Comparing Trucks driving Jobs...

by Minus...
(Philly...)

Can you compare the pros and cons about Dry Van and Flatbed?...

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Jan 07, 2009
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Hauling Flatbed VS Pulling a Dry Van
by: jimmy

i loved flat bed when i did it. the difference between the consignees is like night and day. BUT you cannot load just anything on a flatbed whereas you can load most anything in a van. then there's the load securement that must be done whereas in a van you simply pull up, close the doors and your gone.

Oh yeah, chaining/tarping a load is on you. They may pay a minimal amount to tarp. If it's raining/snowing you will do the deed inside a bldg. If it's just windy and cold you'll be outside dealing with it and wishing you were pulling a van. or roasting your fanny off in Tennessee in July tarping at high noon. can you say SWEAT? i always liked it when i unloaded somewhere,was really funky, went to get a shower, then was dispatched a load and had to get dirty all over again......trucking, you gotta love it! jimmy

Jul 30, 2008
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Get that flatbed money man
by: The Crazy Trucker

What's happening Minus,

If I were you, I would go straight into flatbed.

The transition to dry van from flat bed is a lot easier than flat bed to dry van. If you decide you want to leave flat bed and go to dry van you won't have a problem.

Even having to back to a dock won't be a problem. Just because you have a flat bet doesn't mean that you are not allowed to back up. You just won't be required to a whole lot to get loaded.

What you can do is practice backing into a parking space at the far end of a truck stop whenever you go there for a break, free time, or layover.

It will be a little different with a shorter trailer and perhaps a spread axle if you have one.
However, once you get the principle down pretty good (backing with a tractor and trailer) the adjustments for judgment with a longer trailer and a normal trailer tandem won't take you long at all.

The flat bed is where the much better money is, as long as you don't mind the extra work man. Go for it straight out of school.

And thanks for contributing your opinions on the site man. Keep in touch.

The Crazy Trucker

Jul 23, 2008
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Best To Start On?...
by: MiNuS...

Well I think I would want to have my career in flatbed...but i'm not sure if I want to go to a dry van company first until I get use to driving and bumping docks then come to flatbed...because if I ever need a job then it's more easy to find dry van then flatbed...so I atleast want to know how to dry it...what you think?...start on dry van or just go right to flatbed out of school?...

Jul 21, 2008
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The biggest differences between flat bed and dry van jobs
by: The Crazy Trucker

Whats happening Minus,

Well first of all flat bed is more work so they get paid more.

SOME DISADVANTAGES OF HAULING WITH A FLATBED

-You have to tarp the load sometimes, this can be unpleasant in bad weather.

-I supposed there is an extra element of the possibility of getting hurt too. You have to climb on top of that tarp sometimes in bad weather, it slippery and your over 10 feet off the ground.

-There are some areas with a flatbed you don't want to go because getting loaded out of takes so long (I don't really know those places, I'vd heard the flat bedders complain about it)

SOME ADVANTAGES OF HAULING WITH A FLATBED ARE

-Higher pay.

-Sometimes you can get loaded or unload faster.
Most of the time you don't back to a dock. Your loaded from the side.

THERE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES I AM SURE BUT I NEVER HAULED FLATBED SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS I AM AWARE I'LL GET SOME ELSE TO COMMENT LATER.

DRY VANS ADVANTAGES OVER FLAT BED

-You don't have to tarp load in inclement weather.
-You don't have as many areas thats hard to get loaded out of.
-Its less work for the most part

DRY VANS DISADVANTAGES TO FLATBEDS.

-Get paid less.
-You will have to physically unload at sometime
-You will almost always have to back to a dock

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