By Truck drivers brand-new to flatbed driving can find tons of helpful information online relating to proper cargo control. There are plenty of blog posts and how-to guides addressing topics on things like working load limits and federal regulations. But what about veteran drivers? Are there any helpful tips out there for them? There are some, but not many. This post aims to change that.
Veteran flatbed drivers know all about working load limits and federal regulations. They have those things memorized. But like any other profession, there are certain things veterans have done for years that they just don’t think about anymore. And not thinking about these things is a recipe for unintentionally forgetting them.
The people behind Ohio-based Mytee Products are experts in cargo control. They sell everything from truck tarps to aluminum toolboxes to headache racks. If a trucker needs a piece of cargo control equipment, they have it. Mytee suggests veteran drivers heed the following cargo control tips:
Secure Everything on Your Truck
Though truck drivers may make a distinction between the freight they carry and the tools of the trade, the law makes no such distinction in terms of the security of cargo. Everything on a truck must be secured in one way or another. Nothing can be left unsecured to the point that it could fly off the truck at any point during the journey.
A driver hauling a piece of heavy construction equipment might also have hand tools like shovels and pickaxes on board. Those hand tools need to be secured somehow. Failing to secure them could mean big trouble if one of them fell off and struck a car.
Inspect Straps and Chains
A sizable percentage of violations issued for improper cargo control are directly related to the straps and chains used to tie cargo down. It is not enough to pay attention to working load limits only. Drivers must also routinely inspect their straps and chains for any signs of wear that could potentially lead to failure. Trucks are put out of service all the time because inspectors do not trust the integrity of straps and chains.
Be Diligent in Pre-Trip Inspections
A driver who has done thousands of pre-trip inspections during his or her career can be tempted to slack off every now and again. Mytee says that this is always a mistake. Even a truck that is fully roadworthy can be placed out of service for a minor violation if an inspector decides to do so.
Sure, it takes time to do a thorough pre-trip inspection. But it is less time than a truck driver would spend sitting out of service due to a violation that could have been corrected before the truck ever left the shipping yard.
Pay Attention to Regulations
Finally, veteran truck drivers need to make a concerted effort to pay attention to regulations. Just because things were done a certain way 10 years ago does not mean regulations allow it today. In fact, veteran drivers know better than anyone else how frequently state and federal regulations change. There is just no good reason to ignore cargo control regulations when the trucker’s livelihood depends on knowing them.
The trucking industry owes a lot to its veteran drivers. They are the drivers that have spent years crisscrossing the United States hauling all sorts of loads. If you are a veteran driver in the flatbed space, remember that you have an added responsibility when it comes to securing your cargo. Don’t let years of doing the same things day in and day out cause you to be lax about cargo control.
