Flatbed drivers should be paid like $2.00 per mile

[Big Lare]

I think flatbed drivers should be paid like $2.00 per mile for the amount of work they do. My brother works for Swift, he makes $.26 cpm, and the only other pay he gets is $23 for tarping, that is total crap pay, for busting yer a**. I have only had the pleasure of helping him tarp in the winter (in AZ winter is 70 degrees) I dont even want to think about how it is going to feel having to tarp lumber that is already wrapped in plastic wrap in 120 degree weather. and yea i KNOW, "but its a dry heat" dry or not, 120 degrees plus, will cook your brain in one hour. you need to drink water constantly or you will die!!! Bottom line, flatbed drivers deserve so much more pay, that is such BS that they only get one cent more per mile than van, and dont get paid for strapping the load. Thank you 4 listening.

[Big Pete]

I think flatbed drivers should be paid like $2.00 per mile for the amount of work they do. My brother works for Swift, he makes $.26 cpm, and the only other pay he gets is $23 for tarping, that is total crap pay, for busting yer a**. I have only had the pleasure of helping him tarp in the winter (in AZ winter is 70 degrees) I dont even want to think about how it is going to feel having to tarp lumber that is already wrapped in plastic wrap in 120 degree weather. Oh and yea i KNOW, "but its a dry heat" dry or not, 120 plus, will cook your brain in one hour. you need to drink water constantly or you will die!!! Bottom line, flatbed drivers deserve so much more pay, that is such BS that they only get one cent more per mile, and dont get paid for strapping the load. Thank you 4 listening.


Someday I will be a driver, but not until I retire from my state job that pays 44k plus per yr, still have 18 more yrs to retire tho and by then i will be making about 70k per yr (Indian casino gaming business in AZ), not sure if i can wait that long to start my truck driving career, until then Im gonna have to settle for a dispatcher job on the weekends, if any co will hire me for that, if not then my Truck Sim games will have to sufice.

Actually flatbedding is one of the easiest jobs I had, besides pulling tanker...( which I miss really bad)..Much less headache then pulling a box or reefer, IMO...I rather do more physical work, then have to put up with the BS of Grocery warehouses, and rent a cops, in guard shacks, with attitudes....I would rather tarp a load in a 40 mile an hour wind, and rainstorm, then put up with that crap...

[Big_Dave]

Actually flatbedding is one of the easiest jobs I had, besides pulling tanker...( which I miss really bad)..Much less headache then pulling a box or reefer, IMO...I rather do more physical work, then have to put up with the BS of Grocery warehouses, and rent a cops, in guard shacks, with attitudes....I would rather tarp a load in a 40 mile an hour wind, and rainstorm, then put up with that crap...
Trust me, it gets old real fast. :wtf:

Don't think I'd wanna tarp in a 40 mph wind and rainstorm though. :wow: A friend of mine, Skid Row Joe, hurt himself pretty bad tarping in the wind when it took him and the tarp off the trailer. :wow:

He no longer trucks.

[Big Pete]

Actually flatbedding is one of the easiest jobs I had, besides pulling tanker...( which I miss really bad)..Much less headache then pulling a box or reefer, IMO...I rather do more physical work, then have to put up with the BS of Grocery warehouses, and rent a cops, in guard shacks, with attitudes....I would rather tarp a load in a 40 mile an hour wind, and rainstorm, then put up with that crap...
Trust me, it gets old real fast. :wtf:

Don't think I'd wanna tarp in a 40 mph wind and rainstorm though. :wow: A friend of mine, Skid Row Joe, hurt himself pretty bad tarping in the wind when it took him and the tarp off the trailer. :wow:

He no longer trucks.

Yea..i know...I wouldnt do it under those dangerous conditions either, I was just exagerating to make a point....Yes ..flatbedding can be dangerous, if you are not paying attention...Good training is a must....

Like with anything else, learning, and applying what you have learned, there should be no problems......

[Big_Dave]

Yea..i know...I wouldnt do it under those dangerous conditions either, I was just exagerating to make a point....Yes ..flatbedding can be dangerous, if you are not paying attention...Good training is a must....

Like with anything else, learning, and applying what you have learned, there should be no problems......
You're 100% right. But of course, we all know THAT don't always happen. :wtf: ;)

[Big Pete]

Yea..i know...I wouldnt do it under those dangerous conditions either, I was just exagerating to make a point....Yes ..flatbedding can be dangerous, if you are not paying attention...Good training is a must....

