Help Deciding on First Job (Flatbed or Dry Van)?

Start out doing flatbed. If down the line you decide to switch to dryvan you won't need training. If you start with van and eventually you want to switch over to flatbed most companies will make go back out with a trainer.

 

I started out flatbed and driving at the same time back in 1980, 101 style(those days are long gone). Did door slamming for a couple and went back to Skateboarding. Never looked back.

 

Here's an option you might consider....

With Knight -- you could start out your first year as a driver doing dry van (which will make your first year MUCH, MUCH easier)....then later...you could switch over to flatbed duty (Knight has both) -- & thus...without changing employers.

Work smarter -- NOT harder.

-- L

 

Before doing flatbed at Prime -- read posts 12 & 13 in the following Forum thread -- then think about it:

Considering flat bedding....

-- L

 

Definitely Knight. You can leave the truck on their property, which is important for security and repairs. You’ll have enough responsibilities on your plate, with just learning to drive the truck, without learning flatbeds. You should have almost unlimited loads to haul with them. Keep it simple.

After you get some years experience and if you’re still wondering about flatbed, it doesn’t get any better than Maverick. Their loads are the cherries every other flatbed company would like to pick. They do not haul junk loads, which means you’re not killing yourself. Pristine equipment. Great pay. Great benefits. However, they have very little to do with FL, because there’s no money in FL loads.

 

I alluded to this in your other thread, but if you are pre-hired for Knight, you should be in theory also pre-hired for Swift, and Swift has a flatbed division.

And I would absolutely recommend starting with flatbed (or tanker with Prime) instead of Dry Van or reefer. It is more physical work, but it is a much more pleasant experience, with better treatment and better working hours.

 

After six years of dryvan work I took a job with Fraley and Schilling. They did not require me to go out with a trainer so I was learning the ways of flatbed securement on my own pretty much and it was like learning to drive a truck all over again. Not sure I could have done it had I started out trucking like that.

 

Some may say I am lazy, that's OK we all have opinions. I chose dry van because I didn't want to deal with tarps that can weigh in around 100 pounds.

If you are thinking flat bed have a look at https://www.howardtransportation.com/index.cfm they have a very through and well paid training program. I passed based on my aversion to tarps and the time in orientation being about 9 weeks.