That's what I'm doing! We didnt all have the problems you did. :wink:

 

It depends on how often you load a steel coil. If you've just delivered a load of crates of glass, and only pick up a coil, maybe once in two months, you're not going to have things left on the bed. With the storage space available, you will have to dig through some of the things you've used since the last coil, and it will take longer. If all you haul is steel coils, you use the same things every load. Makes a big difference. Also makes a difference how they are loaded. Cross-wise, lengthwise, or "eye to the sky".

 

Racing?! What does truck driving have to do with racing? I'd really appreciate you explaining to me what "racing" is and what place it has in driving a truck responsibly and safely. I never held up anyone. Every time I'd pick up a coil there'd be several bays available. But, I'd never cut corners just to get out of someone's way. If another driver doesn't like it, or if a crane operator is sitting there waiting, and waiting, and waiting... so what? Is their job on the line? Is someone else's safety on the line? Is a carload of kids on the line? To them, no. To me, yes. Everything is on the line. I never gave a damn about those idiotic yahoos that only threw two chains over a 45,000lb coil. If they lose that coil, it's their responsiblity. Not mine. My responsiblity is to cover my azz and not kill or injure anyone else. I still get paid the same. So, you make 950 and I make 875. I don't care. I take care of myself and those around me. If I kill someone because of my negligence, I couldn't live with that. Could you? Probably so, since you only care about "racing" the guy next to you, not about safety.

I remember a time I was at a steel mill up in East Chicago. One of those big mills that covered several city blocks. I had to pick up a 47,000lb coil as did all the local drivers. I remember these guys in their ratty old FLD's and worn-out steel trailers throwing at most four chains over their loads. That's not even enough to meet federal regulations, much less give me a feeling of security. These guys were in and out in fifteen minutes or less. I spent at least an hour securing my coil. I think I threw about seven chains over that baztard, a 5klb strap, padding tarp, and tent tarp. During none of that time did I hold anyone up. There about five or six bays, and the locals were in and out in no time. At one point another TMC driver backed in next to me. Apparently he was a rookie because he asked me how he should go about securing his coil. His coil was the same as mine as going to the same destination. I recommended he put at least six chains on it, unwind those chains too, and make sure he feel comfortable first before leaving the mill. I left just as he was getting started. The next day at the yard we delivered at, he pulled in just as I was finishing up. He yanked his tarp off and I was shocked at what I saw. He had only put four chains on that coil. Four chains on a 47,000lb coil! I didn't look at him or speak to him after that. I didn't care. If he wants to risk his life, the lives of the vehicles around him, and his career, just to save a few minutes, that's his choice. The same as the choice you make each day. If you want to risk it all just to save a few minutes and make an extra $50 here and there that's your choice, but I don't want any part of it. I won't do it. I just hope you never kill anyone in your haste to make a buck. Sorry man, but don't belong behind a wheel. :roll:

 

I am definitely no super trucker and I don't know that I ever secured and tarped a coil in 15 minutes, but 30-40 minutes is very doable and I was always PO'd if it took me longer than 45 minutes. I couldn't imagine it ever taking 4 hours...

I always loved steel coils, because in my opinion, the were the easiest loads to secure and tarp. Once you spend a week or two in securement training, you have a pretty good handle on most loads. The first thing I would find out when checking in with a shipper was exactly what I was getting and how it was to be loaded. That way by the time the loader got around to me I already had all of the chains, straps, binders, tarps, etc. that I would need laying on the trailer.

One thing I do know is that your load should never shift. If it's secured properly, you can roll the trailer and the load still be intact. What always scared the hell out of me was to see a dry van loading the same skidded coils as me with nothing to secure them, but the front of the trailer.

Flatbedding is not for everyone, but trucking period isn't for everyone either. Just make sure that you start with a good company that will train you properly whether it's skateboard, dry van, tanker or whatever.

 

Hell, I almost always knew what I was getting before hand. I'd have everything laid out. Straps, chains, bungies, dunnage, racks, everything, right where I wanted it. But as far as cutting corners, I'm just not going to do it. Too much at risk.

