The Physical Reality: What Flatbed Work Does to Your Body
Every flatbed load requires hands-on physical work that dry van and reefer drivers never touch. Tarping takes 20-45 minutes per load depending on cargo size — you are climbing on the trailer, wrestling with heavy tarps (some weigh 60-100 pounds), throwing straps over cargo, and working in whatever weather conditions exist. In July in Texas, that means 100+ degree heat. In January in Michigan, that means ice and subzero wind chill.
Securing loads requires chains, binders, straps, edge protectors, and coil racks depending on the commodity. A steel coil load involves placing coil racks, positioning the coil with a forklift operator, and securing with multiple chains and binders — each chain-binder combination requiring significant physical force to tighten. Lumber loads require dunnage placement, multiple strap passes, and corner protectors.
The toll on your body is cumulative. Shoulder injuries from tarping, back strain from binder cranking, knee problems from climbing on and off the trailer — flatbed drivers have higher rates of musculoskeletal injuries than van drivers. After 5-10 years of flatbed work, many operators switch to dry van or reefer because their bodies cannot sustain the physical demands. This is a real career consideration: the higher income in your 30s and 40s may come at the cost of mobility and chronic pain in your 50s and 60s.
The Hidden Time Cost: How Physical Work Reduces Your Effective Rate
Flatbed's headline rate is misleading without factoring in the time spent on load securement. A dry van driver backs into a dock, waits for the shipper to load, pulls the doors closed, and goes. Total time: 1-3 hours depending on dock wait. A flatbed driver must physically secure every load, which adds 30 minutes to 2 hours at both pickup and delivery.
Calculate the effective hourly rate and the picture changes. A dry van driver earning $2.10/mile and covering 500 miles in a 10-hour driving day earns $1,050, with maybe 1.5 hours of non-driving time at docks — $1,050 for 11.5 hours of total work = $91/hour effective. A flatbed driver earning $3.00/mile on the same 500-mile run earns $1,500, but adds 1.5 hours for securement at pickup and 45 minutes at delivery — $1,500 for 12.25 hours = $122/hour effective.
The flatbed still wins on an hourly basis, but the premium shrinks from 43% (rate comparison) to 34% (effective hourly rate). On multi-stop flatbed loads where you secure and release cargo at each stop, the effective rate can drop further. And on short-haul flatbed loads (under 200 miles), the securement time as a percentage of total work time increases dramatically, sometimes making dry van the better hourly rate.
Who Should Pull Flatbed (And Who Should Avoid It)
Flatbed is ideal if: you are physically fit and enjoy hands-on work, you are under 45 and plan to transition to van/reefer after building savings, you are targeting specific high-value niches (oversize, heavy haul, machinery), or you want the highest possible income and are willing to trade physical effort for dollars.
Avoid flatbed if: you have existing back, shoulder, or knee problems, you are starting trucking later in life (45+) and physical recovery from daily labor is slower, you prefer predictable, repeatable work without physical variability, or you plan to team drive (tarping and securement with a partner adds complexity).
A smart career path for many drivers: start with flatbed in your first 3-5 years of ownership when you have the physical energy and need maximum income to build savings, then transition to reefer or specialized van once you have financial stability. The flatbed experience also teaches valuable load securement skills, builds industry relationships in construction and manufacturing, and demonstrates competence to insurers and shippers — all of which carry value even after you leave flatbed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find the Right Services for Your Business
Browse our independent reviews and comparison tools to make smarter decisions about dispatch, ELDs, load boards, and factoring.