Profile For Retired supertrucker

Newly minted drivers are actually preferred by big companies because you have a clean DAC and your insurance is cheaper than drivers with experience. Sounds bizarre, but welcome to trucking. Dont let these companies con you into thinking you are worth less than you think. As a new driver, the ball is in your court for that very reason.

Everyone will take you. For South Carolina though, good jobs are hard to find. I used to live in myrtle beach so I know that drill. The freight sucks there so they pay drivers less than they pay drivers in the steel belt. I did have a pretty sweet gig in Charleston where i pulled dedicated to Louisville and back. If you live over by spartanburg, the opportunities are even better.

Hi,

I have a very choppy job history for a host of reasons (smart ass replies not welcomed). I just finished my cdl in a community college in South Carolina, have a crystal clean driving record, great credit history, and completely clean criminal record.

Are there any companies that would take me? As for local OTR gigs, I'm just not that excited about living with a some dude is a box for 5 &1/2 days a week.

Advise? Thank you...

Also, forgive my tarping tips spam, but occasionally we see trucks going down the road with a tarp that looks like a balloon. The top trick to have the tightest tarp everytime is how tight the top is stretched out. I personally only used my method mentioned above because im a speed guy, but i had a driver who used a rope on the top D rings to stretch the top. It took him forever to tarp, but I was afraid he'd be poached by tmc to teach newbies how to tarp lol. If your tarp is straight, and the top has no wrinkles in it and tight, your tarp will never flap even if the wind is 65mph gusts.

Also, i owned the company so i guess i made my own rules haha. I enjoyed this method because if I took my 10 in their lot, i could unstrap during my break then roll into their yard. Also, the tarp was still protecting the products which is priority 1 imo. Once they opened the gate, I'd pull in and have tarps off in 5 minutes and HELP them with dunnage while rolling tarps. I've noticed with my experience that when i helped them with the dunnage, often times the other lift drivers will come over and help because they dont have to leave the seat. I know most people dread menards loads because of the wait. I got to the point where they'd recognize me when i came in and id drive around everyone in line because they knew id be out helping and fast. Just be real cool with them and they may even help with tarps. There you have it fellas, the 15 minute logged unload. In flatbedding, the early bird gets the worm. If you are not first in line everyday, your week is already screwed up from day one.

You can see exactly where your straps are placed by positioning the spools where you want them before rolling out the tarp. While i dont necessarily think this method should be used with every commodity, it is great for loads requiring 8 foot drops, shingles, and onions. Steel products should never be secured this way because of the high likelihood of tarp damage.

I wouldn’t go with TMC though because they spend way to much time in the bay doing their tarps and bungies on paper rolls when they could have easily pulled out and finished out the way. TMC needs to train a little more on common curtesy.

So you just stereotype all TMC drivers into one group because of a bad experience you may have had? C'mon man, that's ridiculous. I've seen scores of TMC drivers who are just as courteous as the next guy.

The biggest way to increase speed that noone ever seems to do is to tarp "square" by securing the back flap first, then pulling tarp tight to center of the trailer while ignoring the bungies in between. Then repeat with the front tarp. Then throw straps OVER the tarp and tighten from front to back.

This may have worked for you, but personally I don't agree with that method.

First, I like to see exactly where my straps are being place on a load instead of blindly throwing them after the tarp is on.

Second, once at the receiver I can pull my tarps without having to completely unsecure the load. This lets me shave off a lot of time while manuevering through the yard and waiting to get unloaded.

Third, my company and a lot of others require loads to be strapped before tarps are put on.

Bree, like the others have said, repetition and practice are truly the keys to increasing your speed and productivity. In time you will come up with your own methods that work for you.

Hello, im a former flatbed o/o. The biggest way to increase speed that noone ever seems to do is to tarp "square" by securing the back flap first, then pulling tarp tight to center of the trailer while ignoring the bungies in between. Then repeat with the front tarp. Then throw straps OVER the tarp and tighten from front to back. This will tighten the tarp as well. With practice, you will soon be able to tarp and strap a load in less than 30 minutes.

I have been been reading a lot of great things on here to help rookie drivers like myself and it’s appreciated! Are there any tips for flatbed drivers (securing faster, learning how to secure different loads, backing, etc)?