Flatbed Training
 

This might be in the wrong forum but here goes. I am thinking about pulling flatbed (20 yrs pulling van).
I was curious to know if their any flatbed training tape one could get to study for cargo securement just to get some knowledge before I pursuit this or freight pickup. I know some companies offer training, since thing are slow would just like to do some research on my own.

Thanks in Advance

Check out Safety And Regulatory Compliance, DOT And OSHA Workplace Safety Regulations - J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

They may have something that would help you out. BOL

You may check with some of the truck stops to see if they have a handbook that explains how to properly secure loads.

Honestly you'll be fine. I just started doing deck a month ago, and had no training at all basically. Just picked up the book and realized it's mostly common sense.

Just get someone to show you how to do straps and chains. Don't forget to tie up the chain binders.

It's mostly common sense but remember what's in the book is the minimum required by law. That doesn't mean it's safe.

Whenever I go to a shipper and I'm unsure about something, I'll ask the forklift driver or another drive to assist. Not once have they given me a hard time about it! Every single time they're happy as hell to assist. Just remember to tell them "tell me what to do, but let me do it!" Otherwise they're bound to do everything.

JJ Keller has a book called Cargo Securement. I got it at a TA for about $6. I just noticed on the back cover you can order a video too. The # is 1-800-327-6868 or go to the website.

When i started with Western Express last year I had only pulled Van, They only did a 4 hour load securment class which was a complete waste of time considering there was about 10 of us out there trying to take turns learning the stuff so basicly when I got my truck and my first load i went into it with nothing but some common sense from watching other drivers go down the road over the years and a few things i have learned from reading on here and I did just fine, some days it took longer than others to figure stuff out and i made a lot of trial and error mistakes but it came to me pretty fast and I always over secured and double checked and came out just fine. One thing i did learn is that in general, other flatbed drivers are a lot easier to get help and advice from whenever you need something as compared to van drivers. Alot of flat bedders seem to take pride in their skills and like to show off their own personal tricks whenever they get the chance so it didnt take me long to figure out that my best learning tool out there was other flat bed drivers. Dont be afraid to ask questions and ask for help when its available and you will learn a lot pretty quick.

I know what you mean about finding something that would amount to a "collection of wisdom" on the topic of load securement.
Recently, I had the chance to take an up close and personal look at the world of flatbedding, and could tell that common sense really does play a huge part in it, but that there really are "tricks of the trade" that one would do well learning well and early!
Good luck with your search for higher learning, and with finding that "Flatbed Bible"!
Jewels

if pulling flat you will have to learn more than just securment. if for axample you haul steel coils, you have to know where to put the coils so your not over weight on any axle. plus there are laws on the type & grade of chains used, they way they are used, as in loaded shotgun or eye to the side. if hauling lumber, boards can slide slowly off the back when driving. books may not teach you some of these things.

You'll find a much better ratio of "drivers" to "A-holes" in flatbed. Very often, if you ask, you'll get a REAL answer that you can live with. Don't be surprised if another driver volunteers to help you roll up your tarps too. It does happen. I've had them come over and help me tarp a load too. Of course, I did the same thing for others as well. Entirely different attitude from van or reefer. And, it goes beyond that...

Some years ago, there were several miles of us stuck in snow, west of Omaha, NE. I was several trucks back from the first one, and worked with him to get his trailer unstuck from in the median. (No, he was not the brightest bulb in the box.) After getting him moving, others came along to help the rest get started. We slid abandoned 4-wheelers off to the side, and cleared snow and ice from in front of the drives of trucks to get them moving. The van drivers would help when it was their truck, but the reefer drivers stayed in their trucks and simply drove off. The guys doing the work? Flatbed drivers with bars, chains, and shovels did the majority of work... Except for a bus load of cheerleaders that thought it was fantastic to help all the trucks get going.

And, the reefer drivers... If there had been a way for us to get around them and go, we'd have left them sit.

I would like to say thanks to everyone , for the info. Went to JJ Keller website and purchased the book Cargo Securement for $7.25.

Thx Again

Vontrial

I've done flatbed work for awhile and never had any official training. Learned some stuff from the bossman. Like others said, most places that you pick up will tell you how they want it done or how others do it. I would ask other drivers sometimes and honestly let them know I was new at flatbedding, and you know, not one ever refused to offer advise. I also would always look at other loads going down the road and at truck stops to see how the drivers secured their load. That JJ Keller book is good because it will tell you the rules as far as the amount of straps or chains needed per weight or length of load. Of course the wisest thing I ever heard was you can't have enough straps or chains. Always better safe than sorry.

don't do coils. don't do pipe. duct tape exhaust on all turbo charged vehicles. now you're good to go.

be carefull when hauling coils i front would x chains then put 1 on each side hauling them suiside would chain middle side to side if hauling lumber block each end up so that the middle is lower than back and front.always keep coils off floor let them rest in coil racks. if you haul plates or sheets block on top to give the cain binders more slack use coil guards watch loose ends they cut things always tarp bricks the fall apart keeps them from falling on cars when going down road.

the only bad thing that happened in my 6 years of flatbed was i had 2, 45 foot alluminum trusses. the load was preloaded and the loader only put 2 peices of wood under the entire truss, and they were more to the center of the load. This causes the outsides of the truss to kinda rebound over every bump. i had about 10 straps on it, it wound up eatting thru a few of them and they snapped.i didnt have any spare straps. luckly i was only like 20 mins away and got the load off. i shoulda had a forklift guy raise it real quick to slide a few more peice of wood under there so it wouldnt rebound like it did. and i shoulda put some edge protectors on there. live n learn. all i can say is flatbed sucks in the winter. we had a guy slip off the top of the load a week ago and broke some bones

hi i would like to know if this book is good and if you can learn a lot
thanks

The best book, by far, is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Pocketbook.

Read 393.100 through 393.136. In the edition I have this is pages 569 through 602. Read it often. If you do read it, you will some of the advice given in this thread is good, and some is illegal.