 

I would never cut corners either, hence the reason that a load should never shift, but there's a big difference between working quickly and cutting corners. I've seen guys who looked like they were moving at a snail's pace and they would be done before me. All because they had done it many times and they knew exactly what they were doing.

I always double-checked everything and I always did load checks while in route, which I know a lot of other guys do not do. It just never took me 4 hours. I also saw a lot of guys who threw things together half-a**ed and wouldn't have nearly enough securements, so I see your point with that. My point is, if you have the proper training and you do it right to begin with and you're absolutely sure of it why would it take 4 hours?

 

nrvsreck/One

You both need to reread this thread. My first post was basically agreeing with fred that flat bedding can be done by a new driver with proper training and and common sense. I did state 15-30 minutes to chain down a coil. You all chose to key on 15 minutes. Maybe 15 minutes is exaggerating but for a small coil not including tarping its still a best case scenario. 30 minutes would be the average and every coil was secured properly. Could it take an hour? Sure it could. When deciding how many chains you use you must know the working load limit of your chains. Ours were 8800 lbs. DOT regs state you must secure for half the weight, look it up. Therefore a fifty thousand pound coil would require 4 of MY chains. I cannot speak for YOUR chains. If loaded shotgun then you would also need two securements over the top and a trip block. Everything I did was 100% or more by the book. One then chose to call me Supertrucker and insinuate that I'm a liar and nrvsreck chose to call me unsafe. So yeah I may have taken a shot at nrvsreck by calling him slow but it was done tounge in cheek and only because you first called me unsafe. And One, I still havent said anything to you. All I did was contradict your opinion that flatbedding is not for noobies, and I think I'm entitled to my opinion. I was surprised that you picked a coil to illustrate your point as I agree with redsfan that a coil is one of the easiest securements you'll ever do. If it took 4 hrs then your company could not have trained you at all and thats not your fault its theirs. Perhaps you could tell us who it was so noobs could avoid that company. I was trained at Valley Transportation in Ohio as were many noobs and we were trained well. TMC and Maverick also do a great job. I've met many of their drivers. So my point is that noobs can and do flatbed succesfully. Sorry if you dont agree. Is it harder? Probably, I didnt start on a van so I dont know. Is it for everyone? No. But to say nobody should do it is only your opinion based on your experience. Your entitled to your opinion but you could lay off the personal attacks on me for having mine. Why all the attitude? Now I see why All Metals in Spartanburg wanted to call the sheriff on you.

 

45,000 pound coil for ME = 2 coil racks, 2 rubber mats, 2 4X4's, 5-6 chains and binders and a tarp. Time without tarping 30 minutes including setting up the securement and 30 minutes to tarp. Has it taken longer sometimes? Yes. But I don't count the smoke break or the Pepsi Cola rest period. :wink:

 

Has TMC changed their policy Fred? In orientation they stressed, make that demanded, that we learn the 20 steps necessary for securing any coil over 40,000 lbs. It included 4 coil racks, 4 rubber mats, 6 chains and a strap over every coil. The securement class seemed very adamant that this be the minimum equipment necessary for the coil. A couple other points they made was it was ALWAYS loaded suicide and if the customer wants it any other way a call to safety was necessary. A strap is thrown over EVERY coil and there is a 3" maximum for the coil to be above the deck.

 

I can't speak for securing coils (so why the heck am I even posting here? just to stir the pot!), but in car haul there was a lot of difference between two drivers loading.

Some guys could load a car in 15 minutes. Some guys took an hour. I'm talking port cars- same cars. I knew two guys who would go into Porsche together and they had a system to load 8 Carreras/Boxters in an enclosed trailer and they'd get both trucks done within 2 hours. It always took us about 2 hours to load just our 1 trailer.

I don't know if they cut corners, but I have a hard time believing they didn't. I know they didn't do as thorough of an inspection as we did, though.

Anyway- my point: some drivers secure faster than others. And I believe the Snowman IS the original "super trucker" and has the belt buckle to proove it :lol: