Vans or flatbeds?

Round is a shape too!

 

Aint that the truth! I go from the pipe yard in Houston or Seguin to a rig in south or west Texas #### near everyday. Once you get to the rig it is usually a tight, ##### hole of a drop location. No place to turn around and gets the blood boiling in about .35 seconds.

 

LOL. Actually, I used to work with a flatbedder who was 5'6" and 350 pounds. He was the most rugby-ball-shaped human I've ever seen. He was also monstrously strong and amazingly flexible. Truly light on his feet. Great stamina, too.

When he'd get razzed in the yard he loved to challenge unsuspecting drivers (who'd obviously never heard of him) to tarping and sidekit-building contests. $20 for the first one finished. I never saw him lose.

 

Blood boil? Why, that's where the challenge to your driving skill enters the picture. I loved it when someone said I couldn't get in somewhere, or couldn't get out. (Of course, more than a few thought I was a bit crazy, too.)

 

Sounds like someone I know

 

There can't be many... name is Bob, and lives (or used to) in Montana?

 

i drove a flat bed at a lumber yard and that is some nerve racking stuff. especially when loads were questionably built and liked to move a little while driving. i'd also have to unload everything that could be dumped and that SUCKED. those days when i had flooring or roofing shingles wew. you could spend an easy 45 minutes unloading roofing shingles and those bundles are HEAVY! if you're just starting out i'd probably suggest doing a van, but if you wanna brave flatbeds talk to other drivers and ask them their opinions anytime you run into a load that isnt easily strapped down.

just my two cents

 

Flatbed is not for everyone, but i would do nothing else, when i get to the reciever theres never an issue getting unloaded or loaded. In the last 10 years i cant remember the times it took longer than an hour to load and unload and when all the van and reefer guys are running all night to make there appointment because they were held up at the last place i'am sleeping because i have no set time to be some where 99% are all first come first serve 7am to 3.30pm. Thers even a few i can load and unload myself so i can get there when i want but that took years of going there. There are some down sides but none of them are to bad, like tarping in the rain or below freezing conditions but thats what makes it interesting, to me anyway.

 

And this is why I run a Step Deck, all the guys with the Skate Boards get to play with tarps one heck of a lot more than I do, most of what I pull drives off the trailer or is loaded by 1 or 2 pics with a crane.

You throw some chains on it and go!

Many places dont want to put a heavy load of lumber on a step deck, and you know what, that is quite alright with me!

As for vans, I may own a van again at some point, and I will own a truck to pull it that some one else drives, because to me, I dont like dealing with warehouses, or lumpers, because well personally I feel like lumpers are one of the biggest scams going. Well next to anything our government has cooked up that is.