What Type of Trucking Is For You? (Review of Trailers Types)

[@SmartTrucking]

And a good day to you, Big Strapper. Thanks for taking the time to check out today's upload. How about you? What's YOUR fav type of trucking and why? Hope this video helps any trucker who's new to the biz or anyone who's entertaining a change.

[@sstevocamaro]

No mention of containers???

[@aviatortrucker6198]

Fuel tankers, or gasoline tankers pay very well. They are generally a day cab home daily and work only 4 to 5 days a week. They’re usually paid hourly with overtime. Summer paid by the load, and some are paid by the day as a salary. Which ever way you go the freight loads and unloads itself and there’s minimal waiting time. I’ve been doing it for over 12 years and I’m glad to go home every night to my family and had the same two days off every week.

[@Tb0n3]

I love doing flatbed as the customer is always happy to see you. Van and reefer just get no respect. You're just a number in line.

[@mouritioebanks7223]

U do need to eat right?

[@benjamincuevas199]

You’re absolutely correct. I do lowboy and flatbed. The customer happy to see you, unload you as soon as you show up and look and talk to you with respect. Reefer and dry van you’re just a dock # and you may be sitting all day maybe a couple days.

[@michaellotz7875]

Interesting point.

[@spoolinsvt6489]

I worked at a major grocery chain distribution center for years. I couldnt believe how long they would make drivers wait for their loads from time to time, Union break, then doesnt finish before lunch and then a safety meeting. I have seen drivers there for 4-5 hours fairly normal.

[@GreenHornTrucker]

I have just got my cdl in late may. Early June started with a flat bed company. I am in my mid 40s and there is surely so physical challenges, but you learn quickly how to do it wisely lol. Tarping in the wind, sucks. Lol. Lots over overloading concerns. Has happened to me a few times already. But Learning securement has been fun. Totally would recommend.

[@Stephan_Rothstein]

I used to haul dry vans with a little reefer time. You forgot one advantage of dry vans with large companies - spotted loads. You pull in, disconnect and leave your trailer, and just hook up to a loaded trailer and go. At the other end, you drop the loaded trailer and either pick up a return load or an empty to haul to the next place and go. No waiting time for loading and unloading. I did not get all spotted loads, but I really liked it when I did.

[@DJPereira2012]

Flatbeding and particularly the moving of hay is something I greatly enjoy. You are fulfilling a need with those loads.

[@jhh7285]

😂😂😂 Got the hotshot guys excited for a second..... let down 🤣🤣🤣

[@Alleycatthegadite]

I pulled open deck for 28 yrs. absolutely loved it.

[@JohnnyQuest1960]

Dry vans; Always blocking the road. Reefers; Spending half their lives at a produce dock. Flat bed; Busy tarping in the rain,snow and heat. Tanker; Either truckin or taking a shower. Bull Wagons; Look out he's on a mission from God. Heavy Haul; Busy memorizing every bridge height in North America. Doubles/Triples; Dreaming of their pension while weaving in an out of traffic. Container; Just waiting for a trailer tire to blow.

[@iateabadtaco]

now this is a guide

[@katjerouac]

Carhauler?

[@BlueDually4x4]

@@katjerouac motion sickness as all the vehicles on the truck and trailer bounce over every bump in the road.

[@amrik93as]

Exactly just like it is

[@katjerouac]

@@BlueDually4x4 that's not even bad. The bad part is you're stuck all day putting the cars up on the ramps and planning how you're going to put each one on and deciding what the best route is.

[@SmittysSpareTimeProjects]

Not to mention the loose pipe, rebar, steel beams, or even lumber that can slide through the bulkhead and through the cab of the tractor in a panic stop or accident. Or the coils that can roll off if not secured properly. I pull flatbed and love it, just gotta be smart about securement and how you drive the truck. I noticed you didn't mention car hauling though. In my area of the states that's the highest paying sector. A company driver can make 6 figures a year and be home on weekends!

[@Tb0n3]

That's the best part of it all. You're responsible for your own self and securement. Sure shit happens, but the vast majority of the cases of loads shifting or becoming missiles it's driver error.

[@Greenbearls]

2 bungees for every 10000 lbs. That what I live by. Jk .

[@jholzer1989]

Don't forget about them portable parking lots. They can be a lot of work too loading and unloading cars, climbing up and down the truck and trailer, and positioning the racks for proper clearance. But hauling cars can pay well and generally keep you close to home, especially if you work for a union company like Cassens or Jack Cooper. They often don't have sleepers so you'll never have to sleep in the truck. Company will pay for hotel.

