Flatbed drivers

Just get a system down when strapping, chaining and or tarping. i.e. Keep equipment in the same place.

Think about where you want stuff so you can minimize the amount of times walking around the truck and trailer or getting on and off the trailer.

It took me awhile but most times I'm pulling out of somewhere with my freight over secured and my tarp tight while the super trucker who did everything to jump the line and get loaded first is still struggling with his load.

Flat bedding isn't all rainbows like some would have you think some of our colleagues, shippers, and receivers are dirt bags just like other types of freight.

But jamming on the brakes with no doubt my freight isn't moving is something I appreciate the more experience I get out on the road.

 

I had a local driver last week tell me that I was going to make them look bad the wat I had the load secured. My response was a simple "So"

 

Other than the fact that flatbedding requires thought and hard work for securement, there are two other aspects of my work that set it apart from pulling a dry van. First is respect. It's a rare event to NOT be addressed as "Sir" or "Boss", as in, "How do you want that blowout preventer set on the deck Boss?" That level of respect was rare in dry van. If you are delaying they come and apologize.

The second thing that sticks out in my mind is the FUN of getting off paved roads. You really develop the chops for STEEP and MUDDY conditions in this line of work.


I will turn 61 in January and started flatbed 18 months ago. I'm having a blast. Sure, I was stiff and sore the first week, but I feel like I am in the best health I've been in decades now. Should have done this long ago.

 

Are you kidding?

You are still going to tarp either way. Ive done straight decks and Ive done covered wagons. If you ask me I love the covered wagon for the detail work. Usually loads that require a covered wagon is like for example a machine shop tool that took 30 people 4 months to build by hand to order going to a mill or boeing etc and they load it with love and cluck over everything with a covered wagon.

Any chump can throw down a bunch of shingles, strap it and go. (No offense...) but when you show up with something special for a specific task that has to be done right and know how to do it alls well.

I still stick a stick in the eye of Louisana Scales everywhere busting my chops on the stupid tandems, I show up with a 10 foot spread and laugh at em now. (40K back there...) Ive had a life time of that gator state chomping me on tandems. Sick of it. Figure if they have a spread big enough to see a gator between then, that should leave me the hell alone LOL>

Also...

Not all sirs work flatbed. Be very careful how you address large women binding chain on them things.

 

One word.

Mack. =)

Wait until you leave the job site and confront a 8% grade with a 220 degree 10 mph posted switch back at the bottom with two lanes worth of cars coming at you on ice that is not walkable when empty.

 

I ALMOST got to drive a Mack a couple of weeks ago as part of our driveway program. Had to settle for a Peterbilt.

 

Lets narrow this down,are you talking about the job or the drivers?

 

Good choice. Petes go way back. Way way way back.

I loved macks when it's all vertical and sideways, but not for going to California.

A point on your mud, that's righteous. You should see the axle I sunk into a mud hole very similar to that field you pictured. #### thing sunk the whole steer wheel in there splashing my entire cabover door like a blown back turd. Safety had a brick when they see me pull in that afternoon. Boy did they yell. I told him shut up with that noise 50 dollars in truck wash off a kid and hose is cheaper than a thousand dollar wrecker.

 

Well, I would call myself a higher form of art, but my name's not Art.