Hey guys I post this on another forum might get more response here. I am thinking about pulling a fltbed and my spec on truck are as follows 239 wheelbase 430/500 det. engine with 10 speed trans 3:90 rears would that be good for pulling a fltbed since most of your loads are heavy, Thanks

 

Not all flat bed loads are heavy. I don't normally load that heavy. One of my trucks has 454's with a CAT 445 hp and 10 speed. When I have pulled heavy loads with it I have plenty of power and average about 6.29 mpg.

 

I noticed you lived in Tn do you get some fairly good paying lds, I lived in Ms the northern part

 

Depending on the truck make you might consider going with a longer wheelbase. There are a lot of good paying flatbed loads out there that are over length and with a lil more hangover area at the front of the truck you will be able to haul some 60ft loads with less hangover on the back. Again though....it all depends on the make of truck. I would at least shoot for a 260-265in wheelbase to increase my loading capabilities.

 

If you can get this truck, then get it and go trucking. It has more than enough horses to haul whats out there legal. I pulled 51,000 beams 3-4 times /week with 425 Cat 1 million plus miles. Get a headache rack and dont use a headboard on trailer. Allows to legally haul longer beams, rebar, pipe/culvert.

 

I can usually get loads at around $2/mile. I have gotten a few at $3/mile. I have recently been offered rates as low as $1.30/mile. You should be able to get loads out of Memphis that pay decent. Do you pull a flat or van?

 

I'm not a Detroit fan, myself, but they do pull a lot of freight. 430/500 should have enough power, but 3:90 rear ratio is going to GOUGE your fuel economy. I have a 500 Cummins with 3:42 rears and have averaged more than 6 mpg. (Between 7 and 8 before they put in the software modification to reduce the NOx emissions) Many of my loads are 78,000 to 79,900 and I pull then with no problem at all. That's anywhere from NH to OR and WA. So, it's mountains as well as flat. I can't afford the fuel for 3:90s

 

Thanks Gman, Hamboner,Load It,and Windwalker ,Load It I already have the truck,presently pulling container out of memphis,tn I'm averaging about 6.4mpg depending on load. Container pay is .92cpm per mile plus fsc about .19cpm. That why I'm considering changing. Spoke with WTI out of Tuscaloosa,Al now offer training, pay is 70% of gross pulling their trl and 100%fsc.

 

If you want to pull a flat bed, CRST Malone is out of Birmingham. They pay percentage. You can do much better with them than you are doing pulling containers. Do you have a flat bed? They have freight coming out of the Memphis area. There is an agent who has freight about 70 miles from Memphis that pays fairly well. I assume from your post and rates that you are probably leased to someone. There are several carriers who pay percentage. You can usually do much better on percentage than mileage rates. I am able to do better because I run my own authority. They have freight out of Jackson. Those rates are fair, but not great. They are still better than you are now doing. Landstar and Mercer are percentage carriers as is Jones. I am sure you can do better with any of them than you are right now. You will go broke haulng for $0.92/mile. And you are only getting about 1/2 of what most are paying in a fsc. Good luck.

 

Those company you mention told me i need fltbed experience, WTI used to be Welborn out of Tuscaloosa Al now offer fltbed training as of August of this yr. Have only pull van ,been driving for 17 yrs. Thanks