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On Deck
By Randy Grider

Flatbed drivers are always ready to step up to the challenge.

When it comes to pulling a flatbed, personal accountability for the cargo takes on a new meaning. From the moment the load is placed on a flatdeck to the time it comes off hundreds or thousands of miles later, the driver assumes the liability for keeping it secured to the wagon.

“Flatbedding takes a lot more responsibility than pulling a van,” says owner-operator Dave Wadsworth of Lolo, Mont., a veteran flatbedder. “Because of the strapping and tarping, it’s hard work, but I enjoy the hell out of it.”

Not only is flatbed trucking physically demanding, it also requires a high level of attentiveness. A driver doesn’t have the luxury of closing up the doors and knowing the load is contained for the remainder of the trip. It’s not the easiest way to make a living in trucking, but for devoted flatbed drivers, it’s a source of pride.

The challenge
Flatbed trucking encompasses a huge array of freight, basically anything that doesn’t have to be refrigerated, won’t fit into a dry van or can’t be poured into a tanker. Lumber, pipes, steel coils, machinery — the list is endless. Sometimes the cargo conforms nicely to the deck, but often it is multi-dimensional or over-dimensional. It’s this kind of diversity of cargo that makes flatbedding appealing to a certain class of drivers.

“I like the challenge,” says Willard Allen of Circleville, Ohio. The 61-year-old driver has been pulling a flatbed for PFT Roberson for 16 years, logging more than 1 million safe-driving miles. “I enjoy not knowing what I’m going to be doing the next day. Every day is different.”

Veteran flatdeck driver John B. Young Jr. of Clinton, S.C., agrees wholeheartedly. “The work is interesting because you haul all kinds of freight,” says the 52-year-old company driver, who works for Senn Freight Lines out of Newberry, S.C.

Drivers often chuckle when asked about unusual loads. Freight such as statues, pizza ovens, used portable toilets, trees, honey bees, airplane engines and missiles become the usual when you’ve been flatbedding for several years. “I’ve hauled so many things, it’s hard to say what’s unusual,” says Young, whose father also was a flatbed driver for more than 50 years.

Flatbedding sometimes offers a great range of geographical challenges as well. Former owner-operator Michael Gower of Ayr, Ontario, Canada, was part of a two-truck convoy that transported a radar-tracking device along a winter road to Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan. The 150-mile trip in minus 45-degree temperatures took the trucker-turned-dispatcher more than four and half hours because of the road conditions. “The load was 12 feet wide, 36 feet long and 11 feet high, and it was fully tarped,” the 41-year-old Gower says. “With 22-percent grades in some places, it was pretty scary.”

Many flatbed drivers have tried other types of trucking before discovering flatbedding was their preference and forte. “I didn’t like pulling a van,” says owner-operator Robert Ellinger of Hamilton, Mont. “I don’t like monster warehouses with 50 docks where I have to wait in line to get loaded or unloaded.” The 56-year-old, who is leased to Sammons Trucking, adds that customers are almost always glad to see him. “Most of the time they are waiting to load or unload you,” he says. “Usually you’re the only truck there — at most there may be one or two other trucks.”

Neatly packaged
If you want to get the dander up of a good flatbedder, just mention improperly secured cargo. Leaning loads and straps flopping in the breeze as they travel down the highway are no-nos for experienced flatdeck drivers. “I see too many guys out here today with their loads improperly secured,” Wadsworth says. “To not secure the load properly in the first place or to not care enough to stop and check your load and fix any problems is unprofessional, stupid and lazy.”

Gower attributes some of that to inexperience or carriers not supplying their drivers with

A good flatbed driver takes pride in load securement and how it looks going down the highway.

the proper equipment to secure their loads. “Some guys need better training and better equipment,” he says. “Then again, there are a few that just don’t care. But I believe educating drivers about securement and providing them with good equipment would help a great deal.”

The new load securement regulations that went into effect in January changed the way drivers use cargo securement devices to prevent loads from shifting on or within or falling from a tractor-trailer. In some instances it changed the number of tie downs required to secure certain types of cargo.

While some drivers disagree with parts of the new regs concerning how a load must be strapped, chained or tarped, nearly all are in agreement with the provision of the new law about checking the load during transport. The new regulation requires a driver to inspect cargo and securement devices within the first 50 miles of a trip.

“When I pull flatbeds, I always stop within the first 25 miles to check my load,” says James Spence, a 54-year-old CRST Malone driver from Ball Ground, Ga., who pulls both flatbed and vans. “Nine times out of 10 you’re going to have a loose strap or chain.”

The new regulations also require drivers to inspect their loads every 150 miles and when they change duty status. “I always check my load when I stop to make sure it’s safe to go on with,” Allen says.

One major gripe many flatdeck drivers have with securement regulations concerns how different law enforcement officials interpret the law. “Some times it changes from one side of a state to another,” Wadsworth says. “But if you handle yourself professionally, you learn to do what you need to comply, to keep you from getting a ticket. It can be aggravating, but it’s part of the job. I would like to see more conformity in interpretation, though.”

