Tips And Tricks For Flatbed Trucking In The Winter

Winter weather brings with it many hazards that can affect your day-to-day driving if you’re not used to it. Each winter, flatbed drivers spend countless hours behind the wheel in awful conditions – everything from heavy snow to sleet to rain. Even if you don’t live in an area where winter weather is common, trucking companies will often place their inexperienced employees on routes through these areas during the winter months. Here are some tips and tricks to help you drive this winter.

What To Wear

During wet, snowy weather, it’s important to layer in order to stay dry and warm. To keep your hands dry while working outside, wear latex gloves under your work gloves. Add another layer of gloves if you need to, but remember the latex gloves to keep the wet material off of your hands.

When it comes to keeping your feet dry and warm, layering is key. Wear as many pairs of socks as you need to keep your feet dry. Wet socks will make you cold faster, and could cause you to slip while working outside.

To keep your face protected, always wear a thick face mask. This will keep your skin and lips warm and save you from windburn. If you have asthma, it also protects your lungs from the cold air.

Tying And Tarping Your Flatbed

In the winter, almost everything you load onto your flatbed needs to be covered with a tarp to protect it from the weather. Tying and tarping a load in the winter is going to take longer than it would in normal weather. You will move faster if you stop and take a break every 15-20 minutes to warm up your hands, eat or drink something, or change clothes if needed. Putting your gloves, shoes, and socks under the foot warmer below the dashboard will help them dry faster if you need to get back out there.

The weather also makes tying and tarping harder to do in the winter. If the wind is blowing hard, try to park somewhere it is blocked so it’s easier and the tarp isn’t flying around. You can also use something heavy like rocks or wood to hold the tarp down while you tie it down. If it’s raining heavily, you might need to find shelter until it slows down.

Another way to get the job done faster and easier is with a Deckmate Ladder. This ladder hooks onto the rub rails of your truck so you don’t have to worry about it blowing over in the wind, or slipping on the ice-covered ground. It also makes it easier to get on and off of your trailer, which means less time spent out in the cold.

Gateway Supply

Heading out on the road this winter? For more information and accessories to make your flatbed truck easier and safer to work with, contact us today! You can also call us at 806-440-1126 if you have any questions about our safety ladders.