Wanting to go roehl

It's all opinions. As a flat guy I hate vans. Most van guys can't understand why flat drivers like working so hard. As for the schools, which ever is better for you financially. Roehl's is three weeks, you can pay for it or you can owe them, and you have to pay $350 for a place to live in Marshfield while you're there. It's a good school in my opinion.

 

Well, from what other drivers are saying right now it sounds as if miles are slowing down. As a new driver in flatbed, you spend a lot more time securing and tarping your load than an experienced guy. So you'll run less miles in the beginning. Once you get the hang of it you'll be able to strap, tarp, and get down the road and your miles will pick up. Starting as a new flatbedder, I'd say 1700 to 2000 miles a week is a reasonable expectation. The higher mileage rate and tarp pay make up for low miles. This is a slow time of year to start, especially as a flatbedder. But like I said in other posts, flatbedders have more options when freight slows down. The more versed you are, the better chance you stand at getting loads. That includes getting your HAZMAT and TWIC.

 

The entire industry slows in the winter. Flats just get hit worse because we are so dependent on the construction industry. There is a lot of good information here, but there is a lot of negative.

Think of it this way, when somebody has a really good meal at a restaurant do they usually call and tell the manager or corporate office how great it was? Probably not. Ｗell, what if they had a bad experience? You can bet money they are going to make sure everybody knows. Same thing happening here. While most of the bad things may have happened, the good things go virtually unheard.

Drivers b**ch. That's part of being a driver, but remember to take everything with a grain of salt.

 

I have been on flat national for 1 month so far and am averaging $570 a week and 2100 miles.
The best advice I can give you as far as flat bed, watch other drivers tarp and strap. Examine relay loads to see how other drivers are tarping their loads. This helped me alot when I first started.
Pipe loads out of Kaukauna WI are the hardest loads to strap for me. Usually use about 20 straps or more. LOL
I also went to RDTC out of Marshfield. I would advise going there also. It makes training with the trainer much easier when it is all in-house.

Be really flexible about home time. They have got me home around 11-13 days and i have gotten 3 days off every time.
Living where you do you will probably get one good long run going home and coming out.
I get a 1000 mile run home and then a 900 miler comimg out.

Good Luck
-KB-

 

Time for some good advice...haha. If you don't mind standing on top a loaded flatbed trailer in 10 degree weather with a 30mph wind trying to put a filthy frozen tarp on a load or ontop that same load in 110 degrees sweating your butt off and getting dirty as hell then flatbedding is for you. I hired on and went thru Roehls school in Marshfield last year. The school was great and I have no regrets. I was originally hired as a flatbed driver. I found that I enjoyed hauling vans much better. I enjoy the challenge of backing that big box in a tight spot. I enjoy the option of alot more frieght with alot more destinations than you get with a flatbed. I normally run between 2500-3000 a week. This is since I changed to the 7/4-7/3 fleet. When I ran national van I normally got 3000 a week. I would stay out 11-14 days and get 3 at home. Just remember that most people that post on this forum tend to post thier bad experiences. Roehl has over 1900 drivers and thier are probably less than 30 complaints about Roehl here. In my book that means there are well over 1500 happy drivers with them at the least.

 

Great advice Kebo! Flexibility with home time is definitely a must. The key is to be flexible, without getting walked on. Sometimes it's just time to go home.