Aside from the desire not to be fined for a securement violation, seasoned flatbedders feel a high degree of personal responsibility to the motoring public. Losing part of a load on the road can be a deadly sin. Allen says he’s not shy to refuse a load if he thinks it can’t be safely secured. And most feel that if a load is properly secured it shouldn’t move off the trailer deck if a driver has to hit the brakes hard, or even during a minor collision.

“If you think the load needs an additional strap, put it on,” Gower says. “Why wouldn’t you? If you’re working within the window of tolerance, it’s going to get you in trouble. Safety is first.”

Wadsworth says his philosophy is simple. “If I’m hauling steel coils, I don’t want that coil visiting me in the cab if I have to get on the brakes. I don’t want Mom and Pop in a minivan getting hurt either by something coming off my trailer. If I have to lay my truck over to avoid an accident, fine, but my load better be tied to the trailer like I put it there when I crawl out of the truck.”

And a good strapping and tarping job doesn’t go unnoticed. Other truckers will sometimes compliment a flatbedder’s load while it’s going down the road. “You can tell by a guy’s load if he takes pride in what he’s doing,” Ellingter says.

The most welcomed words of praise come from the customers, who often personally ask for a particular driver because of his dedication to securing a load. “I’ve had customers ask for me to haul their loads because they know I’m going to take care of their cargo,” Allen says. “That means a lot to me.”

Because of the multi-dimensional aspect of many flatbed loads, tarping can be a grueling experience. But the challenge also lends itself to personal satisfaction once the job is done. “I loved tarping,” Gower says. “I used to haul a lot of oversize that was big and ugly. I loved taking cargo that was ugly and making it look like something Santa Claus had wrapped up to give you.”

Not for everyone
Because of the physical work involved in flatbedding, all drivers don’t share the passion for it. Securing loads in sweltering humidity and freezing temperatures definitely isn’t a perk. It’s a part of the job. “I think some guys don’t like flatbedding because it’s too much like work,” Allen says. “Flatbedding is a little tougher than some trucking jobs, but I enjoy it.”

Gower said he believes the flatbed segment will grow rapidly in the next several years, and more drivers will be needed. Equipment improvements like roll-type tarping systems will help attract more drivers to flatbedding because they make the job easier.

But as always has been, the biggest draw will be what makes flatbedding unique — a sense of accomplishment for handling whatever freight is placed on the trailer. “It’s a great feeling to know that if it’s something that can be safely put on my truck, I can secure it and haul it,” Young says.

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A Ticking Time Bomb?
by Jim Park
Here’s something that might keep you awake at night: the marked rating on your cargo straps may be nothing more than a number. How would you feel if the 5,400-lb strap you’d bought came apart at considerably less than that in a pull test? If you’re like most people – including most Ministry and DOT inspectors – you’re inclined to believe what you read on a label. The problem is, the standards pertaining to the labeling of webbed cargo straps are toothless. Strap makers are more or less free to make a tiedown assembly in any fashion they choose, and then affix any label they want to the strap, making it look like a legitimate and proper cargo strap. You – and the inspectors – may never know the difference until the unthinkable happens. By then, of course, it’ll be too late.

This is a delicate issue because in writing about it, we call into question the integrity of strap and cargo tie down device manufacturers. As is the case just about everywhere these days, there are good strap makers, bad strap makers, strap makers who try their best, and probably some who just don’t care. We’re not about passing judgment here. We just want to alert you to a potentially serious problem. You can decide if there’s a need for action.

A story appeared in the Dec/Jan 2005 issue of the Australian trucking trade publication, Trailer/Body Builder Journal that reported the results of testing the magazine had commissioned to determine if various brands of cargo strapping available in that country lived up to the markings on the strap. The tests were done to the applicable and published pull-test standards, and of 13 brands tested – purchased randomly over the counter – five failed, some by a significant margin.

So, the question is, how would North American synthetic webbed strapping perform in similar tests?

We don’t know because we haven’t tested any strapping material ourselves, but according to leading North American cargo strap manufacturers, Kinedyne and Ancra International, North American testing results wouldn’t be any different.

Ralph Abato, director of sales and marketing at Ancra International says he sees product everyday that’s vastly overrated. “The biggest issue is the influx of importers and local sellers of strap assemblies that don’t meet any standards at all,” Abato says. “They either don’t understand the standards or don’t care. They don’t do any testing, and they put out vastly inferior product that’s basically mislabeled.”

Larry Harrison, General Manager of Kinedyne Canada Ltd. has a similar view. “We’re seeing a lot of off-shore product being sold on Canadian shelves, and frankly, some of that material just isn’t up to standard. I think if some of that product was tested by the manufacturers, they’d be embarrassed by their own results.”

Here’s where it gets gray and murky. The Web Sling and Tie Down Association (WSTDA), a non-profit organization made up of producers and distributors of tie down products, has published recommendations for the manufacture, testing, and labeling of tiedown materials. But there is little if any enforcement of the standards.

