Is flatbed annual net really that far ahead of dry van and reefer?

It should be....

I was thinking how flatbed drivers typically can only deliver/pickup 0600-1700 and with all the detention(unloading, one-truck-at-a-time, loading, securement), and securement is usually only tens of dollars. Then last I looked at DAT board flatbed load rates were vagualy different rates than dry van and refer.

I know the CPM is higher at flatbed and glass divisions at companies, but how does it actually work out in the long run versus dry van and refer given the limitations?

 

Personally I think you can make the same money. When I left TMC I ended up at Marten making the same money with way less work. Every time I saw a TMC driver I wanted to tell them they could make the same money with way less work Some like flatbed because it is good exercise. I was getting old and with refrigerated there's no slowdown. People have to eat. Recession proof.

 

10-4 on refrigerated trucking!

 

Chillys were not my thing. If I’d been in the mobile cold storage rental business it might of worked out. As it was the time I lost my trucks to packer and grocery dc ######## made it all pointless.

 

I'm averaging 91 CPM as a company driver doing open deck specialized so far this year. And I deal with very few big warehouse places that treat drivers like scum. Two big pluses over dry van or refer.

 

Yeah even at bad carriers flatbed is usually at least .80 CPM. The big question here is do flatbed drivers make more annually with all the securement and one-truck-at-a time situations you see a lot in flatbed. Plus most flatbed shippers and receivers are common business hours; if even..

I make more running regional dry van than a local Maverick driver I know does, and he's not lazy or slow and has been there a while..

 

I did $116k last year and will probably do around $125k if the bottom doesn’t completely fall out of the economy. Flat out, most won’t earn as much as me, I’m in a high paying niche. But $100k should be easily done pulling open deck otr. Maverick, tmc, ect are the megas of flatbed and have the low pay to back that up, but they are also a regional outfit for the most part.

 

Isn't reefer always pretty heavy ... mean close to 80k most of the time ?!

 

0.91..?!

I knew I should’ve been a lawyer.

 

Still a newb and I've only been in this business for a few months but it has so far seemed to vary. I've noticed meat loads have always been heavy, but pharmaceuticals can be light enough to be concerned when it gets windy out west.

So far enjoying it though...the consistent freight factor is what drew me in as well.