Flatbedding With Roehl

After researching for a year about the trucking industry, I've decided to go for it. I will be starting school in February and then going to do western regional flatbed with Roehl. I hope choosing flatbed is not a mistake since I am 50 years old. I've been in the construction business for 30 years and am used to physical labor, have a really good work ethic and will do what it takes to get the job done. After my 4 weeks of school, I do 1 week of training at the Roehl facility and then go out with a trainer for 13 day, then I should be on my own. I choose the western regional so I could get home every week. 5-7 out 36- 48 hometime. They tell me the goal is 2100-2300 miles a week. I know nothing is predictable in trucking. I'm hopeing to avg out about 1800 miles a week or more. I'm looking to get any advice you guys can give me. Hopefully Old School can chime in since he's around my age and also does flatbed. The hardest part for me so far is the fact I will be leaving my family, even if it is for only a week at a time. I'm sure it will get easier over time. So anything you guys can pass along will be much appreciated

Cant speak to flatbedding cause i do dry van but as to leaving home it does not get easier with time. The 4th or 5th time is just as bad as the first time you hit the road and the 25th time is as bad as the 4th time. Check out the link below. Its a 7 minute video but it says more in 7 minute than I can in one post.

Trucker Steve -Drivers Sacrifice

I just watched the video i posted above again and I knew I should not have. Almost always brings a tear to my eyes. Powerful video.

I hope choosing flatbed is not a mistake since I am 50 years old. I've been in the construction business for 30 years and am used to physical labor, have a really good work ethic and will do what it takes to get the job done.

Your age really has nothing to do with it. I started this flat bed thing at age 56 and had no background in manual labor. Your good work ethic and doing what it takes will get you everything you need. Will it be easy? No, but then nothing in life really is. Ask questions, be open to suggestions and keep a positive attitude and you will be fine.

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions here.

Oh, and forgot about the leaving family issue. GuyJax hits it right on the nose. Retired Navy with muliple 7-9 month cruises and all of the workups and other deployments associated with our particular aircraft and I still have "issues" with leaving. I find that being gone 4-6 wks works best for me and the family, from an emotional aspect, but every situation is unique.

Okay, you said you wanted to hear from the old guy, so here it is. You will do just fine - your background in construction will actually be of some benefit to you. The worst part about flat-bedding is dealing with severe weather. Trying to fold up a tarp when it's 15 below is... well there's nothing nice about it. In the severe winter weather the tarps are used a lot more because the customer doesn't want the road salts on their product. There's some stuff that I never have to tarp in the summer which must be tarped in the winter due to the salt. It's kind of strange because you will pick it up out in the open weather and when you deliver it they will set it out in the open weather, but in transit it needs to be protected.

If you are like me you enjoy physical labor, and that's one of the things that a flat-bedder gets a little bit of to break up his day. Load securement is mostly common sense, but you will learn from Roehl that there is some science to it also. They will teach you how to calculate what you actually need on there to make it safe and secure. It takes a little getting used to at the beginning, but after a few months you will be efficient and confident in what you are doing for securement.

Don't even worry about your age. I was in Pineland TX one time picking up a load of lumber and met a flat-bed driver there who was 83! So, if your health holds up you've still got at least 30 more years left in you that you can enjoy doing this.

One other thing, you've made a fine choice in Roehl - if you take to this trucking lifestyle you will do very well over there.

Which week are you going? I may be out a Roehl as well near the near the end of Feb. or beginning of March. Stay safe out there. You will do great!

Ol, How do you know which division you will be in? I have not discussed that with the recruiter at all. They are going to call this week to schedule my DOT. Can you give me some details of how the process has gone for you? Roehl looks like where I am going, I only have a few more days before I sign on the dotted line.

Thinking About A New Career, you can tell your recruiter which division you are interested in. If you really just don't know then I would start out with dry-van. That's just my suggestion, but hopefully by now you've got some idea what you think you might want to do.