[@Dr_Nick_]

You'd have to know someone to get a job hauling cars right off the start. Most auto haulers demand two years prior experience.

[@ThatOneVideo1]

Loved running cars. Just got out of it, company I was working for was like one of those trucker company horror stories x10. Went back to flatbed, more room in the truck I guess lol.

[@rogerpenske2411]

Don’t forget the thrill of dealing with the fat grease ball with the suspenders, pinky ring and cheesy mustache at the dealership

[@rickgregoire9041]

My first 13 years were flatbed regular in the winter and oversize in the spring ,summer, and fall. Last 13 were vans, reefers, some dumps and b-trains. Always remember staying in shape while in flatbed but also once came back empty from Texas to save a 4 day layover. Made enough money going down that it was better just to roll back and get another one. Only happen once to me.

[@RhBKeith]

I liked drawing heavy haul trailers because everyday was different with new challenges. It was more stressful at times though. I think my favourite type of all was hauling belly dump gravel trailers, hot from the crusher and spreading on side roads…could haul and spread for days without a grader having to touch it. Retired now but sure miss my old Mack R model.

[@kelsopoolie]

I’m a hotshot truck driver. 😢 It’s all I could afford to get started but I’m saving up for a semi. Already have my CDL. Thank you for these videos. They really help me to decide on which equipment I need for semi.

[@andrewfox1755]

I run mostly containers. Specialized in heavy and super heavy. I’m regularly scaled at 95. A lot of hazmat loads also. Along with containerized tanker loads

[@RCRCustoms]

I started with equipment floats myself then B-train end dumps and flatbed. 20+ years later and I’m still running heavy haul floats, 50ton tilt’n’load trailers, trombones and paper logs 😎

[@SuperchargedSupercharged]

at 4:18 that is called free surface effect. Now the most fun is when you do that off road! Army Life :)

[@christopherb.fields5940]

I knew I’m not the only one who doesn’t consider hotshot drivers actual truckers. But I’ve done pretty much everything besides cattle hauling. I’ve been doing flatbedding for almost 4 years now, and I love it. I’ve definitely had my scares from being on a 8ft hay load out in Montana with 75mph winds and went flying off a load. Or trying to tarp a load in a Thunderstorm with lightning will always be fun. But in all honesty I’ll take tarping a load in the summer heat of Florida rather than sitting at a dock for 8 - 10 hours to get off loaded. And I’ve had plenty of of experiences with both.

[@truckingwithwim8039]

For me it's a walking floor trailer out here in Europe, they're quite common too out here your seeing a lot of farmers so it's relaxed work to do, not too much stress, I'm also hauling just normal dry van loads in it, they're really handy

[@barryklinedinst6233]

I've done dry bulk since 2005. Flour,limestone, pebble lime. Fly ash. Sugar. My favorite is hauling flour. And the pay isn't bad.

[@BlueDually4x4]

I would say construction or trash is a good entery position, as most of your driving career is taking trucks every where you aren't supposed to take trucks. Been hauling trusses for five years now, always a fun time being 13' wide in a residential area.

[@stanleyhenry6086]

My self I love hauling heavy equipment did it for over 20 years with the same construction company and made a great living at it

[@tdrocker99]

Decided to go flatbed as the load securement experience on my resume will be great. Been getting some loads that are known for shifting. Excited to get my first 40,000lb steel coil.

[@josephagnello9335]

ANYTHING is better than team-driving !!!!!!!!! I like specialized permitted loads , heavy-haul 4&5axle off-road dump, and Michigan- double trailer graveltrains. Car hauling is nice ; I hauled the CADILLAC ALLANTE in special covered Delavan trailers , late 1980s and early 1990s: hit the dealerships from the backstreet , arrive on " front Street ; nice at Miami Beach..Union and nice.Only problem, Northstars governed at 60 to 68 . Tankers hauling gas or fuel oil, great job; baffled trailers and compartments.Easy load& unload. Dry van hauling racks for Big 3, drop and hook.Great job!!!!!!!! I had many great jobs over my career. Flatbed, tarps . . . must be in GOOD SHAPE to do this line of work.

[@matthewthomas7648]

Don't forget about us log haulers dave! 🤣🤣

[@weepweep2225]

Thanks for the video brother! Just bought an 88 IH Cab over with a big cam Cummins in her, doesn’t smoke a lick, but I’m a journeyman Lineman and being an O/O has always been my dream and I’m finally on my way there! Just doing some odds and ends to her to get her ready for the road. Watch your content all the time and take a lot of advice off your channel. So thanks again and keep up the good work!

