That's the key right there. With the exception of occasionally having to drag my tarps around, I never worked that hard - I worked smart. I was concerned about phyiscal differences when I went through orientation, because while I consider myself stronger than many average women, flatbedding still requires a good bit of upper body strength. My load securement instructor proved to me that it wasn't about brute, it was all about brains.

I don't need a cheater pipe on my winch bar, I don't need a man to snug my straps. I have used help to get my tarps to the top of my load, but why work harder than I must? It's all in using your head to apply the right forces - if you use your tools, you don't have to rely on pure muscle.

Same thing applied when I was working as a mechanic on big trucks. Used to confuse some men when I pointed out that an impact wrench powered with air was much easier than trying to fight with a ratchet for large or overly tight bolts. Use your tools right, and the work is easy :wink:

 

As the other reply say flat bedding is about how to apply what you know. I am o/o I have a mack 460 vision. Works for me. I can now throw straps over a load that is taller than a dry van. Lets keep on doing what we do best ladies.
Ellie Mae

 

Actually there are alot of women flat-bedders. I just came off the road about 3 weeks ago, but I was a driver for 17 years. In those years I did quite a bit of flat-bedding and step-decking. I did it as a company driver and as an o/o. There is nothing as amusing as to see the face of the guys at a steel mill when they realize a woman is going to do their own tarping, strapping, chaining, etc. It cracked me up everytime.

 

Contradiction, me thinks?

lol

 

Hail to the females who take on such a career. I'm married to a truck driver. Although my husbands mother, (my mother in law) drove many , many years. She retired from TRISM (Joplin, MO) I have utmost respect for any female trucking professional.

 

personally, I prefer skateboards...................depending on the load I get a better rear view than I do with a van and I know properly secured my load won't go anywhere I don't want it to go........now some things that are hauled around in van trailers scare me more than freight on flatbeds/stepdecks.....in the van it's not always secured down and on a flat trailer it's for sure tied down if it's done right and that's the only way to do it Tarps and straps don't bother me, there are still places that we'll have to back up to and into for loading/unloading our freight I can tell at a glance generally if anyone's tried to 'borrow' part of a load and don't have to do the trailer door seals and padlocks and wonder what's inside because it's there for plain view and inspection during tarp and strap

 

ya there are a few.. when i started it was on flats and my trainer was female, about 5 foot 3.. she carried a 3 foot ladder and worked her tail off... butt dammit! she was good at what she did and a very good trainer.. spoke to her the other day since im trying to get back on flatbed after a 4 yr non OTR job.... and after 20 yrs of flatbed she gave it up and works for a co that hauls some flats but mostly van and reefer... said all the flatbed stuff killed her arms... so yup there are a few and at least one was very good at it.

 

I rode co-pilot with my husband who is a flatbed driver. He tought me how to drive pulling a flat bed. I never have pulled anything else and feel a little leery of pulling a dryvan now. The tarps can sometimes be a challenge if you can't get the fork lifters to load them on for ya or when their frozen stiff and don't want to roll up very easy. Those lumber tarps are heavy easily weighing 150 lbs. It's a blessing when you can use your steel tarps, they weigh a whole lot less. Doing the tarping it's self is'nt too bad. Making sure that your straps are tight,(which take some serious cranking) and that your bungies are holding down your tarps are the biggest thing. My husband and I have a rythem down when it comes to folding the tarps. It definitly can go alot faster with two doing it. One thing about it is it will sure build some muscle in your arms,just from pulling the bungees alone. I,m 45 yrs. old mid size and the other day one of my teenage sons had a struggle arm wrestling me.....LOL

 

I pull a flatbed for Prime. Inc.
37...getting old
Almost a 1 1/2...
any more questions?