Roehl Flatbed..
 

ok i'm a student in school and i'm looking at the flatbed divison for roehl.. i'm only 21 and i'm already excluded from big flatbed trucking companies i.e. TMC, Maverick, Cxpress, Melton (hire 21 but with atleast 3 months exp), Mcelroy, but i kinda of like Roehl, They pay a graduate well 32 cpm, not 26 to 29 cents a mile like other companies, i admit there tarp pay sucks, but i dont have much of a choice, so if anyone lives in the mid-atlantic area could you tell me what roehl flatbed drivers mainly haul and what's there freight lines?? and Phil Mccracken, Lebron, and Cold Frosty Mug, please keep your otr comments to your self and phil your disdain for roehl also.. i dont have much of a choice, if i could i would stay in Virginia and haul wood chips and lumber and be kissing different ladies other night but unfortunately i have to sacrifice a year of my life to get to that level...

I've searched all over the internet for roehl flatbed info and can't come up with much of anything myself. I am going to Gary, IN for orientation on monday.

I don't know if you visted their website, but here it is - www.goroehl.com

One thing I've found on these different trucker forums is that most info posted is from unhappy and or pissed off drivers, who got messed over by the company they were driving for. I really think that drivers who are at least satisfied, if not happy, with their present company don't post here too much at all.

They aren't looking for job info since they aren't quitting their present one, they are out working so don't have much time for being online, and maybe don't want to talk about the good deal they might have, thinking thaty if they do, more people will want the same.

So I'd read anything I could find on Roehl, just to get some sort of idea as to what they are like to drive for, and take all the info with a grain or 2 of salt.

Like you said, you have to start somewhere, and get that 1 year in.

Re: Roehl Flatbed..
 

You can't go wrong starting with Roehl. I only worked 3-months for Roehl I was slip seating in the 7-3/4 deal. If it wasn't for the slip seating I would have stayed with them.

Since then I found out that flatbedding is a good way to go. Get some time in the seat and become an expert in securement and you will eventually make the biggest money in the industry. When you start hauling oversize on a percent of the load basis the money becomes OUTSTANDING. Hauling shingles and lumber doesn't bring you the big bucks, but the experience is what counts.

Flatbedding has more upside than tanker. Van isn't even the same league.

Well, I'm not from your region but I'm on their national flatbed fleet. Mostly I haul various building materials (lumber, ceiling tiles, etc.), steel, some doors, some various bagged materials. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the flatbed fleet and I'll just say the paycheck's a lot better than it was on the farm.

I live in NW IL, am 21. Roehl recruiter that called was the most helpful out of them all (Schneider, Millis, etc.) Answered all of my questions to my satisfaction. Pay is pretty good for students. I believe the recruiter was trying to get me in their new reefer division, so I didn't get too many answers on flatbedding. I'd suggest filling out their app. on the website, and expect a call in a few days from a weird number. Thats probably them :P

On a side note, I did see 4 Roehl IH 9400's pulling some oversize-load (16 wheeler) trailers back up north on 294 about a week ago. Maybe they have a specialized division?

[quote="JTM22"]I live in NW IL, am 21. Roehl recruiter that called was the most helpful out of them all (Schneider, Millis, etc.) Answered all of my questions to my satisfaction. Pay is pretty good for students. I believe the recruiter was trying to get me in their new reefer division, so I didn't get too many answers on flatbedding. I'd suggest filling out their app. on the website, and expect a call in a few days from a weird number. Thats probably them :P

On a side note, I did see 4 Roehl IH 9400's pulling some oversize-load (16 wheeler) trailers back up north on 294 about a week ago. Maybe they have a specialized division?[/quote

They pull bridge girders with those setups. I don't think they have too many trucks in that fleet.

Ah, would explain the matched cornbinders and trailers.

I see them on I39 in Wisconsin all the time. About a month ago we were pulling 10,000 gallon stainless steel tanks to Columbus,Oh and we stopped for the night in Spiceland,IN and that night there were 6 of those Roehl trucks in the same truckstop and all had steel girders on. Those trucks aren't their usual fleet trucks though, with the smaller sleepers and the dual exhaust.

Are those the 100 feet plus loads with the little stick inside for steering the trailer tires? I was talking to one of the guys that hauled those a while back. He said he got so much extra per mile, and once you deliver, it's always a deadhead back to Wisconsin (paid). Personally, the extra pay didn't seem worth it to me. 18 wheels is enough. I was going up 94 or 43 and it looked like they had some of the bridge beams with a few police escorts. Looked like a parade, the OD trucks, the trucks that follow the OD trucks, and the state troopers.

Re: Roehl Flatbed..
 

You don't have to worry about some of those "names" responding. :wink:

Hawk, what part of VA are you from? I haven't seen very many of their flatbeds near I-95, in fact don't think I have seen one in 2 years. I see plenty of their vans though. I'm in the Fredericksburg area. They do have some good training from what I hear with the skid pad and stuff for new drivers.

The extra pay is worth it the extra responsibility. I pulled a 10'x60' tank to Chicago last week. Ran all interstate the whole way @50 mph and feel alot less stress than most guys. Actually got passed by the same TMC truck 3 times during that trip.

I like my job and I hate, it's the best job I ever had and the worst job I ever had, just depends on what day it is.. last week it was great, week before, not so much..

I have talked to a few Roehl drivers and they seemed to like it there

by the way, I thought Maverick offered training

Mr. ford i live in buckingham.. not far from you in matter of fact since it says your in orange.. but i have a job that i run up and down the richmond/petersburg turnpike every other day and it's very rare that you'll see one.. i seen one going into the truck stop at Exit 54 empty, midroof columbia, with a nice spread axle flat... but very rarely myself i have seen one.. but they said there are hiring out of my area for flatbed drivers...

Too bad you can't get on with TMC right now, they run pipe out of Lynchburg. See a lot of Maverick and TMC running up and down 29.

Where they pick up the black pipe is called Griffthen (sp) Pipe. I know Huss Inc. out of Chase City, VA use to pick up ALOT of pipe there when my dad use to drive for Huss before Huss sold their operations to Western Express which included their Chase City terimnal, Lynchburg terminal, and their Norfolk terminal and the one in Norfolk was all sheetrock for US Gypsum.

yeah trust me, if i was 23 TMC would of been the first place i would of applied too!! but yeah i know it sucks... just do my year with roehl, suck it up, and hopefully some local lumber or steel company has an opening..