You Fellow Flatbedders Will Get This...

Got two brand new steel tarps!!! So excited to replace my old ugly ones. Pay no attention to the disheveled state of my catwalk. The truck is in the shop and I am rearranging ;).

Ok...I'm jealous . Not 1...but 2 steel tarps !

Western Express won't give out steel tarps...only lumber tarps with the 8' sides. I'm told they are almost 140 lbs....and if I want steel tarps...they have them...sometimes....for $160

No lumber tarps for me. I am on a dedicated account and the only reason I have tarps at all i s to pick up a coil and bring it back to SC so I can get more custom chassis from Freightliner to haul back to IN/MI.

The very first thing I learned about new tarps....THEY ARE NOT FOLDED RIGHT !!!! Unfortunately, I learned this in the middle of the night, snowing, on an icy load...about cured me of flatbedding...lol So take those fancy new tarps out and fold them like you like them....

I can't believe a company would only give you lumber tarps if you also haul steel. You never need a big tarp for steel, but steel is sometimes hard on tarps, so a smaller tarp is easier to repair, or replace...AND holes in your lumber tarps can cost you alot in damaged freight...

The very first thing I learned about new tarps....THEY ARE NOT FOLDED RIGHT !!!! Unfortunately, I learned this in the middle of the night, snowing, on an icy load...about cured me of flatbedding...lol So take those fancy new tarps out and fold them like you like them....

I can't believe a company would only give you lumber tarps if you also haul steel. You never need a big tarp for steel, but steel is sometimes hard on tarps, so a smaller tarp is easier to repair, or replace...AND holes in your lumber tarps can cost you alot in damaged freight...

You are so right about not being folded correctly. I had just got these from the shop, they are now done right ;)

Got two brand new steel tarps!!! So excited to replace my old ugly ones. Pay no attention to the disheveled state of my catwalk. The truck is in the shop and I am rearranging ;).

Oh you mean you just put it there while in the shop? Well as long and you move it to somewhere else besides that cat walk you should be ok. Starting June 3rd to June 5th DOT Safety check is coming up and I would not want to be you if you get inspected during that time. Sure I know real world that you have to store the items somewhere but during that safety check might want to be aware cause if they can get you with a violation they will. Why? , some that are new may ask and my answer is........

− Catwalk

Mounted properly Not, missing, or damaged Free of obstructions

Straight from the cdl manual in pre trip section. I see 2 violations coming your way if you are caught.....1) Obstructing the Cat Walk.....take it for what it's worth. DOT Yearly Safety check is nothing to play with. If they could get ya for having one hair out of place they will get you. And 2) And a way bigger ticket.....Failed to do a proper pre trip and correct the issue of an cat walk NOT free of obstructions. A DOT officer , if he wants to, has to be able walk on the cat walk to inspect the back of the truck and front of trailer. Hard to do that since it happens also to be a place that dunnage is stored for your truck.

Not trying to rain on your parade but I am stressing the point that DOT Safety Inspection is a Blitz of epic proportion. It's not something to play around with.

Now since the first two tickets are pretty much guaranteed now they get to crawl through you log book and the rest of your truck and trailer. At this point a Huge microscope will be used on your truck.

Truck was in the shop, I was rearranging. Everything is in it's proper place now. Thanks though.

Here is everything in it's proper place :)

Here is everything in it's proper place :)

Yeah!

The only thing I see wrong with those pictures is that you are using bungy's to hold things in place. Not allowed, they are not weight rated. Also they could possibly break allowing what they are holding to move/fall from the truck. You might want to re-think that securement option, at least until after the DOT blitz is over with.

Ernie