Like with anything else, learning, and applying what you have learned, there should be no problems......
You're 100% right. But of course, we all know THAT don't always happen. :wtf: ;)

:rofl: ...Yea I do some stupid stunts sometimes...Involving a ladder.....reminds me, to tell PK, not to get into this line of work.. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Lonleyboy515]

Idon't have to tarp my loads. Ihave a roll tight trailer we just walk it back lock it & go.

[Big Pete]

Idon't have to tarp my loads. Ihave a roll tight trailer we just walk it back lock it & go.

I've seen those...How is it in the winter time...do the rollers get frozen, and cant move them, or as long as you keep them lubricated, there are no problems?....

i thought about setting one up on my trailer, but sometimes my load sticks up a little over 13'6.. :yikes:
Can you drive with them things pulled forward or back?

[Big_Dave]

Can you drive with them things pulled forward or back?
I asked a rep at MATS a couple years ago if you could run down the road with them 'pulled forward' (say you had a slightly OD load on). He said "No". When I asked why not, he stated that the 'bows' would stick up about a foot and a half over what they do when the thing is pulled back and secured.

So that tells me that it'd be about 15' high if you took off with it rolled forward. :yikes:

[Big Lare]

I have never been on with a van driver, only flatbed, but for us hefty types, flatbed seems like cheap labor, and i know cheap labor, My parents are imigrants and taught me the way they worked when they got here from Mexico. Said "if you dont finish school, you will end up doing this for the rest of your life" guess what we finished school and college. Any who way off subject. Flatbed drivers deserve more than 26 cents p mile while van driver get paid 25. And only $23 for tarping. iguess thats what you have to do when u are staring off eh? Hey thanks for the replies guys, I LOVE THIS SITE!!!!! We in Raton, NM its freesin up here and headed to Trinidad, NM and Lamar 2 morrow. Then fuel up at Swift yard in Pueblo. Later on guys. :type:

[Preacher]

Actually flatbedding is one of the easiest jobs I had, besides pulling tanker...( which I miss really bad)..Much less headache then pulling a box or reefer, IMO...I rather do more physical work, then have to put up with the BS of Grocery warehouses, and rent a cops, in guard shacks, with attitudes....I would rather tarp a load in a 40 mile an hour wind, and rainstorm, then put up with that crap...

I just gave your info to the Swift recruiter. He said you should be real happy with .26 per mi. and splitting the tarp pay with them. :yikes: :rofl:

All kidding aside, it's no wonder that Swift had record profits last year! They should be paying their flatbed drivers at least .36 per mile to start and $50 tarp pay. but then again, that's Swift for ya. They'll do anything they can to rip-off the driver in order to put money in the pockets of the ones wearing the suits!

Flatbedding is not easy and it can be very dangerous. It takes some engineering skills just to strap some of the loads I get. Oh, did I mention how dirty ya get?

[Lonleyboy515]

Big Pete we don't have any problems with them in winter, you just make sure you keep the dirt & crap out of track. The ice & snow just slides off. It sure beats having to climb up on top of the load to tarp it. Oh & i might add you stay a lot cleaner. lol

[Big Pete]

I just gave your info to the Swift recruiter. He said you should be real happy with .26 per mi. and splitting the tarp pay with them.

Thanks Preacher... :cheers:


Flatbedding is not easy and it can be very dangerous

That must explain, why I get less tired now, then ever before...
Waiting in line at a grocery warehouse, and having no idea, when they are going to get you a door, and then dealing with, all the other BS that goes along with it, its a lot more tiring then any thing I've ever done with a flatbed..

Its only dangerous, if you're not paying attention, and dont know what you're doing....other then that ,it aint anymore dangerous then anything else....

[Jimbo]

Has your brother ever had to take a drug test?

He must have been smoking a little lump of some white/gray material in a little glass pipe to agree to drive a truck for $0.26 a mile. I know that you have to start somewhere, but heck, I was making 26.5 cents a mile 20 years ago.

[Bryan]

I may be wrong but i think they trained him and all that but still ur statement was funny Jimbo :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Jimbo]

Just kidding with you. I just hate to see guys work so hard for so little.