Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Should a rookie start off pulling vans or flatbed?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Oct 28, 2013 #1
    AmericanTrucker95

    AmericanTrucker95 Bobtail Member

    26
    2
    Sep 5, 2013
    Cleveland, Ohio
    0
    Once I get my CDL, I plan on trying to get on with TMC or some other flatbed company. However, I have a few concerns. As a rookie, should I learn on pulling vans first to get back in experience into docks and have better maneuverability skills for later on in my career? I plan on either trying to go heavy haul or pull tanker/hazmat later on in my career once I gain experience OTR. I have heard that flatbed drivers usually don't have to back as often as van drivers do, and that van drivers are better than flatbedders at driving. Is this true? Also, another concern of mine is that I will not have enough freight during the winter time or throughout the whole year to keep me busy. (I live in Ohio, btw) Will this also hold true or will here be enough work for me to handle? Please, I am very serious about this and I want to start off on the right foot. So to anybody who has any experience and would like to shed some light on a rookie straight out of trucking school, please I would be very appreciative. (I plan on going to Great Lakes Trucking School btw, in Columbia Station, Ohio if any of you have experience with this school and could tell me what type of training I will get there would also be beneficial to me). Again, thank you so much in advance!
     
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    #1
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Oct 28, 2013 #2
    Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

    12,647
    25,588
    Nov 23, 2012
    Yukon, OK
    0
    Starting out pulling vans as a rookie is not a bad idea and will give you a lot more backing experience. However, if you start out training in a van and then want to work your way into flatbed, then you will need to train all over again on flatbed. This would mean trainee wages all over again. IMHO if you want to do flatbed, then it would be best to go right away into a flatbed program, finish your training and start rolling your miles. You will get backing experience at truck stops no matter what you are pulling, and depending on the type of flatbedding you do you will likely also need to hit a dock or two along the way.
     
    Lepton1, Oct 28, 2013
    Lepton1, Oct 28, 2013
    #2
  4. Oct 28, 2013 #3
    sherlock510

    sherlock510 Road Train Member

    1,066
    1,058
    Jul 26, 2011
    Intercontinental.
    0
    First off, don't post the same exact thread in two different forums. We will see it one way or another.

    I don't have any experience with flat bedding but I do know that it requires a lot more manual labor than van. That being said its definitely not for the lazies.

    I've seen people start off in either, btw.

    Good luck.
     
    sherlock510, Oct 28, 2013
    sherlock510, Oct 28, 2013
    #3
    luvtotruck and Oscar the KW Thank this.
  5. Oct 28, 2013 #4
    Passin Thru

    Passin Thru Road Train Member

    1,918
    565
    Mar 8, 2007
    VA
    0
    Learn to back up. good greif, backing a truck is part of the job. Go to Schneider and have them train you, stay a year and pay back the school, then go to whatever you prefer. No one can tell you you'll like, flats, vans or tanks. 2.4 million safe miles hauling vans, reefers, bull wagons and all kinds of flats and heavy haul. I am a better driver by lsitening to safety men, drivers and turning on my turn signal, moving to the line and counting to 3 before going on over.
     
    Passin Thru, Oct 28, 2013
    Passin Thru, Oct 28, 2013
    #4
    luvtotruck Thanks this.
  7. Oct 28, 2013 #5
    AmericanTrucker95

    AmericanTrucker95 Bobtail Member

    26
    2
    Sep 5, 2013
    Cleveland, Ohio
    0
    Okay, thank you very much for the advise. I have another question. Say I start of pulling flatbed, but then I want to get a local job pulling Tanker/HAZMAT, or LTL freight, will the companies take my flatbed experience or will they want van experience? I know most companies say that want at least 2 years of OTR experience, but they don't specify what type of experience… so does it really matter?? Because that is my goal, I want to pull flatbed OTR for 2-3 years and get a local job pulling Tanker/HAZMAT or LTL doing doubles/triples. Is starting off doing flatbed work going to be beneficial to me in the long run taking my goals into consideration?
     
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    #5
  8. Oct 28, 2013 #6
    AmericanTrucker95

    AmericanTrucker95 Bobtail Member

    26
    2
    Sep 5, 2013
    Cleveland, Ohio
    0
    Sorry for that, I just wanted to get my question out there and try to get as many answers as possible. Also, thank you for your input.
     
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    #6
  9. Oct 28, 2013 #7
    AmericanTrucker95

    AmericanTrucker95 Bobtail Member

    26
    2
    Sep 5, 2013
    Cleveland, Ohio
    0
    I understand backing is part of the job, I just want to know if I will get enough backing experience pulling flatbed to make myself confident that I can back anywhere
     
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    AmericanTrucker95, Oct 28, 2013
    #7
  10. Oct 28, 2013 #8
    TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

    18,586
    130,187
    Apr 10, 2009
    Copied in Hell
    0
    Whoever told you that van drivers are better drivers than flatbedders is absolutely correct. They're also smarter, better looking, make tons more money, don't have to get dirty and drag those evil grade 70 chains around, and that you should be lucky the person told you about how bad flatbedders have it to save you from the evils that is the open trailer industry.

    Save yourself and your manicure...go drive a van!
     
    TripleSix, Oct 28, 2013
    TripleSix, Oct 28, 2013
    #8
    Cluck Cluck, luvtotruck, DieselDog81 and 1 other person Thank this.
  11. Oct 28, 2013 #9
    okiedokie

    okiedokie Road Train Member

    12,537
    94,580
    Jun 13, 2011
    PNWET
    0
    Yes Flatbed work is consider experience if you transfer over to a trailer that has sides.:yes2557: However,Tankers are another job and need some training if you will to pull. There are many types of Tanks Dry/Liquid/HazMat/ect. HazMat tanks is well stressful to operate. But if that is what you want to do then it will be fine for you. Bottom line is KEEP A CLEAN DRIVING RECORD,take pride in your job and don't use up all your luck at once.
     
    okiedokie, Oct 28, 2013
    okiedokie, Oct 28, 2013
    #9
    luvtotruck Thanks this.
  12. Oct 28, 2013 #10
    Oscar the KW

    Oscar the KW Going Tarpless

    12,246
    28,116
    May 19, 2011
    0

    There is no reason for the same thread in multiple forums, I merged them into one.
     
    Oscar the KW, Oct 28, 2013
    Oscar the KW, Oct 28, 2013
    #10
    luvtotruck Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

    • Page 1 of 2