What Flatbed Trucking Is Like at Doug Andrus
Description
Flatbed is the fleet where the job doesn't end when you stop driving.
Every load has to be secured by hand, and every load is a little different. Lumber straps differently than steel. Brick and stone behave differently than vehicles or building materials. Doing it right means knowing your straps, chains, and binders well enough that you're not guessing — and it's genuinely more physical than pulling a van or a reefer. Drivers on this fleet run all 48 states and are typically out eight to ten days at a stretch.
The upside is that the work doesn't get repetitive. Every stop is somewhere new, and every load is a problem you solve. Doug Andrus runs primarily Peterbilts on the flatbed fleet, spec'd for driver comfort and engine performance, on the theory that if you're going to be out ten days doing physical work, the truck shouldn't be the hard part. That's the same equipment philosophy behind how the fleet is bought and maintained across every division.
Flatbed isn't for everyone, and that's the point of running six different fleets. If you'd rather haul temperature-controlled freight on a more predictable seven-to-ten day cycle, look at refrigerated. If you want heavy weights and mountain work closer to home, the hopper and bulk fleet runs the Rocky Mountain West. Not sure? The Find Your Fleet quiz takes about two minutes, or see everything we run in one place.
Ready to talk specifics? Apply here or call (800) 336-1034.
Video Transcript
On our flatbed operation — our flatbed is a little bit more labor intensive, a little bit more physical. We still go 48 states. Basically you're out eight, nine, ten days and back.
You have to learn how to strap properly, secure loads, chains, binders. Securing lumber, or vehicles, or building materials, steel, things like that. Brick, stone.
It's an interesting job. Everywhere you go is a little bit different, every load's a little bit different on how you're going to figure out how to strap that down and do it safely.
Again, we use pretty much Peterbilt trucks on the flatbed fleet, and we really shoot for driver comfort on those, and performance with the engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days are flatbed drivers out at a time?
Eight to ten days is typical, running all 48 states. That's a longer cycle than the refrigerated fleet, which runs closer to seven to ten, and considerably longer than the regional bulk operation.
Is flatbed harder than other trucking?
Physically, yes. You're securing every load by hand with straps, chains, and binders, often in whatever weather you're standing in. Drivers who prefer it say the variety is worth it — no two loads are the same problem.
What kind of freight does the flatbed fleet haul?
Lumber, steel, brick and stone, vehicles, and building materials. Anything that can't be enclosed or stacked in a van.
Do I need flatbed experience to be considered?
Securement is a learnable skill and it's taught, not assumed. Doug Andrus trains drivers in-house rather than handing new hires off to recent graduates — see how the training program works.
What trucks does the flatbed fleet run?
Primarily Peterbilts, spec'd for both driver comfort and engine performance given the long runs and physical workload.
Can I switch fleets later if flatbed isn't a fit?
Yes. Drivers move between fleets, and some spend a few years on one before trying another. It's treated as normal rather than as a problem.