A Change Is In The Making...

Well in two weeks or less I will be changing jobs. It all depends on whether my current employer wants me to continue driving for the next two weeks.

I want everyone to understand that where I am at now is ok to work for but lacks on maintenance of the trailers a lot. The other day he tried to get me to put a used tire on the belly dump. That thing had a crack that went all the way around the sidewall of the tire. I understand that tires are expensive but many times he would not change a tire until it went flat. Just the total lack of respect or following the rules. The cowboy days are done and over with and I am thankful to them for my experience over the last couple of years but I can't take it anymore.

I have known for quite a while that I was going to leave if the right opportunity came along. Well on Tuesday it did. $3 per hour raise to boot. I can tell it hurt some when I told him I was leaving as he offered to match the money I am going to be getting. My first thought was if you are offering that now how come you did not give it to me 3 months ago when I got a raise? this guy is notoriously cheap on pay and I knew that going in but the opportunity to learn to pull what I have in the last few years could not be beat.

Anyhow the place I am going only has a couple of trucks and wanting to add more. In order to do that he has to add some flatbed and lowboy freight. His current trucks pull belly dumps and that is what I will start out doing. I will get the opportunity to influence the equipment and freight we haul. I get to help build something from basically the ground up. I have done this in the past with other employers in other industries and I love the challenge.

Pat, I wish you all the best. Good luck to you in this new venture.

Pat. I'm a rookie flatbed driver myself. I've been considering moving into heavy haul, lowboy type gigs after a while if I don't go local. Any tips on how to go about doing that? Also how's the pay compared to regular flatbed work?

Pat, I'm excited for you and wish you all the best on this new journey.

Pat. I'm a rookie flatbed driver myself. I've been considering moving into heavy haul, lowboy type gigs after a while if I don't go local. Any tips on how to go about doing that? Also how's the pay compared to regular flatbed work?

I really could not help you on that one. I fell into this gig and like I said, the pay was not what it should be for what I do. I don't know what OTR heavy haul drivers make, I have never been with an OTR company.

I wish you the best! It's sounds like a great opportunity. Since you're getting in on the ground floor, are you going to put a bug in his ear about hiring someone else when you start taking tarped loads? I know you're allergic to tarps.

Lol... Hopefully the belly dumps have electric tarps.

I think Pat should write an article on how to find a no tarping flatbed job. I've thought about flatbedding alot but shortly after remember that tv show with the flying nun.

Tarping ain't bad, just time consuming and kinda annoying at times. Also, flying nun?

Sounds like a good opportunity for you! Good luck with it!