[@mattberg916]

Good luck man! Sounds cool

[@aviatortrucker6198]

Dave, you forgot to mention curtains side trailers. Although they are in the class a flatbed they are a little bit different loading and especially a little more challenging to secure loads especially when you have to get your straps between the load in the top of the trailer. Generally these are for different specialized kind of flatbed freight. I remember one time having to haul a load that required a curtain side and yet was put on a flatbed and the tarps were about 8 inches short of reaching the rub rail. I don’t know how many bungee cords I went through that snap like rubber bands because the airflow was getting underneath the tarp.I had to stop at a truckstop and find a cord which I wrapped in and out of all the bungee rings to keep the tarp in place. Great work for young people in good shape. Do not recommend for overweight and out of shape people. One more thing, like flatbeds if you are empty at around 3 PM on a Friday expect to be sitting over the weekend as flatbed and curtain side free doesn’t move or at least does load over the weekend.

[@kennethsnyder9236]

Always a pleasure learning how it all works

[@amish733]

Commodity hauling is a good local/regional gig. Run belt trailers, tankers or hopper bottoms. Good entry level into heavy hauling and challenging backups. We run 30-33 ton in our trailers (belts and tanks) and 8 axle setups (4 on the tractor, 4 on the trailer), grossing up to 105,500 lbs.

[@jeremygoss619]

I pull a curtain side flatbed I love it

[@nem_db]

I only hauled Dry Vans, Containers and Reefers before I went to be a Shunt Driver, I want to get back on the road locally no more dry vans reefers or Containers Im really liking live bottom or dry bulk tanker idea.

[@DjPsychoLive]

I’ll be doing reefer since I’ve been doing dry van for 2 years

[@thatoneguy985]

I loved flatbeds. I started with system transport now im hauling cars

[@Greenbearls]

I was in cedar city picking up a tarped load. It had to be 40 mph winds. I told them it can't be tarped. Got paid for waiting for winds to settle.

[@i8nm3gp]

I like the harbors and the containers and the abnormal loads.

[@bigtime911]

You forget truck car haulers. Great video. Content on point. Thanks

[@brocluno01]

Double flats for me with 2-axle tractor, cabover OK as some spots are tight. All farm produce from field to winery, cannery, etc. A long haul for me is a night run (to keep fruit temp down), off-load in the AM and maybe stay over or dead head back. IF I run out of state, it's just from Cali to Wash to haul barrels up or back. Tie downs with corner irons and cables winched tight. Mid-load straps over Macro Bins, or Valley Bins if going out of the area. Seasonal work as I'm over 70 and semi-retired. Have not lost a load (or partial) in 50+ years. Don't plan to start now. Some of these loads are worth more than the rig and trailers...

[@paulscott6998]

Local driving being paid by the hour and getting home every day is good if you know how to get around accidents on back roads. It really helps when you drive dedicated and ALL loads are under 30,000 lbs, and no backhauls. Less stress and wear and tear on body.

[@colinmackay92]

I'm a new driver but my company is predominantly reefer and dry van. I prefer doing reefer. It's a little bit more work and you have to stop and do a reefer inspection every 4 hours and it makes your pre trip a bit longer but you also get 2 cents per mile more with my company. Definitely worth it. Also some of our dry freight you have to help hand bomb it out and none of the reefer customers require that.

[@dillonduty8084]

I haul lumber in a curtain side trailer easy work but will wear your body down when you open and close the curtains and do 3 loads a day

[@davidguerra9896]

Hahahhaah ,absolutely 💯 percent true about reefer work ! some of the most unethical ppl to deal with my uncle used to haul cheese 🧀 from Wisconsin ,expensive high class cheese and somehow the cheese would disappear especially if He had to pass through Chicago.

[@Durahan82]

Cab-over like a K100 or an Argosy for City drops , Roll-off flatbed for raw Mats transportation that needs tarping .

[@RyansTravelChannel]

I started with dry van and now I’m pulling reefer. Finally got on a dedicated fleet hauling chocolate, all drop and hook and I can be off Friday and Saturday if I wanted

[@KoruptDawg]

You forgot about low-bed heavies, logging, and aggregate bucket trailers. Dunno if B-Trains (of any variety) was worth mentioning as you'll only ever see them in Canada.

[@robertsedorchuk3917]

Fell off the trailer a few times with these flatbed doesn't feel good but I do love my work wouldn't trade it for anything

[@beboldandmove]

Wow thank you for the video!!, the only person who explained it well

[@crazyeyez1502]

No mention of heavy equipment transport and low-boy trailers?

