Flatbed Or Dry Van

SAPA is a company that specializes metal working. They do a lot with aluminum extrusions. Knight operates a dedicated account. The trucks have SAPA on the doors. They are grey volvos . Because owning and operating trucks is expensive; instead of, operating their own fleet, they have a larger trucking company operate their trucks for them. So knight owns and operates trucks for SAPA. In exchange for a nice juicy contract, they provide, maintain, and operate trucks iaw the specifications of their customer. The customer's name is on the door. SAPA gets basically their own private fleet without all the expense and headache. Knight gets a steady contract. I am sure the only way SAPA can offer their loads out to other carriers is only when knight can not fulfill hauling of that load.

A similar but not exactly the same situation would be the trucking company I was looking into for a bit. The company is MCK Trucking. Their trucks have Custom Assembly on the trucks. The difference here is that they are sister companies. It is a separation of the trucking side and the manufacturing sides of the overall business. Both are owned by the same people.

There is a flatbed steel hauling operation out of buffalo new York called Ficel Transportation you can find them on YouTube and there website. They run a heavy hauly operation using trains and multi axle sleds. I believe if you already have a cdl they will train you on the flatbed stuff. I don't work there but I have talked to a lot of people that do and have not heard much negative about them.

They run a heavy hauly operation using trains and multi axle sleds. I believe if you already have a cdl they will train you on the flatbed stuff.

Hey Jeffry T, I'm not so sure I'd recommend a total greenhorn to start out in a heavy haul trucking job. Let's try to help him get his feet under him a little before we throw him into the deep water. I know it's been done before. Our friend Pat did it that way. As a community of truckers who are committed to helping newbies make a good start at this, I cant see this as a very good recommendation for Vinnie to consider.

I agree with you Old School, I would eventually move into heavy haul but that's only when I get enough experience. Jeffrey T, Thank you for your info.

Talked with TMC recruiter today to ask about the hiring States for company CDL training and it's yes for Buffalo NY 👍 So I told him I would definitely be applying in couple months. I have some affairs to get in order that's why couple months.

I started training with a flatbed company the week after getting my license. I was hired for their heavy division and had six weeks of training before being sent out on my own. I am glad I chose flatbed so far, I get a bit of fresh air and exercise every day rain or shine lol. I'm still not sure if I can do the job in bad weather, throwing straps and pulling tarps is hard work in the rain and the thought of winter has me worried. Safe work practices are a must with this job, plenty of ways to get hurt.

Ok so I thought long and hard about what company I want to start with and my top choice was TMC. Woke up today and now im thinking Prime. Why? First off TMC is Flatbed only and what if I don't like flatbed or get hurt, im screwed. So while I think TMC is a great company I think it's not the way to start as a total greenhorn. Now Prime on the other hand has all types of freight and I can try out different ones to see what I feel most comfortable with. Also prime pays the most while training otr. Now I a new question, What do I start with at prime? I'll be ready to go in couple months and it will be dead of winter, is that good or bad timing? Im use to driving in snow but not no 18 wheeler! So flatbed may have to go second in starting out, what do guys or gals think? Thanks for your help.

Well after lots of thinking last night im actually now considering Prime. TMC still has my vote for Flatbed company but I got to thinking (I do that sometimes) TMC IS FLATBED ONLY!.. I'll be starting out in dead of winter and the chances of me getting injured will be greater doing flatbed. If that happens im done before I even started. So I thought about other companies that still have flatbed but also other freight and top of list is prime. The training and pay is better than most so im now looking at them. What you guys (or gals) think. Thanks.

I have no problem with your thinking Bulldozer. If you're not pretty darn sure you want to run flatbed you might be better off starting with refrigerated or dry van and changing over later on.

And you're right about wintertime. Flatbedders are hardcore people as it is. You have to be really, really hardcore to do it in the wintertime.

The other thing to consider between those two companies is home time. Prime Inc isn't going to get you home more than a few days a month. TMC Transport will get you home every weekend.

As far as getting your career started in the winter, we've had that conversation here before a few times but we've never come to a solid conclusion about it. Some people think it's better to have a trainer with them in the winter to show them how it's done. Others feel it's better to start out in the spring and get a bunch of miles under your belt in nice weather and learn how to handle the rig before hitting the snow.

But you're used to driving in the snow so you get the basic principles, anyhow. There are some tricks specific to driving a rig that you need to know to be safer in the snow but you'll learn them regardless of when you get started in trucking.

I'd say if you're comfortable starting out in the wintertime then go for it. In my opinion it's a personal preference.

Not true anymore, Knight just aquired a flatbed company and are in the process of taking over those contracts. It is still very very few trucks, but I just got back from Phoenix and saw several Knight trucks pulling nice bright and shiny new flatbeds.

Don't let old school fool ya. Knight don't have flatbeds. He works for SAPA. He just says he works for Knight to make everyone think he works for a big company. Just go up to a Knight terminal and ask the gate guard if they have flatbed drivers, lol. That is why they don't let Old School thru the gate.

Btw, I am just picking on old school. He does actually work for Knight. (Sort of)