Whats the best trucking Co or Flatbed Co HELP!!

Hey Michael...

I'm a flatbedder for Roehl Transport, and I enjoy the work. We tease our van drivers that Flatbedders WORK for their money! Anyway, that's a little in-house thing going on, and it's all in good fun.

Only about 50% of my loads need tarping, and the lumber loads are the ones that need the most work. Hauling steel coils or rods are easy. The tarps are much smaller and easier to work with than the lumber loads.

I figure I spend about 4 hours a week in a true workout phase, which keeps me in physical check. You'll learn secrets of flatbedders like "Baby Wipe Showers" after tarping loads. We also have a secret handshake that we'll show you later! The other thing that I have noticed is that flatbedders - regardless of what company they drive for - are always willing to give each other a hand if asked. Sometimes just throwing some bungees on the corners of your tarps will help tremendously!

Good luck with flatbedding. If things don't work out with Maverick, check out Roehl Transport. They have their own CDL school, a military vet program, and a pretty good 3 day Load Securement Class that really builds self-confidence.

Mike
Adrian, Michigan

 

Michael...I'm as green as they come but I've read alot of good things about TMC if you're really interested in running flatbeds.

BE SAFE.....

 

jesus christ, i can't believe somebody heard something good about tmc. there is a reason we all refer to them as "too much chrome".

I have heard good things about them only from their recruiters. not one other person whether or not they now or ever worked for them has ever had much to say good about them.

Maverick and Anderson are on my short list. i think mav's load securement training is more thorough and comprehensive (it is definitely longer), and therefore safer in the long run.
jh

 

There r a few good companies 2 work 4 out there u just need 2 do alot of research though (even then it sometimes backfires like it did me) it really depends on where u live 2 like 4 instance my self live in the west.Some companies wouldn't hire me because of this reason.But let me tell u something man and I know u don't know me from Adam but I just don't want u or anyone 4 that matter to get the shaft real bad. First off I would NEVER and I mean NEVER go 2 CDL training school with a company that offers it 4 u. Many drivers will tell u the samething because then the company that u trained with pretty much OWNS YOU and they make u feel obligated 2 do whatever they tell u 2 do even if it's totally illegal!!! trust me go to a local PRIVATE CDL school if there isn't any in your area try the community college they definately have CDL training there.U could pay 4 it on your own or finance it with the school thats what I did anyway good luck

 

I got my CDL thru P.A.M. transp february of 2001. I stayed with them 4 months of my 12 month "contract". I left them and paid off my tuition myself. After that, I was with Sitton Motor Lines for 2 years and then I wanted a change. I joined Maverick October of 2003 and stayed with them till Feb '07. At that point, I made a HUGE mistake and joined TMC. I am still currently with them and just spinning my wheels till I can find a better company.
With all due respect to jimbo29,never go off of just "reading good things" about a company. 9 times out of 10 those "good things" you read have been propagated by "said" company. You have done the right thing by coming to this forum to do some research.
I can't tell you which one to go with but as a driver who has driven for both Maverick and TMC...
I can only tell you that you would be miserable at TMC. They are NOT driver oriented/friendly. They WILL micro-manage you to the point of insanity! Yeah,they have nice trucks but that only goes so far. They will not and cannot aford to treat you like an adult or proffesional. It's not in the best interest of their bottom line.
1 thing is for sure...they will not tolerate you running hard or illegal. They truly enforce the Hours Of Service rules. They have to. The last couple of years they have gotten HAMMERED by DOT for their poor safety rating. Therefore, from now on when the DOT does their annual safety audit they look at not only the paper logs you send in but also the qualcom records (weblogs) and they compare the 2. If they dont match...they get hammered again.

Best advice? Research potential company's safety rating thru the FMCSA. It may cost a little for proccessing but in the long run...it's worth it!

 

My vote is on maverick!

 

Yeah, mine would be too.
Unfortunately for me,I called them 2 days ago to see if they would take me back and they said "not at this time". I guess i have to be gone from them for at least a year before they will.who knows.