[@lintangsinatriyo4444]

You forget about car hauling,oversize hauling,and logging

[@BlueDually4x4]

I don't think any of those would be recommended to drivers just getting started or don't have a lot of experience, kind of like hauling livestock.

[@dionblasco727]

Working for a flatbed company now.Just can't do it anymore arthritis in hands and back.Got a local job starting in 2 weeks dry van.

[@kaloyannikolchev5482]

Flatbed -8am/5 pm appointments . Reefer- mostly nightshifts

[@thecarguy9195]

What about the guys who do oversized work/ equipment hauling?

[@haynes1776]

I have 3 years experience. I hauled dry Van trailers for Werner enterprises for 7 months. At LCT transportation, I hauled reefers for over two years. Flatbed is out of the question. I have arthritis in my knee. Tanker? Nah. I'm happy driving reefer or dry van.

[@MitchieFerg]

I’ve got an idea for all you truckers watching this, and I’m wondering if it’s a good one that you’d like. I’m thinking something like Uber Eats but for trucking. The idea would be that a company that needs something hauled can put out on the app that they need a load hauled, say produce from LA to NYC, then a trucker that drops a load in Los Angeles can go on the site and find that produce load going to NYC, pick it up, drive to New York, and the cycle continues. And if you want to go back home, you can find a load going back to near where you live. Main benefits, being a private contractor without having to deal with a load broker, and the big carriers would either have to pay more, or go out of business. Let me know your questions, and please don’t steal this idea. I’m new to trucking, and I’m only 14 so I might have gotten some things wrong. Thank you

[@MitchieFerg]

Might I add that you’d obviously need to have proof of a license+accident records and that sort of legal stuff

[@olliespackmate4138]

Great stuff, getting CDL in Dec. How about ports and railroad container hauls. I live by 2 ports and rail yard. Thanks for all your knowledge.

[@mattberg916]

Depends on what available in your area. Around Chicago theres close to 20 different rail yards for containers. I ran them for three years. Spent ALOT of time waiting for containers to be loaded on the chassis from the stack. And chassis around here are always junk

[@olliespackmate4138]

Thank you Matt, good info

[@rodkeeton1482]

Good day to you. What's your opinion of Maverick Transportation LLC?

[@BOOMPOWSHANK]

Flatbed and RGN work is the best

[@nmblevins5904]

Food grade tanker, pulled one for years, till elds come along, then got out of trucking all together

[@onebadapple83]

If you wanna stay skinny or get skinny do flatbedding! Especially if you are loading offloading and tarping every day.

[@OtherworldlyTV]

Very useful well done my good sir

[@brianburns7211]

How about intermodal? Some guys work ports and others work out of railroad yards.

[@Roadglide911]

Best thing to pull is two 28’ doubles.

[@martinandelizabethgarninge1150]

Recently entered into the Yacht/Boat hauling business great money alot of liability

[@patricknorman2578]

Love being a tanker yanker

[@fishpants7764]

My dad owns a winery where they hotshot a lot, would that be a good way to get into trucking as a first job? Good video!

[@marcopollo366]

Hey, I'm not in trucking. However, this channel and others inspired me to look at driving as a career. Put money on a CDL school, started attending, then was pulled out by Admissions since their 3rd-party background checking company hadn't sent back my information.... long story short, I ended up finding a bread route (there are a lot of hotshots in bread) and, let me tell you... I'm getting paid more than what these guys state 1st year noobies make. If you can hot shot your dad's wine, I'd recommend.

[@Tiedye6336]

Smart trucking why don’t you consider hot shot trucking as part of trucking?

[@dudelove8662]

Im getting started in LTL

[@smithgraincattlesgc4940]

No mention for the dump trucks?

[@wolfilewis7986]

Well presented..... One thing that strikes me is that newer drivers seem to think that running OTR and the resulting "drudge" factor is all there is. Looking arounud one can find a lot of "little " deals: local, regional, long haul jobs that will allow one much more enjoyment and dinero while having control over your schedule. Where I am you can, all things being equal, do crude, coal, oilfield, hay, containers, produce, steel, more dry freight than you'd believe, belly dumps, side dumps,...................... Coul go on. I won't. Bye bye..

[@codywalker8862]

What about long trucks

[@rickyharvey4835]

Im so old that i have to do dry van !!! Only hard work is getting out of my truck and opening my doors !!!!!

