Options for running flatbed right out of school?

Maverick and TMC are probably your best 2 options to start off.

I personally dont recomend starting in Flatbeds, but to each their own.

As far as jobs down the road, not haveing van exp should only hurt you when applying with the BIG LTL companies (ups/fedex/conway) as they want you to be pulling a van. Other things to consider are Auto Transmissions and E-Logs can/will handycap you when you go to move on, some companies wont hire drivers that started in Autos and havent worked in a truck with a manual transmission....Just food for thought.




American Trucker

 

I suppose the pay diff can make it worth while. But I also think that in most cases, you could find the same money or better doing non flatbed work if you look hard enough. Its really hit or miss though.

I personally have never been in a situation where flats paid more. But like I said, I sort of fell into it by accident. There is one advantage to doing flats however. And so far that advantage has served me well. That advantage is of course that once you have flatbed experience, you have more job options available to you.

I ended up doing flats when I first started driving. It wasn't my first job, but I only had about 2 months of experience when I switched to flats. Then I stopped driving and got into fixing computers. Fast forward a few years and my wife's job moved us to Michigan. Michigan isn't exactly the easiest state to find a job in and I couldn't find any computer work when we got here. So I started watching the ads for trucking work. I've only ever done local trucking work so I wanted to stick with that. After watching craigslist for a few months, I found a local trucking gig pulling flatbeds. Since I had previous flatbed experience, I was able to get the job. Did it for 8 months until the owner ran into financial trouble and couldn't afford to keep me on. I got out of his truck on a Wednesday and answered another craigslist ad on Thursday. Again they needed someone with flatbed experience. I answered the ad and 4 hours later I had a new job. I was back in a truck on Friday. So I am definitely thankful for my flatbed experience.

However even though I was hired to do flatbed work, I'm doing dry vans now. The ad I answered was for a driver leasing company. A temp agency for truck drivers. All local mon-fri work and they have lots of flatbed contracts. But the problem is they also have no-touch dry van contracts and they pay the same no matter what you're doing. I'm no dummy. As soon as I was able, I got myself assigned to a long term position with one of their no-touch dry van contracts. They still have me do flatbed stuff now and then when the dry van company can't use me and they need someone to fill in. But as of right now its looking like the company I'm assigned to is going to hire me once the contract with the temp agency expires and that's fine by me because I really like the job. And I would have never gotten it if I didn't go the flatbed route.

So if you're willing to do the work and you have the opportunity, I'd do it just for the doors it could open alone.

That being said, I was very green when I got my first flatbed job so I can say from experience that getting into flat bedding right out of school is not the best idea. I did it and I survived so obviously its not impossible. But its a tough row to hoe as they say so you'll not be doing yourself any favors if you choose to go that route. And if you do choose to go that route, only do it if you can find a company that offers extensive securement training.

When I was hired to my first flatbed job I was told I would get about two weeks of training before they turned me loose on my own. Perfect. The next morning I showed up and rode with another driver I watched him secure and tarp one load. We were back in the yard at lunch time and next thing I knew I was being handed the keys to a truck and that afternoon I was on my own. Needless to say those first few months were incredibly stressfull as I essentially had to teach myself how to do everything. I was also incredibly lucky that I never hurt anyone while I was learning on my own. Don't let that happen to you.

I'm not really a good person to ask because I assume those guys are talking about OTR flatbed work and I never did OTR anything. I did several loads per day when I was pulling coils, but I also did plenty of sitting and waiting in line to be loaded or unloaded. The more recent flatbed work I've been doing has been mostly delivering steel to metal shops and manufacturing facilities. Generally one load per day but 5-10 stops per load. There is very little waiting in that gig. I get to the stop and by the time I get the chains off, someone is there with a forklift or crane to get their product off the truck. Then I chain up/tarp again and I'm on to the next stop. You end up waiting a bit once in a while, but not much.

But for perspective, I do about the same amount of waiting in my current no-touch van gig. Generally with the contracts that company runs, I get to the shipper or receiver and get right on a dock and someone loads/unloads right away, then I'm on to the next stop. Granted I do wait while they're loading/unloading i.e. the time I would be busting my hump if I were flatbedding, but its not excessive and my android phone provides me with plenty to keep me from getting bored.

 

You forgot PGT they are a smaller company based out of PA.

 

i dont know enough about them to recomend them, all i know is they drive sheet spreaders and every truck i've ever driven blows their doors off when i pass them



American Trucker

 

I have been flatbedding a long time. Was with TMC for almost 17 years. If they had continued to get me home as well at the end as they did the first 14 or 15 years, I would still be there. Am with another carrier, still flatbed. In all the years flatbedding, I never had to hire a lumper, never paid a "dock fee" or a "gate fee", and never got cussed at for being a bit late. All of that and more happened in less than 10 months pulling van and reefer. Flatbed may be a bit more dirty, but is more enjoyable I think. If I do consider getting out of flatbed, it will be hopper, end dump, or tanker. Probably not van or reefer.