The WSTDA recommendations for webbed strapping have been adopted by resolution into the NSC and FMCSA rules, so technically, all strap makers are required to test and rate their strap products in accordance with WSTDA methods, but few of them do, Abato and Harrison say. On top of that, when it comes to enforcing the Cargo Securement rules, inspectors tend to take the rating labels and tags at face value. They’re looking for compliance with the total number and working load limit (WLL) of the tie down devices. They don’t stop to question the integrity of the rating.

“The crux of the problem is that there’s no regulatory body for our industry,” says Abato. “We have an association – the Web Sling and Tie Down Association – that sets recommended standards for the manufacture and design of tiedowns. The FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) is very explicit in telling truckers how many tiedowns [to use] and how they should be used in securing loads, but nobody monitors or regulates the actual manufacture of the equipment. There are no standards and no organization to monitor tiedowns – strapping, chains, winches, etc. Basically, it’s an honour system that you’re making them the way they’re supposed to be made.”

Kinedyne, like Ancra, does a lot of testing of their product, and of competitor’s product, too. Harrison finds most of it wanting. “We see huge variations in the sewing patterns, even the type of thread used,” Harrison says. “And the quality of the webbing is all over the map, too. We’ve seen elongation [stretching of the strap under load] of as much as 30 percent.”

Our sidebar, “Can You Decide?” illustrates the problem. The ratings on the two straps are similar, yet the construction of the strap and sewing pattern are quite different. Do the different sewing patterns suggest nearly equal strength? Abato said the strap on the right “looks a little light.”

“It might be a 5,000-lb strap, but only a test could determine for sure. There are several sew patterns and thread combinations that can achieve the desired load ratings,” he says. “Equipment, thread, webbing, hardware, sewing technique, even the sewing machine itself and operator all contribute to good or bad sew patterns.”

When asked if his staff had ever reported any discrepancies between what the label indicated and the structural appearance of the strap, Ron Covello, vehicle standards engineer with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Carrier Safety Policy Office, told highwaySTAR that he has never had any such reports from enforcement staff.

Shopping For Strapping
So, if you can’t trust the label, how do you make an informed buying decision? Ask to see test results. The vendor should have a “Certificate of Confirmation” for the strap. Abato and Harrison both stress that’s the only way to be sure of the integrity of the product. Some of the independent manufacturers or resewers product could well be compliant, but test data is the only way you can be certain.

“Liability stops at the water’s edge,” says Harrison. “When you buy off-shore product, it’s very difficult to maintain that chain of responsibility. But if you have a proper label and a certificate, you’ve got something to fall back on.”

As a member of the board of directors at WSTDA, Abato says he has been pushing for a higher-level accountability when it comes to labeling. “Right now, any member can buy a label and affix it to their strap, without doing any independent testing,” he says. “Test data is required by the cargo securement rules to be retained by the manufacturer, but that’s hardly ever the case. Clearly, I’d like to see that changed, but there’s not a great willingness to do anything about it.”

Here’s What to Look For
n Sew patterns are not universal, and there are no recognized standards for sew patterns. Compare a recognized and tested strap with some of the knock-offs and you’ll see the difference. Is one better than the others? Only a pull-to-break test will prove it conclusively.

n Hardware should be new, though is it acceptable to reuse good hardware that is free of corrosion and pitting, and not previously damaged and then repaired. The hardware must also meet the rating listed on the strap. A 4,700-lb WLL chain and grab hook will not qualify for a 5,000-lb WLL rating.

n Lined strapping provides an indication of the strength of the webbing. Look for a thread of contrasting colour woven into the strap. Single Line Webbing represents 5,000 lb/in. break-strength capabilities. Double Line Webbing represents 6,000 lb/in. break-strength capabilities.

n Rating tags are required on all webbed strapping material, or legible markings on the strap indicating its working load limit and the name and/or trademark of the manufacturer. But don’t settle for the face value of the label: ask for test data.

It’s Up To You
Is this a stop-the-presses issue? Probably not. There have been few reported incidents of catastrophic strap failure. And even so, it would be difficult to prove the strapping material was at fault. If the strap failed and caused a release of the cargo, the load on the strap at the moment of the incident would be very difficult to ascertain. Load weight, friction, vehicle speed, and G-force at the moment would all need to be factored into the investigation, and the strap would likely have been destroyed in the process, making it impossible to test, especially if it was the stitching that broke.

MTO’s Covello says typically the police would conduct that type of investigation, and he says he’s unaware of any strap testing done in that context.
“This would possibly be a civil liability issue,” he says, adding, “operators [drivers] are responsible for the security of their loads.”

That puts the onus on you to ensure you’re using (or are provided with) the right equipment for the job. “Just because we don’t have data doesn’t mean we should accept inferior equipment used in such a safety and liability loaded application,” says Abato.

jpark@highwaystarmagazine.com