flatbed transportation carriersThe flatbed hauling industry has been struggling with the same problem for several years: there is a lot of work available and not enough truck drivers to do it. Flatbed trucking is extremely hard work, even more so than other types of freight hauling This makes it difficult for trucking companies to attract and retain workers. If you are looking for a job with long-term security, exponential growth potential and an abundance of opportunities to choose from, consider flatbed trucking jobs.

What the Work is Like

Flatbed trucks transport everything from other trucks to prefabricated houses. Put simply, they are responsible for hauling anything and everything that may be too big for other trucks to transport. Flatbed hauling typically also involves more than just driving.

Many workers play an active role in the loading and unloading of the truck. This is a difference from no touch freight hauled by other truck drivers, who may only drive for 14 hours per day. It does, however, mean that this job is best for people who are more agile and therefore suited to the lifting and crawling involved.

The Advantages

If this sounds like the kind of work you would be well suited for, read on to learn more about the various advantages you can look forward to:

flatbed trucking

  • Better Pay: Flatbed truckers typically bring home a higher salary than dry van haulers. Also, remember that the money doesn’t have to be earned entirely on the road. Many flatbed truck drivers earn money from supervising the loading process, setting tarps and other related activities.
  • Better Variety: Traveling across America is a beautiful sight, but the same route can only be so beautiful for so long. After a while, you may long for a change of scenery or just to go home. Flatbed truck drivers typically get the widest variety of loads to haul, from military equipment to luxury vehicles. This tends to translate into a variety of clients and routes as well.
  • Better Health: According to Mayo Clinic, sitting is the new smoking. In other words, sedentary work is now leading to life-threatening complications at basically the same rate as smoking. This job requires manual labor and moving around. As long as you follow safety guidelines, it may help to ensure a longer and healthier life than your other trucking colleagues.

The Dangers of the Job

Before you get started in a flatbed trucking career, it is important to ensure you have a full understanding of what you’re getting yourself into. Loading and securing the truck can of course be a dangerous activity, but if the truck is not properly loaded, dangers could persist after the fact. When loads shift, this upsets the balance of the truck, making it difficult to control on the road. This poses a threat to not just yourself but other drivers.

The dangers associated with this type of work further translates into the need to meet rigorous inspections and strict regulations at various levels of government. Still, as you may already know, the more inconvenience you face in the trucking industry, the higher your pay rate usually is.

How To Find Flatbed Trucking Jobs

Once you looking for flatbed work, you can count on call after call, especially if you are an experienced flatbedder with a proven safety record. However, as with any job, the carriers who call the most are not always the ones who offer the best opportunities. For this reason, it is better to search for an employer who can provide you with the base salary, bonuses, commissions and perks that best suit your preferences.

It is important to note that new and experienced drivers may not receive the same opportunities. Employers will always prefer more experienced drivers. Even so, the trucking industry is hungry for new workers and novices often quickly get promoted to better jobs.

While the process of choosing a trucking company that can meet your personal and financial goals is very individualized, we have listed a few of the top freight haulers that offer flatbed trucking jobs.

Truck driving jobs at Roehl Transport consist of national, regional, dedicated and local run in their flatbed, dry van, refrigerated or curtainside divisions. Top pay certified by the National Transportation Institute, Roehl offers pay accelerators, consistent runs, miles and weekend home time for most of its flatbed truck jobs.

Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Paul Transportation offers truck drivers a choice of regional, dedicated, local, or OTR flatbed driving jobs.

Koch Trucking, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is now hiring for all of its divisions, including flatbed, dedicated, local, OTR, specialized, and marine. No matter what qualifications you have as a truck driver, you are sure to find a fit with Koch. Flatbedders will be happy to hear that 98% of Koch hauls are load-ready. If you do need to stop or tarp, you’ll be paid for it. With less time loading, chaining and tarping, you can focus on the road, making money and averaging 2,400 miles per week.

Ready to Get Started?

Even though new truck drivers may work their way up the ladder very quickly, many do not initially have the tools they need to find the best opportunities. CDLjobs.com helps to provide a large pool of trucking jobs from which to choose.

More experienced drivers who may be looking for a change find our site is an efficient way to explore different trucking jobs. Whatever your starting point when you begin your job search, you will appreciate that the service is absolutely free.

Our website allows you to pinpoint the jobs you want using key features, such as specific companies, trailer types, driver types and even the states in which the companies operate. So, what are you waiting for? Get started today by filling out our truck driving job application.

Trucking Jobs | CDLjobs.com

Authored By:

Kate Williams

CDLjobs.com has been a leader in the trucking industry since 1999, connecting truck drivers with companies hiring drivers. Kate Williams is the company EVP and CFO with over 30 years experience in finance.