Discover what it is to be a Flatbed Truck Driver
The majority of loads truckers haul can easily be transported by tractor-trailers. However, many companies produce goods that cannot be transported by traditional means, due to their size or shape. When this happens, companies turn to flatbed truck drivers.Flatbed trucks have goods that are tied down to the truck, allowing them to be transported and delivered safely. If you’ve gotten some experience in the trucking field and you’re ready to take on a new challenge, consider becoming a flatbed truck driver. You can see openings right here on our site.
Like other truck driving jobs, flatbed trucking requires you to have a commercial driver’s license. Due to the weight of goods transported via flatbed, you likely need a Class A driver’s license to drive a flatbed truck in your state. In addition, you may need to earn additional endorsements as required by your employer. This job does involve a bit more responsibility than other types of truck driving jobs. As a result, many employers prefer to hire drivers that have some experience in the trucking industry. However, even if you’re new to truck driving, it’s worth checking out the job listings below to see if a flatbed job may be right for you.
When you begin your shift as a flatbed driver, you may either load goods directly from your truck site or drive to a customer’s location. When you have located the goods that need to be moved, you must load them in a specific way on your flatbed. From there, you use industry-approved ties and restraints to secure the items to your truck. This must be done in a specific way to keep items from falling off the truck while on the road, both for the customer’s sake and for the safety of others on the road.
Before you begin driving for the day, you may test your restraints and your load in several ways. This allows you to test the strength of your restraints and ensure that you can safely make your trip. You then transport your load to your final location. Typically, flatbed drivers must unload their own trucks, so loading and unloading may take up a substantial part of your day. Due to this requirement, flatbed jobs are often much more physically demanding than other types of trucking jobs.
Are you interested in starting your trucking career? Maybe you’ve always dreamed of the open road or have just started thinking about making the move to trucking. Either way, we have the best opportunities for both long-haul and short-trip trucking. We know how to get you started on the right path and have a wide variety of resources available to you.