little finicky to back because without being able to deflate one axle, you never know exactly which axle it will want to pivot on [the most] in a given situation, especially if empty. But I never noticed any really problems backing spread 48 flats back in the day. And it's kind of nice when you can sometimes see over to the opposite corner of the rear of the trailer in a sight-side back once you get enough angle.

 

They load from the side usually, or from the top via a crane. There are flatbed docks but not very often. They are tight to get into so the forklift can load from the side. There is enough room between the sides of trailer and dock to fit your fingers but not your hand.

 

Yes they do. We also get rear loaded at a local steel producer in a dock, and you have to back into the building which is always like backing into a black hole when the sun is up. Anyone ever rear load at Worthington steel in Monroe, OH knows what I'm talking about.

 

For my truck yes, but my other two trucks do drop and hooks mixed with live loads and unloads (all flatbed). Through out the week they have five different trailers they pull.