Flatbed or Conestoga?

I've never pulled a conestoga, so IDK.

I would imagine the wind, and restrictions on loads, would inhibit their use where I run.

Other regions I think they'd be a benefit.

 

I like conestogas when I have to tarp tall things that are covered in sharp edges. Don't have to mess with padding.

I like open decks when I don't have to tarp anything or when the load is low enough to cover with a 4ft drop.

It's entirely dependent on the current load and weather.

We have 1 stepdeck conestoga that was originally purchased to keep the local guy moving on rainy/winter days. Customers want everything tarped in town. It was cheaper to buy the conestoga kit than it was to hire a second guy/truck to get all the loads done.

Now it also gets used when customers request it for OTR stuff too. I don't mind it because I don't have to lift any tarps but it's just more empty weight.

Also can't do anything oversize in it so that's a big negative for me.

For getting straps through the rubber flap I bent a piece of 3/16" rod into a Z shape. Push it up through the flap from the bottom, hook the strap on, then pull it back down through the rail. No more fighting trying to push a strap through from the top.

 

I just grab the rubber with my left hand and with a little push of the right hand the hook falls right through. The OP might need to adjust his hooks with a big hammer, some brands are spread out to much.

 

I prefer Conestogas, i dont like tarps. But they do suck in a crosswind, more than a van

 

I prefer a conestoga. My employer hauls a lot for Boeing, and everything for Boeing has to be tarped or be in a conestoga. I just pulled 6 170" x 75" x 15" titanium arched aircraft components, that were stored outside at the shipper. But because they had Boeing stamped on them, they had to be tarped. A conestoga would have worked so much better, but the shipper wanted a regular flatbed w/tarps. As mentioned, a conestoga eliminates any oversized loads, but if a company doesn't haul OD freight, then that isn't a problem. One thing I have had an issue with, on some conestoga kits, the installers don't trim off the excess length of the bolts they use to install the track to the rubrail, so there isn't room to get the hook down thru, but most of our new trailers are Reitnouers, so they have J-plate slots. We also haul elevators, and tarping an elevator load on an open decks is a PITA, especially Otis elevators. A conestoga makes hauling an elevator load so much easier.

 

10 years with my old boss and I spent about 8 months pulling a hard top curtain van. I thought it would be easier but at the end of the day it wasn’t any faster than loading and tarping a flatbed. You still had to watch for sharp edges and corners, you still had to go around and break the stickers off of lumber units. And if it didn’t fit I couldn’t haul it and I enjoyed hauling 60ft material.

Also it wasn’t much fun in the wind when I was empty. And no matter if it was a tall load of lumber or a short load of plate steel I was still dragging a 14ft tall parachute around everywhere I went. Did I mention that I’d prefer a flatbed? Lol.

 

When I worked for Roehl Transport I was able to get experience with normal flatbed, conestoga, and curtainside trailers. I have a very strong preference for conestoga and curtainside because there is no chaining and no tarping required, straps only.

In my opinion and that of many other flatbeders at Roehl, the company's curtainside division is the best thing that a driver can get themselves into because the pay is very high (for that company) and you get plenty of miles regularly. I would have stayed with that if they would have let me.