Flatbed Agility Test, What Does It Entail?

I was talking to a driver for a local trucking company about openings and he told me that they are looking for rookie flatbed drivers and that they had to pass an agility test, what is it? Do you just need to be able to wrestle tarps and chains and be able to climb around the trailer?

They just want to make sure that you can perform the physical activities that the job demands. They want to make sure you can handle the tarps, chains, and all that good stuff. They don't want you to climb all over the place because that's dangerous and you can easily slip and get injured.

Kind of like a DOT physical. I wouldn't worry about it. Starcar, our Mother Hen of flatbed, should be in tonight to tell you more.

Sid, welcome to the forum! There's really not a lot to those agility tests, and to be honest they are different from company to company. Just about anybody can pass them. They might be something like standing on one foot for 20 seconds, or climb up and down a small ladder, or climb up onto the trailer from the back end where the bumper is - stuff like that. The hardest thing for most people is picking up a tarp and setting it on your shoulder. Our tarps are about 130 pounds, but once you get the technique down it's not too bad man-handling them. Part or our agility test was to get a rolled up tarp up off the pavement and onto the trailer, then pull it off and do it again. They didn't care how we did it, just as long as we got it done. Some people could only get up on the tire and then pivoted it the rest of the way up, and that was acceptable to the testers.

I love flat-bed work, if you think you might be interested I say go for it!

I think it was Schneider's web page that shows a video of their agility test if you want to check it out. It's very similar to the one my Roehl recruiter sent to me.

Test ??? what test ???? I was an Owner Operator.....we either did it, or didn't get paid....lol I'm aware that some companies do have the agility tests, but as Old School sez, they are really all about SAFETY.....so be sure and watch for trick questions....or if they ask you to do something that isn't safe...like getup on top of a coil...never never never do that !! BAD FLATBEDDER !!!!!

Well...I thought you had to do hospital corners, know your different spring sets, understand memory foam and most importantly have clean sheets.

I apologize. Really I do. I just had to say that though. No I wasn't the class clown in school either. I think it is my old age.

But do watch out for those kind of things from other drivers. It's just like the old 'Right hand - Left hand Broom joke'. I pulled that one off many times.

But, it is like Daniel and Old School say. And I would check to see that video that AZ Scooby is talking about. I'm going to check it out after I leave here. Want to see what that is about.

Good Luck with it. Hope you get the job. Again I apologize.

Maverick has a simulated "lumber load" test where you climb on a flatbed with a simulated lumber load. Do NOT know what it fully entails.

Dave

Probably rollin' out the tarps...which you do AFTER you strap the load....and here's a FYI...when you get new tarps...THEY ARE NOT ROLLED THE WAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM !!!!! so be sure and roll them out, relay them, and roll them back up. It happened to us....in January...in the dark...on top of a iced over load of lumber. How we lived thru that first load, I will never know.

The test I took was you had to crouch and walk under a trailer-then climb up into the back and jump down-not much to it at all-you should pass if youre not a cripple.

Ya know...that jumpin' off the trailer is REALLY overrated....I kept tellin' TSB...Don't jump off the trailer, its really hard on your joints, especialy your knees...did he listen??? OHN...So..a few months later, while HE was having knee surgery, I got to travel all over goin' solo in the truck. I you want to stay healthy in flatbedding...don't get into the habit of "hoppin" off the truck. It doesn't take much to put you out of the drivers seat.