How hard is the physical fitness part of the orientation?

Hi bstrong, good heavens, I wouldn't get too uptight about that. As long as you pass the medical part, I doubt they can not hire you because you can't jump off ( or on) a flatbed, which isn't recommended anyway. Maybe someone can let us know that has been through that, but I think it's just a way to see if you could do basic flatbed stuff. ( I'd think the tarp would be your biggest foe there). And don't worry, I'll bet you'll lose that 40 lbs. in no time with flatbed. It's a lot of work, strapping (or chaining), tarping, but flatbed has many advantages a box doesn't have. Good luck. You'll be fine.

 

It's not too hard. All you need is average physical mobility. I did it at 50 years old, not the best of shape either. My co-driver did it at 380 pounds. He was a youngster though.

 

Fear of the Unknown. I'm an expert at it. lol

 

If you can pass the actual physical youll be fine. The hardest part, and where most people fail is the tarp test. Youll have to pick up the 120lbs lumber tarp off the ground, move it to the trailer, get on the trailer, lift it again, move it over to a suicide coil, roll it over the coil, move around the coil safely, pick the tarp back up, move it to the end of the trailer, get off the trailer safely, and then move the tarp back to the starting point. Its rather easy, but they show you their way of doing it before hand.

 

I hope he weighs much less by now, I have seen only one fat flatbedder within last few months

 

I didn't do a lot of flatbed, but I did load a load of shingles out somewhere in Ohio, and they made you wear these harnesses that were suspended from the ceiling of the warehouse, and if you fell, it would catch you. I had never seen anything like that. One guy told me, at a different place, the harness mechanism wasn't adjusted right, and every time he bent down, the thing yanked him off the trailer.

 

You need to talk to someone who's gone through the test for that company! This story was not for a flatbed but may help you.....I recently went for a test which the company recruiter had said all I had to do was lift 35lbs & climb a ladder. When I got there the tester actually wanted me to start climbing the ladder by placing my foot NOT on the first rung (which would be the normal & safest way) but by placing my foot on the THIRD rung of the ladder! Being 5'3" my leg didn't even stretch that far! I'm guessing this may have been to simulate climbing up on a trailer that doesn't have a bumper or getting up in a truck that doesn't have any steps?? Who knows?
Anyway he wanted me to lift 85lbs above my head. ( needless to say being a woman I couldn't do that either, oh well)
So I'ld advise you to go straight to ask a driver who works for TMC & who's been through their test, as each companies exam is different.