Dry Van vs Reefer vs Flat Bed

I did dry van and flat bed, albeit briefly on both accounts. I really didn't like dry van that much. I guess I just didn't like that you we so blind behind the trailer.

Flat bed was awesome. Hard work? You bet. But man, I lost 20+ pounds and you should've seen my arms! Plus, depending on the loads you had, you could see behind you a whole lot better.

Now I'm looking for something local (I had to come home to my fiance). But if you have a stoic attitude and don't mind some hard work, I say go flat bed (just be ready to move if your load shifts).

 

I love flatbed. approx 75% of my loads are tarped loads. If its a standard neatly stacked load of lumber it'll usually take 1.5 to 3 hours from pulling upto the gate to leaving. I don't think thats too bad. (including securing, tarping, faxing paperwork).

A plus for me is that most of my loads come from BC lumber mills. Being in fresh mountain air and smelling freshly cut Cedar is just awesome.....plus the ride out is fun!! I love the hairpin turns on 10 mile hill going into Golden BC. Can't wait until the snow melts off the riverbanks because that means I take my fishing rod with me too!

You can keep your crowded wal-mart parking lots in smoggy cities. I'll take the boonies.

 

FLATBED, FLATBED, FLATBED

 

Absolutely!! I'll join in on that wave! haha

I had a wierd shaped stack of floor joists on my trailer this last time out. I did an awesome job tarping it. I spent an extra 30 minutes making sure it was PERFECT. Nothing flapped in the wind, everything was tight and symmetrical. I had some long joists on top of shorter joists....and stacked on top of the long joists were more short ones. Basically, when it was tarped up it looked like I might've had a boat or something wierd under the tarpl.

I got 5 (yes, FIVE) compliments over the radio as I passed other flatbedders. At the lumber yard another guy came upto me and told me it was one of the best tarp jobs he has ever seen.

I tell ya, that gave me such a great boost that this trip was the best trip I have ever taken so far. Can't do that with a van!

 

I want to join that wave too. The joy of doing, what fun!!

 

OK,

There is some good advice out there, be sure to stay away from people who feel they have to put something or someone down.

There is really no such thing as "bad freight", only bad payment. If you own your truck, you already know what you will and won't accept from shippers, recievers, and brokers. If you work for a company, you do what your dispatcher/driver manager tells you.

BUT...I suspect that a majority of the people on this thread are looking for a direction. Here is my advice:

In the late spring-through the summer-into mid-fall, a flatbed can and often is a good paying proposition. Late fall through the second or third week of January your reefer will go non-stop.

After these periods, you will be basically running to keep the cobwebs out. I am in line to purchase 3-5 trailers and 2 more trucks. So believe me when I say, shippers and receivers don't much give a #### about you, you have to take care of your self.

Reefer freight pays well, and so does flat/step deck freight. There isn't anything you can put in a dry van that won't go in a reefer. Really, if you are looking for a company, try to go with a company that pays mileage, has a steady diet of coast to coast freight. Flatbed requires a lot of labor intensive hands on while most reefer stuff is no touch and no thought processes to securement. I prefer to run the seasons though.

Good luck out there.

 

Hello Maverick! Good Post. I am curious does that mean you run a reefer and a flatbed? Seems to me that would be the way to go if you had the room to store both and of course a little extra capital. Have a good one!

 

If you have the extra $$$ Thats the only way to go. I know guys who pull a flat one week, reefer the next, bull wagon, end dump. they have a few trailers to keep them busy year round.
But if you have to chose just one.......FLATBED!!!

 

here's my 2 cents.

i'm too old and lazy for flatbeds

reefers....i think they're too noisy, and it seemed i was constantly running around trying to find pallets, or to get rid of pallets that i did not need for my next load. had a few trailers with reefer unit problems, and that means time in the shop.

sooo......turns out i'm a dry van kinda guy.
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Thanks for the reply Crotts and Tinglish. I managed to sign my life away for a year with Central Reefer because the training was free. Figured it couldn't hurt to learn the reefer side then next year I will give the flatbeds a shot. Eventually the goal is heavy-haul. Looks like I am gonna have to save for a while for that equipment though.