In the period of 2015, you needed to wait for 10 to 12 months to get your purchased trailer and after the trailer boom; it all began to fall down. It started the period of low demand for transportation and many of the transportation companies were forced to close the business and sell the trailers. So today there are a lot of available trailers that you can find for the reasonable price.
Source: www.overdriveonline.com
However the trucking market is filled with competition but luckily for the flatbed trailer, the competitor influence is low than dry vans. But even with the low competition the chances to find flatbed loads are more difficult especially if you are a rookie in this trucking segment.
You need to spread your wings and give a high quality trucking service to attract new clients and keep the old ones. The US economy is growing from day to day and the transportation demand of overweight loads is increasing.
7. Pick Up and Delivery Time Are Extended
We all know that to be successful in this business you need to spend more time driving on the road than waiting time on a lot to be loaded or unloaded. Because the specifications of the flatbed trailer loads, you will need more time to pick up the load and to secure it on the flatbed trailer.
Source: www.coolwatchstop.com
This is something that you can’t avoid even if you want. Flatbed trailer requires your physical presence and attention. The flatbed trucking is really a profitable business to go into but you need to consider the time that your truck drivers are spending during the process.
If they are compensated with good payment per mile they will be satisfied and will not feel a pressure to speed up the loading or unloading time and by doing that to cause additional damage and cost for you.
8. You Need Additional Time For Securing The Load
After you pick up the load your job is to secure it to the flatbed trailer. You should be sure that everything is fixed and bond in total. If your cargo is composed of several pieces you need to be sure that each one of them is secured properly.
Source: www.truckingtruth.com
If you are transporting a cargo that is one piece you need to fix it from every side with not giving the option to roll down from one side. Be sure that every single strap is tightened and fixed enough.
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To do this you need to spend a lot of time and energy but everything will pay off when you will transport the freight safely to the final destination.
9. Additional Cost For Buying Flatbed Trailer Equipment
The safety on the road is a major segment that government is paying attention. There is a lot of regulations that require special equipment to be used when the load needs to be secured to the trailer. The devices that are used for fixing the cargo needs to meet the quality criteria.
Source: www.cargoequipmentcorp.com
Since the flatbed trailer allows the freight to be loaded from any side as a result of the flat surface and open sides, you need to strap and fix the load properly.
You will need equipment like:
- Tarpaulin (to protect the load from outside wetter factors)
- High quality straps
- Cargo nets
- Belts
- Chains
- Safety flags …
10. You Need To Perform Small Checks During The Day
Every driver needs to check the load during the transportation, but the flatbed truck drivers need to make short time stops to check the cargo. You need 3-4 minutes to walk around the flatbed trailer to see if there is a problem with some part of the equipment that is securing the load.
Source: www.salenalettera.com
According to the FMCSA safety requirements, every part of the equipment that is used for securing a load of the flatbed trailer should be attached and secured strongly with no possibility to be loosed during the transit. Security of the load should be your primary concern. It prevents the goods from falling on the highway or on other vehicle causing catastrophe.
Conclusion
When you are part of the flatbed business you need to do everything to avoid possible dangers on the road. You need to be aware of the endorsements that are required to haul heavy loads. Be aware that if you get involved in this kind of transport you have to be committed in a long term to make it profitable as much as it can be.
The higher cost at the beginning will be covered very soon but the real bucks are coming after you gain experience and long term clients. Remember the safety of your cargo is number one priority!
