Tarp Pay

[Smokeeater]

Just a question for the flatbedders out there. I was looking at the Kelworth web site. On it they say they pay their drivers 100 % of any tarp charges they can bill their customer. Is this a typical practice or a deviation from the norm? The reason I ask is I have read on here where some companies pay what seems to be a token amount to the driver for tarping. I guess I am just curious how much the customers are billed for tarping and what kind of % the driver actually gets. Thanks for any input on this question.

[Rawlco]

If you get paid only what they collect from the customer then how often are you going to work for free? A lot of customers aren't going to pay any extra for tarping as they pay one lump sum for the load. In that case you would get nothing. I guess it depends on the customers that you have weather that is a good deal or not.

With TMC we get $10 for each load that we tarp, regardless of the amount collected from the customer.

[Uturn2001]

It is not uncommon and how fair of a deal that is would depend on how that company bills its customers. Some companies will bill for tarping on every load a customer wants tarped while others will do what a customer wants and just accepts what the customer is willing to pay.

[RottsATruckin]

Some companies tarp every load and don't charge extra, my company said if the customer wanted a tarp they paid extra for it, I think I got about half that amount ($35-40) all I knew is if I tarped my extra pay for that run was $50
I once tarped a garden tractor tiller that had a 180 mile run, the crate was 4'x6'x3', it was stored outside at both ends of the run, but the receiver paid for a tarp so who was I to argue.

[Snake_Ize]

If you get paid only what they collect from the customer then how often are you going to work for free? A lot of customers aren't going to pay any extra for tarping as they pay one lump sum for the load. In that case you would get nothing. I guess it depends on the customers that you have weather that is a good deal or not.

With TMC we get $10 for each load that we tarp, regardless of the amount collected from the customer.

I believe that you will find if you were to talk to the broker that tarping is something that the customer pays extra for, usually in the $100 range. Because TMC doesn't show it to you on the load doesn't mean they are not getting it. Maverick pays $40 to the driver to tarp and Hunt pays $20 plus $5 for additional stops that require retarping. TMC is the cheapest company to tarp for. If you would remember that the $10 you get is also for untarping every load you tarped then you will realize the little you are working for.
So for your info Smokeeater, yes some companies just pay a token amount for tarping.

[MonkeyNoodle]

I thought TMC got $10 each way (load/unload) for a total of $20? Anyway....I used to bitch about the $20 I got for tarping. But as time passed I got so efficient at it, I actually made more money tarping/untarping then I did driving for that hour. Once in a great while a customer will pay xtra ($50) to tarp load. [/quote]

[Jumbo]

I thought TMC got $10 each way (load/unload) for a total of $20? Anyway....I used to bitch about the $20 I got for tarping. But as time passed I got so efficient at it, I actually made more money tarping/untarping then I did driving for that hour. Once in a great while a customer will pay xtra ($50) to tarp load.

[/quote]

$20 to tarp and untarp a load is garbage. Guys are getting $40 to open and close a connestoga per stop.

[Jay B]

If you get paid only what they collect from the customer then how often are you going to work for free? A lot of customers aren't going to pay any extra for tarping as they pay one lump sum for the load. In that case you would get nothing. I guess it depends on the customers that you have weather that is a good deal or not.

With TMC we get $10 for each load that we tarp, regardless of the amount collected from the customer.

I believe that you will find if you were to talk to the broker that tarping is something that the customer pays extra for, usually in the $100 range. Because TMC doesn't show it to you on the load doesn't mean they are not getting it. Maverick pays $40 to the driver to tarp and Hunt pays $20 plus $5 for additional stops that require retarping. TMC is the cheapest company to tarp for. If you would remember that the $10 you get is also for untarping every load you tarped then you will realize the little you are working for.
So for your info Smokeeater, yes some companies just pay a token amount for tarping.

$40? I been getting ripped off! Actually Maverick pays $10 for the steels and $20 for the lumbers.

[Rawlco]

Snake Ize has his axe to grind against TMC. I wouldn't actually consider him a reliable source about how the rest of the world operates.

[Snake_Ize]

Snake Ize has his axe to grind against TMC. I wouldn't actually consider him a reliable source about how the rest of the world operates.

Don't be a fool Rawlco. If you can show one post where I said anything wrong about how TMC operates please bring it forward. TMC is a cheap outfit as far as tarp pay is concerned. THAT is a FACT! I just don't see your cheerleading as being constructive to a person looking for a job and only getting the rosy picture, not the true one which has shades of grey.

[Snake_Ize]

Maverick pays $40 to the driver to tarp and Hunt pays $20 plus $5 for additional stops that require retarping. TMC is the cheapest company to tarp for. If you would remember that the $10 you get is also for untarping every load you tarped then you will realize the little you are working for.

$40? I been getting ripped off! Actually Maverick pays $10 for the steels and $20 for the lumbers.

Mea culpa for the error on Maverick. Thanks for clarifying the pay. It still makes TMC the cheapest for tarp pay though Rawlco.

[terrylamar]

Snake Ize has his axe to grind against TMC. I wouldn't actually consider him a reliable source about how the rest of the world operates.

Don't be a fool Rawlco. If you can show one post where I said anything wrong about how TMC operates please bring it forward. TMC is a cheap outfit as far as tarp pay is concerned. THAT is a FACT! I just don't see your cheerleading as being constructive to a person looking for a job and only getting the rosy picture, not the true one which has shades of grey.

This is a two way street. You have in the past given a very one-sided opinion of TMC. I am not trying to beat up on you. You, evidently, did not have a favorable experience with TMC. I can somewhat understand your bitterness towards TMC. All I ask of you is give good information, even if it is negative in nature, you don't have to agree with me (us) and don't infer that you need my approval. Please, just give objective information, that is healthy. I read your post on another forum, you have been very fair with TMC and I applaude you for it.

I happen to agree with you on TMC's tarp pay. That is a lot of work for only $10.00. Sometimes, very dangerous work. This is part of TMC's business plan and may be one of the reasons that TMC is bigger than the other Flatbed Carriers. I would like to see tarp pay increased to at least $40.00, just not at the expense of losing business.

[vonSeggern]

Just a question for the flatbedders out there. I was looking at the Kelworth web site. On it they say they pay their drivers 100 % of any tarp charges they can bill their customer. Is this a typical practice or a deviation from the norm? The reason I ask is I have read on here where some companies pay what seems to be a token amount to the driver for tarping. I guess I am just curious how much the customers are billed for tarping and what kind of % the driver actually gets. Thanks for any input on this question.

It's like this, IMO...

If a company is going to pay you 100% of the tarping fee and not give you a good per load pay package, you will be be better off taking the TMC plan. AS Mr. Lamar states, 100% of nothing is, well, nothing.

I kept track of the pay per load and translated it into per mile pay. The average was about 40 cents per mile not counting the (silly) tarp pay. That however, was in the day of better paying loads.