Whats the in and outs of flatbedding

[dk1ben]

Ok so I am all set with Maverick. I have given it some time to think over and have decided to try flat bedding. There is a lot of local work available for flat bedders with over a year on the road. So my goal is to do my year with Maverick and then explore local choices. Or stay at Maverick if I like it, ect...

I was approved and asked to go through training with Maverick almost a year ago. So all they have to do now is check my current job and who knows what else. But before I get the final call I was wondering if any one who does work a flat bed truck could fill me in on the day to day life of flat bedding. I do have my CDL A so I get to skip that part of the training. However I am not worried about the training. I went the schneider a year ago and have some time driving. So just a refresher and I should be good on the driving part.

So my major concern is the physical part of the job. I grew up on a farm and I am not afraid of getting dirty but I have been off the farm for some time and have gotten a little soft in the mid section. I have always been a big guy but it has never slowed me down on the farm. What can I expect on the physical side of this line of work?

Not sure if I am asking the question right. I have searched this web site and keep coming up with what happens when you get to school but very little about when you do the job out on your own. I dont want to get to school and see that I cant do it.

Thanks for your time. BTW I am looking at the Flat Bed division. I dont want to mess with glass.

[steelhauler2007]

I drove for Maverick for about 10 months.They are a great company. You will carry 2 lumber tarps,2 steel tarps and 3 canvas tarps.The lumber tarps weigh about 120 lbs. each.You will do alot of tarping.Most shippers will put your tarps on top of the load once you are loaded. Maverick has very few preloaded trailers. I have driven flat bed for about 1.5 years.I currently drive for Passmore out of Altus Oklahoma. Alot of flatbedding is common sense.Some loads you have to stand back and look it and figure out the best way to secure it.If in doubt call the safety dept.Maverick will cover alot of securing problems during your training.Good luck and I think you will enjoy flatbedding.

[terrylamar]

Seems like just about everything you do can kill you and seriously hurt you. Just be careful and watch what you are doing. At first go slow and take your time.

[dewercs2]

dk1ben,

Look at Highseas to highway thread by Devildice.

He and I work for the same flatbed company. I Quit my job and put myself through school and found the company via this web site. I read all of Goin fer it's info with May Trucking and with now Davis Transport.
I've also read most of Terry Lamer's thread about TMC also.

As far as flat bed securement goes.... tarps are a pain but if you do the securement correctly then tarping is the gift wrapping. Chains... you get dirty and you gave to check them. pray that you were smart and didn't have to untarp to get at the chain tensioners if one came loose.

good luck..

pb

[Phantom433a]

strapping/chaining tarpping/untarpping.....thats about all there is to it.

Take a good long look at every load.....even if you've hauled the same thing before.....it secures differently every time. Find out what the load capacity for your straps and chains are. Mine are (straps) 5,000lbs (chains) 7,000lbs. Theres never such a thing as too many straps/chains. If your hauling a ping pong table and you don't feel secure untill you use 30 straps....then knock yourself out. I've been flatbedding bout 15 of my 20 years and I'm always learning something different.

Remember to NOT fold and tuck your straps in the winches. Its a fine that climbs with everyone done that way, feed them through the winch and then fold/roll them.

[GMAN]

I would say the most physically challenging part of flat beds is the tarping. It can get a bit harry on some loads. The big thing with tarps is the time it takes to properly tarp the load. I would expect to tarp at least 50% of your loads. I rarely see a Maverick truck without tarps, so their tarp rate may be higher. I am sure they will go through a rigorous securement training. I have seen a couple of trainers with their trainee's. They seem to be fairly good at the training part. I will agree about never having too much securement on a load. I usually have at least one more strap or chain than is legally called for when I do my securement. It is better to have too much than not enough.

[steelhauler2007]

If you go to work for Maverick you will go through a week long load securement class in Little Rock.It si very intensive and you learn how to tarp and secure the "Maverick" way.When I drove for them they told me I had enough flatbed experience that I didn't need to attend the class.I told them I wanted to.Glad I did.

[redsfan]

I don't know what kind of farm you grew up on, but if you've spent much time in a hay field or tobacco patch, you won't find flatbed work to be hard at all. For the most part you may work "hard" for a hour per day. The rest of the time you will be driving, just like the dry van, reefer and tanker guys. The hard work shouldn't scare you off at all.

IMO, flatbed requires more brains than brawn anyway. You need to be able to think. Take a look at a load and figure out the best way to secure it. Tarping is probably the hardest part. Fighting a tarp in high winds is no easy task, but just use you brain in that aspect also. Let the SOB go, don't try to muscle it. You most likely won't win. Over time you will find easier and faster ways to tarp also.

One added note, if you have minimal driving experience and that was a year ago as I think I understood, you will most likely go out with a trainer after your securement training in the barn. If you had a year or two of experience driving a van, Maverick may put you through the securement training and then set you free in your own truck, but I highly doubt they would do that with someone who only has a few months of experience.

IMO, flatbed work should be not problem for an ole farmboy like yourself. Now if you said that you were a person who doesn't like to get dirty, that would be a different issue... :wink:

[rank]

Grew up on a farm? You'll be fine.

Securing flatbed is just like a van without the sides to get in the way and your load is less likely to shift on a flatbed because it's likely secured properly, unlike most vans.