flat vs van for a rookie?

Hmmm....thats an interesting point of view and one that I did not consider. Backing kicked my butt in school....LOL......

I want to get my start in flatbedding because of the challenge of it and......oh yeah.....not as much backing.......

Edit 5 minutes later: Gosh darn I like all you flatbedders attitude. Once I retire from the Navy....I am going flatbedding..... Props to the OP for asking a great question.

 

Where does everyone get the idea from that us "skateboarders" don't do as
much backing as van drivers? I would like to see some of the van drivers here
deliver to some of the rig locations that I go to and then back out of there.

Not only would I say that we hit more tight holes than a van would ever think
about but we also get to have the fun of going" off roading" lots of the time.

By the way I'd like to see some of you "door swingers"(no offence meant) come and back my spread into the last tight hole of any major truck stop.

 

Also have any of the van drivers here not been able to reach their dock without
having one of these chained to their truck??

 

Coonass,

I have spoken to both flatbedders and van drivers. Not implying that you don't back as much as a van driver, however, in my research this is what I have been told. I am fully aware that with trucking (no matter what you pull) comes backing.

Also...was that Cat a load you hauled?

R/

Frat

 

No, I didn't haul that dozer.

I had a load of tools going to a rig location up in New York, after
climbing through moutains for quite some time I finally came to the
lease road. For most people that have never worked in the oilfield
lease roads are the roads that the oil company makes to get to a rig
site. For the most part these lease roads have very good soild
foundations, but they usually take the most direct route making
them very steep or curvy and such depending on the terrain.

Well after reaching the lease road, which by the way is dirt with little
gravel, I start climbing up the moutain. After a ways it levels off and
I'm thinking well this one won't be too bad. WRONG! The next incline
that I come to is VERY steep, I'm not sure the grade because it is
obviously not marked. I lock the rear and put it in second gear, so
far so good but as soon as the last trailer axle makes it up the incline
all the drives do is spin. At this point I feel like I'm fully reclined in a
lazy boy sitting in my truck. I call up the rig to tell them I'm there and just can't make it up last piece, come to find out
they were actually waiting for me to call so they could send out the
dozer to pull me up the rest of the way to the rig.

Obviously I wasn't the only one that they had to help make it to the rig.

 

and one that is not accurate....


This dock is with a 10 foot spread.

Look at my running board and see how close it is to the yellow pole... flats don't back....LOL wonder how many box boys would get in this hole and still have a running board?!! LOL!

 

Coon that is why you guys pull flatbeds.. you can't back!

 

You mean paths like this ...

that lead to this.

 

Yeah I quess so huh!!

That and I'm too #### lazy to get out and close the doors on my trailer.
I'm mean come on I think I would melt if I had to get out my truck.

Yes sir!

I'll have to upload the pics of the road (#### I mean trail) leading to the rig up in the Rockies I just came from in Rifle, CO.Some of the guys
here would crap their pants.

 

All I had were lumber tarps.. Got the hernias to prove it.