Is there much less backing running flatbed?

There is more. Deck drivers go where van drivers wouldn't dare go with their highway units.

Usually in reverse.

Lots of customers don't have enough room in their yard to turn around, and you either have to back in off the street, or back out onto the street (not advisable) and their driveway isn't a nice level slab of concrete... it's often sloped to either side (with ditches) and made of soft mud or gravel.

And you are usually pulling B-trains.

 

The challenges of flatbedding are why I love it. Getting into that tiny job site, securing that crazy load, throwing tarps that look perfect when you're done. For anyone who takes pride in a job well done, flatbedding is a great way to excel.

 

We have one that is kind of a U shape, want to borrow it?

 

Learn how to back, it's stressful and scary as hell in the beginning. But if you do it day in day out you'll get a sense for it. The only way to learn is by doing it. To this day I'll find myself not set up right and have to swing around to try again at a truck stop.

 

Every chance you get, especially in empty truck stops, practice backing in and it'll get easier all the time. I've been driving five years and some times I still have to pull up and try again, but I keep at it. Spread axles are even harder to back up but again, it can be done. I never back into tight single spot parking at a truckstop. That saves me a lot of grief. Especially after dark. I also try to start my day early so that I can quit early and get an easy parking spot when I need one. Melton is a good flatbed company to start out with.

 

Here's a good example for you. I had to alley dock a 48' trailer today. I was sent to "spot" it at a customer so they could load it after hours, and had a perfect setup but was a bit off on the back. Had to pull up a bit, but made it in in nearly one shot.

I've only been driving truck for about a year and a half now. Practice makes perfect.

 

I envy you. I crashed and burned10 minutes sight siding into a normal parking spot at the San Antonio Petro this evening. Oddly enough I circled around again and had barely any trouble.

 

Lol, don't envy me, I have bad backing days all the time. Sometimes the B-trains go in the spot straight... sometimes it takes 15 minutes and it might have just been easier to detach them and back them in individually.

Setup is 98% of a good back. That has been proven to me time and time again.