FlatBedders complaints I wanna hear em

If anyone calls flatbedding hard work they obviously haven't done any hard work. Yes tarping in the heat or cold stinks but its only for a little while.

 

Flatbedding is great. Wear a cheap lightweight pair of coveralls to use while tarping/untarping.
Avoid union steel mills or you may get bed sores the waits are so long.

 

Ok you got me there but its hard compared to van and refer LOL

I have done hard work till I got back to trucking I was on an underground pipe reconstruction crew long days sometimes 36+ hrs feet back every muscle in your body hurt then had to do the illegal stuff but we won't get into that

 

just glad I am not at home cheap lightweight coveralls would not do much good supposed to have wind-chill of -33 tomorrow.

 

For every negative in flatbedding I can bring up 2 positives. Sure I have had days where I want to throw in the towel. But I usually come to my senses in a few hours.

Cold wet frozen equipment. Tarping/securing onions on a 98f day with 90% humidity will test your minerals for sure. Round bails of hay where your 30ft straps need to be interlocked to go all the way around. Loads with slate or granite slabs that just won't stay put. Tarping 13ft tall loads on a step deck with no safety harness.

I can go on. But then there is the respect you get from other drivers. The money is better. There seems to be no shortage of loads provided you can stay in good lanes. I'll never go back to pulling a box.

Hurst

 

My last tarp job paid me $1600. I carry 7 tarps. However, I only tarp 4-5 times a year. My company has their tarp rates, I have mine. Their rate is $150 for a legal flatbed load. Mine is $250/tarp. If it can fit on the trailer, I can tarp it. However, it's not going to be cheap. Will I lose out I on some loads? Sure, but there will be another load.

its cold outside. Moved a tarp around on the trailer and it went CRUNCH. haven't used them in several months and if I had to, I doubt that I could even get them unfolded.

Everyime me I go to a full service truckstop, and sit in the restaurant, I meet a flatbedder. Stuck at a truckstop because of the weekend curfew, went inside and had dinner with a Landstar driver and his pilot car. Both my pilot cars will be here in a couple hours and we're all going inside for breakfast (the country ham here is incredible). Right now, I am sitting in this mom and pop joint, in the my sleeper, there's a 8 axle to my left and a skateboard to my right, and I am trying to figure out why the hell I am enjoying this job so much.

Got directions to a shipper last week. Exited off the highway, went through this tiny Ohio town on a river, and there was a fork in the road. Left for went underneath a low overpass, right fork looked like a driveway. I went right. Roads were unplowed, there were a couple 15 mph turns, and steep inclines. "Am I going the right way? I sure hope so, because I doubt I would ever be able to back out of here." I see my shipper. I see a bunch of trucks and pilot cars. Got loaded, secured, permitted. The county cops cleared the road, came in and escorted us out of town. Even with pilot cars, it is difficult on a twisty two lane.

Have you ever just done anything for the challenge? Feels real good when you're done. I remember when I pulled flatbed for Swift, going back to the steel mills to get coils. Loud, hazardous, and fast paced. Dangerous work. Enjoyed pulling coils. Bought gloves in bulk. I'd wear through gloves at a rate of 2-3 pair a week. It's work! What's wrong with work? Why is hard work looked down upon in America? I want the hardhat, coveralls and steel toes. I like work boots. Cowboy boots sound so much more appealing than cowboy flip flops.

If I wasn't pulling big loads, I would try a tanker, then maybe a bedbuggers and a car hauler. I would love to have a low riding stretched large car pulling a tanker. Glass fendered, candy paint, obscene exhaust pipes. Yeah, if people are gonna hate, give em a reason. Custom floor ostrich seats and matching boots. Run only at night.

 

I don't doubt the positive side of flat bed but have only heard a lot of the negative. I am a newbie and 60 yrs old but I keep thinking about flat bed. Can you list some pros and cons.
Love the shifter, brings back memories.

 

Honestly, besides the rare union steel mill, I can't think of a single negative. While tarping on hot days can wear me out, the loads always have ample time on them so I never have to run late into the night to make an appointment time. I make a good 50 percent or better more than I ever did pulling a reefer.

In short it's a little more work while loading and unloading but much less time involved than the average reefer load, while paying much better. I can honestly say I make more money while feeling much better and more rested. Just a better quality of life piling this flatbed.

 

Driver, if you are not a flatbedder DON'T share anything you don't really know. I have just switched from dry van to flatbed, and so far so good. Again, do your best in everything or anything you do, that's happiness!

 

Great post right there,!