Why become a flatbedder?

You flatbeders certainly do work a lot harder. Couple of summers ago I was delivering some insulation to construction company in OKC it was 115F in the shade. I was #####ing walking 20 feet to the receiving office. Then I see a flatbed on the other side of the yard pulling a tarp up on his load, I just shook my head. You couldn't pay me enough to do that.

 

The thing about flatbedders is that not only will be secure his own load, but I have actually had people come over and help me tarp a load in the wind in Wyoming, when it's 15 degrees. That's after they chained, strapped and tarped their own load. Can't find too many people who will do stuff like that on the dry van side. This guy did it for free, much less "being paid enough"

 

I personally havent seen to many people offer to step in until recent. I was down in Park City, Kansas earlier in the week. I got down there shortly after one of our other drivers did and had everything ready to go after he got unloaded.

Co worker askes me to help him roll the tarps then out of no where an ol hand shows up and helps us out with rolling the tarps up. Co workers and mine. He was just chilling for the night since he delivers to this company often. Good conversationalist to. Talked about quite a bit. Thanked him for his assistance went on to go fetch something else.

Its always nice when you get help. Ive always been to bullheaded to ask for it. Crappy conditions. Id probably make an exception lol

 

Wonderful. That should be more than enough to have the steeringwheelholders in terror. Especially the mud and snow pics.

"Be Afraid."

 

You mean they'd get their flip flops dirty!?

 

I delivered local building supplies with a moffet rig for a couple years. I liked the problem solving, making things fit and in the correct order for multiple stops or weight distribution. It can be very satisfying when everything works out. I only had to tarp a couple of times and never really got the hang of tarping

 

With a spread axle you don't slide tandems. If I am getting a heavy load, typically you scale in and out. I also have air gauges, so after scaling a heavy load I have a pretty good idea how heavy I am just by the psi in the gauges. Also, many of my customers already know how heavy each piece is. As a driver they ask you how and where on the deck you want the load placed.