Flat bedding--- the pros, the cons?

Friday will be Three weeks Since I started training I LOVE FLATBED!!! Again I LOVE FLATBED!!! Even after Tarping Shingles in the Hail an Pouring Rain Yesterday in Fontana California as my daddy a 30yr exp Flatbedder puts it WERE THE SPECIAL FORCES IF TRUCKING

 

I start Orientation with Prime on the 27th. Im going into Flatbed and I just want to know what exactly is the hardest part about tarping? How many miles can I average with Prime running flatbed?

 

The hardest part about tarping is keeping the wind from ripping the tarp off at highway speeds. If there is a weakness in your tarp job, the wind is guaranteed to find it. It may take a bit, but you will go down the road, and if the wind finds a way to get underneath the tarp, it will balloon the tarp out. You will see the bungee cords fall off one at a time. Then you see something flapping. If you don't pull over and fix it, it will ruin the tarp OR BLOW THE TARP COMPLETELY OFF THE LOAD! Then you see that lazy driver, who didn't want to fix his tarp the right way, standing on the side of the highway, waiting for traffic to clear, so he can run into the traffic lane to get his tarp.

So, when you tarp, take your time. It should look as if it was stitched on to the load. If you see anything flapping, pull over immediately and fix whatever flaps. Use every d-ring available. Skimp on the d-rings, and the wind will start ripping the d-rings off. If you have to use multiple tarps, cover from the back first, then overlap the back tarp from the front ('Well did Six, common sense should tell you that.' Really? You'll see what I'm talking about)

 

One more thing, Mr Soon To Be At Prime:

If you, when issued your own truck, can't make a grand a week, something's wrong. Do not allow ANYONE at you company, management, dispatch, driver recruiters, whoever...talk you into doing a lease purchase or becoming a trainer, to make more money. Not just knocking Prime, that should stand for ANY flatbed company.

Why not, Six? Why shouldn't I go for more money?

A driver should easily make a grand a week running a company truck. If you're not, there's a problem. Wouldn't you want to fix any problems BEFORE you have to start footing the bill? I've always wondered when I see these car insurance commercials that say that you can save 15% or more, but they never say 15% of what? If you don't know the base price, how can you ever figure out what the 15% is? Company X starts drivers off at $.42/mile. Well, what does that mean? Does that guarantee a grand a week? Oh, if you train, you get a penny or two extra or if you go to a lease purchase, they pay you 65%. If you're not making a grand a week running solo, something's wrong.

If you're making $700/week, don't let anyone there tell you that you can make more money on a lease or being a trainer. Why aren't you making a grand a week? If you're a company driver under forced dispatch, being paid a mileage rate all miles, and you do your homework, never late, where does the problem lie? "Oh, if you want to make more driver, become a trainer, or do a lease. Then you will make a grand a week." Remember, Six told you that you should do that running solo as a company driver.

So, are you saying that I should never train and never do a lease purchase?

No, I'm saying that you should make a grand a week. If I were a trainer, I would want a lot more than that. I did $1600/week as a company flatbed driver under, forced dispatch. If I were to be a trainer, I would want $2 grand a week as a company driver...otherwise, it wouldn't be worth the aggravation. And I sure as hell am not going to lease a truck to make the exact same pay I made as a company driver.

 

The Cons of running a flat bed.

Most people think you are insane and wont talk to you.[/QUOTE]

That ^^^^ would be a pro right there sir.....

 

Because no dry van will ever get to see the inside of places like this.

 

I'm not sure where the hell the perception that flatbed and oversize guys don't have to know how to back up as well as a door-slammer came from. Do we bump docks as much? No. But, I guarantee you I've put flatbeds, steps and lowboys into some spots that most reefer and dry van guys wouldn't know how to begin with. I've pulled reefer, and I've pulled tanker. On the whole, reefer was the easiest backing I did.

Over-the-road flatbed isn't as physically intesive as some may think. Even three bad loads in a week, 20 straps and chains a piece, you've only tossed 60-straps and chains for the week.

There's more to learn, load securement and the like, versus tossing up a couple load locks and shutting some doors on the umpteenth load of frozen beef...

Open deck is something I think you either love or hate... if you're worried about the amount of work, if you're worried about having to climb on a trailer in -10 conditions, stick to a reefer or a dry van...

 

I'm still looking for a company that will pay to bobtail, pulling a trailer is to much work.