Van v/s Flatbed

[Maple]

I am currently attending Truck Driver school in Cincinnati Ohio and I get to speak with a lot of recruiters. Most are promoting Flatbed to make more money. Is this true or is it bait and switch? Pays more but you get fewer loads due to tarping and averaging out the same as a dry van with no touch. Or is it as they describe and you can make as much as 10K more a year just doing Flatbed.

[TJGoSurf]

10K? HA! Flatbed pays just the same, only its more work. Some people do it and love it, others like myself didn't understand the point.

[Bullwinkle]

With flatbed, you get "tarp pay". Outside of that, the money is basically the same. For me, the "tarp pay" isn't worth it.

[jrwork69]

Agree, tarp pay is not worth the time. But most flat bedders are not fat asses, like drop and hook. My advise is get some experience then look for local fuel work, hazmat pays better and you sleep with who you sleep with

[boone315]

I think flatbedders are a better class of people in general(sorry for offending anybody) but most flatbedders I know are more willing to help others, are a lot friendlier and can out lie any other type of driver in the industry

[greybeard]

With flatbed, you get "tarp pay". Outside of that, the money is basically the same. For me, the "tarp pay" isn't worth it.

And, you will usually have to demand it on each and every load, because they wont give it to you automatically.

[greybeard]

I think flatbedders are a better class of people in general(sorry for offending anybody) but most flatbedders I know are more willing to help others, are a lot friendlier and can out lie any other type of driver in the industry

Agreed!
I drove a skateboard for years, and flatbed drivers help each other exactly because its more difficult, and physically demanding than driving Van. Whereas a typical Van driver is a fat and angry person, who would drive right on by you if you broke down. ( A lot of them anyway )

[boone315]

I love it when a broker says it is $50 tarp pay and you find out, the broker got paid $100 for the additional tarp pay, apparently they deserve that $50 for being in a position to screw the driver out of the money

[boone315]

Agreed!
I drove a skateboard for years, and flatbed drivers help each other exactly because its more difficult, and physically demanding than driving Van. Whereas a typical Van driver is a fat and angry person, who would drive right on by you if you broke down. ( A lot of them anyway )

For example, I was out in East Chicago when a driver got hurt, the other drivers actually chained, tarped his load and secured his his truck for him.
At a grocery wharehouse, a driver could lay dieing in the middle of the lot and the other drivers would just drive around him

[greybeard]

You got that right Boone!