In today article we are going to speak about buying flatbed trailer and their importance.Every trucking service has its own uniqueness. Some trucking services require special temperature treatment of the goods that are carried and other special equipment for fixing the goods. Many of the trucking services have mutual things but there is another category that is different in a specific way.
LEARN 12 SECRET STEPS HOW TO MAKE $950 MORE PER TRUCK / MONTH
Hey! I'm George J.Magoci and I will send you a FREE eBook where you can learn 12 secret steps how to make $950 more truck/month.
A flatbed trailers is one type of trailer among many but specification of the cargo placing this trailer in a special category. When you are planning to buy a flatbed trailer you need to know few things before you jump into this tracking service.
1. Flatbed Trailer Are More Expensive
The starting investment when it is time to buy a trailer is always the number one concern. The flatbed trailer start up investment is higher than other truck trailers, but do not let this reason to stop you from going in this business.
Let’s compare the price with a dry van trailer:
In the market, you can find good dry van trailer for $25K to $35K but for a flatbed trailer you need to spend more money; to be exact you need to spend almost double. The price of a flatbed trailer varies from $50K to $70K if you want additional trailer upgrades.
Source: www.ehattons.com
At this moment, you probably thinking: WOW this is a huge difference would I be able to return my investment. The answer is YES for sure. Like I said before with flatbed trailer you will earn more money per mile and mathematic would be:
- When you are buying flatbed trailer you are spending $20K to $30K more than dry van
- With flatbed trailer, you are earning $30K more on annual base
Summa Summarum : The fact is that you earn more money on annual base but the first year the profit will cover the additional cost for the flatbed trailer but the next year those $30K per truck increased profit will be clear profit for you.
2. Flatbed Trailer Are More Profitable
Hauling freight over the road requires truck drivers with high ability of performance, good driving skills and safety knowledge with no exception of any trucking service
- Flatbed Trailer
- Reefer Trailer
- Dry Van
- Dump Truck
The main advantage of the flatbed trailer is that this kind of trucking service earns more money per mile. Transporting goods with flatbed trailer is more profitable because the characteristics of the freight are specific and oversized.
Source: www.sewellmotorexpress.com
The type of the cargo is what this business makes it more profitable. The open space of the flatbed trailer allows hauling freight that is oversized and can’t be hauled by any other truck trailer.
Of course, you need to have an oversize/overweight permit but besides that as long as the freight is not breaking the Federal safety regulations by overstepping the flatbed trailer footprint, you can haul everything you can imagine.
This is the reason that flatbed trailers receiving 20% higher profit that any other truck service. So if you fulfill every other requirement choose the flatbed trailer and make more money for your company.
3. You Need High Level Skilled Truck Drivers
Driving flatbed trailer require a high level skilled drivers because the freight is oversized and not easy to handle. Loading and delivery can be tricky and dangerous because the flatbed trailer is often used for the transportation of huge machines built of steel and the freight can be loaded from every side or from upper side with a crane.
Source: www.hurttrucker.com
With this type of cargo, mistakes can cost a lot and not just money even lives if the product is not placed and secured properly. The truck driver needs to be present in the moment with full attention and consecration. They need to be able to control the loading and unloading process and we all know that not every truck driver is responsible and qualified to do this kind of job.
LEARN 12 SECRET STEPS HOW TO MAKE $950 MORE PER TRUCK / MONTH
Hey! I'm George J.Magoci and I will send you a FREE eBook where you can learn 12 secret steps how to make $950 more truck/month.
You know which of your truck drivers are responsible for performing this kind of job so you need to make a selection and choose the high qualified drivers and to award them with higher salary for their performance.
4. Flatbed Loads Are Vulnerable On Weather Conditions
During the transportation, the freight at the flatbed trailer is open in the weather conditions. If it rains it will be exposed to the rain or if there is the wind the load is exposed to the wind. The point is that the load is unprotected and in extreme conditions can be damaged.
Source: www.wall-pix.net
The wind, for example, can cause instability of the load. If every piece of the load is not properly secured it can be unattached from the trailer and cause major traffic accidents. The safety regulations have a special segment for this kind of loads. Measures that will protect the cargo and the drivers involved with this type of freight.
5. Extra Insurance Cost For Operating Flatbed Trailer
Carriers are the ones who are responsible for the safety transportation of the loads. They are required to have insurance coverage for the cargo in case something unpredicted and unwanted happens. The insurance requirements for the flatbed trailer are different from other trucking services because of the higher risk of damage.
Source: www.misterprakan.com
The load is not just exposed to the outside weather factors it is also exposed to the outside human factors such as thieves that can compromise the load. When your truck is parked in a truck stop during the night everything can happen. When it comes to flatbed trailer transportation no one wants to gamble the possibilities.
The freight brokers in most of the cases will require full insurance coverage before they give you a load to transport. If you want to be one of the top flatbed carriers you need to buy additional insurance policies for the freight in case something bad happens during the transportation.
6. It Is Hard To Find Flatbed Loads
The trucking industry had two opposite waves that influenced on the trucking industry. Before 2015 the expansion of this industry reached a point where if you had an increased demand for transport, you would not be able to respond because you have let’s say 20 trailers but you have loads that can be covered by 30 trailers.
