why do you pull open deck trailers?

I pull flat and rgn's because the pay is better, 99% of shippers and recievers are glad to see you and load and unload you fast and i get some exercise. Pulling a van is boreing to me. I like a challenge once in a while.

 

Well after 30+ years of flatbed there's always something new and interesting. Not to mention the pride you can take in a load that secured and tarped well. And like others said 80% of places you go to our glad to see their product.
And did I mentioned that I like working in the rain, cold, heat, snow, and winds I'm just an outdoorsy type.
And then the number one reason is I'm too lazy to carry toilet paper to take a pee. LOL

 

For me. when I bought my trailer it was an open flat. so why spend money & add wt, unless needed. hauled a lot of lumber & so much more loads of lt wt loads of plastic pipe , that paid 3.00 a mile in 99' 2000 could not of pulled those loads with a side kit. I haul mostly steel coils now. think about a side kit every year. just 2 years ago I was getting loads out of wise alloy. good paying loads, with reloads right back home. did maybe 6- 7 then my dispatcher told me in nov, that Wise was only going to ship on side kits, or covered wagons NO more tarp coils on open flat allowed. he suggested I get A side kit. I did not. after the jan of last year, we could no longer haul out of Wise. Southern cal got it all. we could get it only if we got it thru Southersn cal &take a rate cut. never pulled another load out since. if I had bought & put a side kit on, it would of done me no good. I may have one one day & may like it, but the loads I have like flat steel, that easily loads much better on a open flat is where I will stay for now. to each his own.

 

Where i live, if you do not have a side-kit then it is pointless since everything here is coils and coming out of the mills. But I agree as a side-kit would limit me on loads I could pull. And honestly, if you were to get a contract out of say USS you can always just carry 2 different size coil bags and do the same thing.

 

I would get a side kit, & would have one already, except for the fact, that when I start looking & pricing it seems, like I get a lot of loads that I would not get with a side kit, like I get subconsious thought, DON'T DO IT. One time about 4 years ago, I thought about getting a drop deck. all I hauled was steel coils. nothing else. so I began to price them, just thinking of how much easier it would be to tie down & less side to side sway.

well guess what? I got an offer on a load, A load going to g.r. MI. at the time, I never been to MI. it was farther than I had ever been from home. hmmm. I don't know, told my dispatcher, what does it pay? well it loads fri & delivers sat morn. but it pay's $1500 to the truck. I took the load. liked the route, everything went well.

it was skidded coils. I took so many loads it became a semi dedicated run with reloads right back to 1 mile from home. could not of hauled them loads with a step, rear load unload at those shippers required flat. No step would work. I probably made 40 % of my annual salary on those loads, not to mention, if local freight was slow, one of those loads would do me for the week.

so when it come to side kit or not, I take my time deciding. most likely. I will get a 102 wide trailer with a side kit, but want to be able to tear it down & store it easily.

 

Heavy Haul is the best!! Good pay!!

 

It has to pay good, the equipment for that is really spendy.

 

Because I'm a control freak.

 

My dad was a flatbedder, I would always help him when I went on the road with him. I got my CDL and started flatbedding. When 2008/2009 hit and flatbed freight was almost non-existant, I tried pulling a reefer. People need to eat right? Well, after 3 months and an extra 30 lbs, I had enough. I'll never do anything but pull a skateboard... Besides, any "genius" can close a couple doors, but knowing PROPER load placement and securement is something else. Plus, tarping in itself is an art form.

 

JDP would you mind if I copied the pic of the green 9370 Eagle with the backhoe and front-end loader on it? My friend is big IH Eagle fan and would love that truck.