[@graymikep64]

Thank you

[@katjerouac]

How about Carhauling and Oversize on Loboys

[@paulc5333]

Sorry but I gotta laugh at the image of your buddy becoming a kite... My cousin in Europe used to run a bulk trailer. I rode with him once. We pulled a load of plastic pellets out of Limburg, NL originally bound for northern Norway I think it was Tromso, when we hit the ferry at the top of Denmark we were told that the load was rerouted to a plant in mid Norway... we dropped the load and went to a clean out in Sweden were my cousin put on rubber boots opened the rear hatch climbed inside and cleaned out the stainless steel lined trailer with a squeegee and pressure washer. After he fished in a few heated air lines and we sat for a few hours. An inspector came out and certified the trailer clean. The next load on was powdered milk for a candy plant in southern England... obviously this was pre Brexit. He told me had also pulled bulk liquid chemicals and food oils down to the middle east and north Africa. Bulk trailers can be where at.

[@mctransportation9831]

I would avoid reefer unless it's some kind of dedicated account on both ends. Your biggest challenge will be not doing something that gets you in jail at a big distribution center.

[@majedalmawri]

Did you mention car hauling?

[@christramontana3598]

What about little boys and heavy haul oversized loads

[@lavernseegert2719]

I'm 67 and still flat Bedding.

[@jamescaldwell1725]

What about belt trailers

[@simrankoura8539]

Is cloud trucks available in Canada ?

[@losthighway53]

Missed car haulers, containers, and expedite to name a few..damn good list otherwise!

[@SmartTrucking]

Yes you are right, but just tried to hit the more common ones.

[@losthighway53]

@@SmartTrucking Wouldn't mind seeing your take on expedite TBH. I did it for 12 years, 40ft straight truck mostly

[@tevconley1744]

What about log truck?

[@Sdukes001]

Lowbed for me heavy haul.

[@Username-uw2gu]

You forgot talk about the heavy haul guys.

[@six-pack1332]

Tanker yankin...

[@MasterReptile25]

Doubles/triples?

[@dnwlogisticsllc8609]

What is a lumper?

[@keltaruusutravels4024]

They are the guys who unload your trailer and break down the pallets. Then you pay them for their work. Their pay doesn't come out of your money.

[@mouritioebanks7223]

A lumper is a worker at the warehouse that unloads your trailer

[@cherb23]

Loading and unloading cattle can be very easy and calm but sometimes you will show up to a farm you never heard of and the cows will be very angry and try to kill anyone. It can be very dangerous never trust a cow in a confined space.

[@Cope59]

Hauling them sticks in b.c

[@patrickoconnor661]

LCV drivers?

[@alvarado1991paydro]

I do otr hotshot 1 ton ram 40ft flatbed gooseneck fully loaded I am sitting at 38k run the same risks as a semi have to follow the same hos rules make about the same do the same as a regular flatbed driver just a smaller scale So why don't you consider it trucking

[@sstevocamaro]

Because it isn’t air brakes, it’s a pickup truck that can pull a little weight. Just how driving a bus isn’t trucking even tho they run HOS.

[@carolinagoldbug983]

Camarillo_LT1…..”Because it isn’t air brakes”. Pretty dumb reason to call it ‘not trucking’. And those pickups nowadays pull a great deal of weight. Incidentally…..going on one of his other videos…..some of those guys are pulling trailers just as long as the trailers semis were pulling in the 60s-80s. 40’. It’s just trucking on a smaller scale. They’re still eating the same crap, missing the same sleep, sleeping in the same venues (truck stops and rest stops), and fueling at the same pumps. They fill a niche. An important one. I got kind of irked at his tossing off hotshot driving as ‘not trucking’. And I’m not even a hotshot driver (I haul RVs).

[@aircooledhead]

#Flatbed4Life, period.

[@phox1515]

You forgot about the car haulers

[@wolfman1662]

Where's all my fellow rock haulers at?

[@smokeinapeterbilt]

You're not alone. You got a semi-dump driver here in Cleveland, Ohio. 35 years doing it.

[@VoodooViking]

Who’s the best company/business to lease a used truck from? I’m looking for a standard that is before the necessity of the edl.

[@darylblackburn9946]

I'm a flatbedder I started out doing flatbed and I really enjoy it. TMC is a great company to work for. for anyone who wants to give it a try.

[@patrickoconnor661]

LCV is decent money

[@956bullypits3]

💯💯💯

[@maxpuppy96]

That's easy tanker.

[@stevedavenport1202]

I'd be praying to God everyday if I were hauling tankers.

[@chaddtrissel4609]

Well none of it who wants to work under minimum wage never home no pay for break down and you have to put up with a dispatcher who drives an electric car two miles a day and thinks he knows the road o yea he also gets paid 3x more than u