Dry Van vs Reefer vs Flat Bed

Flatbed = Trying to tarp a load of lumber in a 25mph wind

Reefer = grocery warehouse

Dry van = grocery warehouse sometimes

Tankers make me smile.

 

don't belive the lie you have to hit a lot of tiny docks, roll up doors and bays with flats. but for me i loved my flatbed time i had with btc. i haul scrap metal now, bought me a daycab and sleep with mama at night....

 

I graduate next month...and i'm going to a flatbed company...i'm 23 and mostly the older people complain about flatbed...I personal don't mind working for my money...with reefer or van...I don't wanna deal with sliding tandems or worrying about counting stuff when they loading me...or even searching for trailers...with the infomation I know...flatbeds do less drop and hooks...better vision...and they also shorter too...OTR trailers are mostly 53'...flats at normally 48'...but...the one thing I want as a flatbed driver that reffer or van drivers get is...a bigger tractor!...flatbed tractors are normally flat tops...so it's less space...but i'll do flatbed until i'm sick of it and got enough money for my house...then go local for pepsi or something..

 

What about Tankers, to me flat bed and tankers are the two markets that will always be there unless the railrod picks up a lot more tanker lanes

 

I've pulled them all and mostly I like reefers (pulled them for 10 years)

I've done just as much waiting with flats as I have reefers and vans sometimes more.

Reefers have the advantage of being able to pull van loads too. I've hauled wood, metal ingots, 5thwheels and all kinds of things besides doing produce or frozen loads.
One really nice thing about them is if you spend too much money in the casino at least you know there's something back there to eat. May not be what you want but you can survive a few days on raw onions if you have to.

I actually prefer step decks to flats, not as far to the ground when you fall off. There is a certain amount of pride after you scratch your head and figure out how to tie some of the odd shaped loads down and make them look good and know it won't fall off. But it sucks to spend 45 mins tying it down when you know that shutting the door would have saved you a lot of sweat and sometimes blood. Oh and sometime in your experience a binder will come at you, be prepared, I lost three front teeth and they told me I'm lucky the rest of my teeth aren't imbedded in my brain.

Tanks are ok, I did that for about a year, no lumpers, no cranes or forklifts to wait on. Heck not even a dock. Kind of dangerous if you have to get up on top or down inside though. I have washed my own out on several occaisions.

Vans well what can I say? Usually lot's of cheap freight. If you're with a company that does a lot of drop and hooks you'll spend a lot of time in the shop fixing flats and burned out lights that the last dirver was kind enough to leave for you.

 

Yeah hear that about drop and hooks. Went and picked up a pre-loaded trailer and dropped my empty here in Indianapolis. Hooked up to it and started pretripping in. Well one flat, bad wiring on a light, and the brakes were completely gone. Had to get em fixed here in at the Flying J shop and took a couple hours so I couldnt have delivered it on time because of my hours which I could have if I couldve just taken off right away with it. But no had to get it repowered by another truck in the area with fresh hours and get to sit in Indianapolis all weekend.

 

OH you were the guy that got that second load .........lolyea but look at the great exercise we get we used to have a side kit...now you could really work up a good lather putting that up and taking that down don't ya know!!!!!!

 

I pull for a company where it is a great deal of manual labor and it is honest work. After all the pounding you take and still get the miles rode, I like the adversity because it is on me and I have to figure out a way to conquer it and still get the product on time. I like flatbed a great deal but you will either love it or hate it, it is one of those things in your life that smacks you right in the teeth.

 

You know you have been there when you see the picture!! LOL I wish i had a picture of the load that went out to Terminal island in Phily where you have to drive out on rail road track ties ou to the Island across the wate rin the dark. Where there is a red light when you have to stop for the oncoming traffic and a green light when it is "safe," to go over the water!!

 

I drive vans but use to haul a low bed every so ofter,hated it.It was an Eager Beaver with the 2 ramps on the rear.It always had ice on it in the winter and since the trailer wheels were exposed on the deck,the equipment never wanted to come off easily.
i like my 48' van with the roll up door!