Leaving Pitt-Ohio behind, I set my sights on becoming an independent contractor again. With Ernie’s help and a little luck, I found the right trailer, the right truck, and a new start at BESL Transfer.
As I mentioned in the last chapter, about three months before my employment with Pitt-Ohio Express ended, I began planning my transition back to being an Independent Contractor. My best friend, Ernie Lipperd, was already leased on with a flatbed broker, and I leaned heavily on his advice.
Ernie told me something important: “Before you find the right truck, you need to find the right trailer.”
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Finding the Trailer
As luck would have it — and as I’ve learned in trucking, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know — Ernie had a friend selling a 2002 Reitnouer Big Bubba flatbed.
We drove down near Melton, Kentucky, to look it over. It was in good shape, and I decided to buy it. I told the owner I’d return to pick it up as soon as I had my truck.
At this point, I was still working at Pitt-Ohio. We found the trailer around Thanksgiving 2009. By Christmas and New Year, I had found the truck.
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Finding the Truck
I had been so impressed with my 1999 International 9400i during my years at CSX that I wanted another one. Sure enough, International Used Truck Sales had a 2004 International 9400i available.
I resigned from Pitt-Ohio the last Friday in December 2009. By the first Monday after New Year’s Day in 2010, I was officially working for BESL Transfer.
They hired me with the agreement that Ernie would personally give me on-the-job training for hauling steel.
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From “Never” to Flatbed
Here’s the irony: back when Ernie and I were hauling loads out of Firestone Building Products, I swore I would never do flatbed work. Watching flatbed drivers sweating to secure and tarp loads, I told myself it wasn’t for me.
Well… never say never.
I ended up buying that flatbed. And yes, all my loads had to be tarped and covered. But there was one big difference: my trailer had a side kit.
That meant I didn’t have to tarp from scratch. I simply pulled the tarp from one side of the trailer to the other and removed the side panels to load. It was a much easier system than traditional flatbed tarping.
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A New Beginning
So there I was — back as an Independent Contractor, with a new truck, a flatbed trailer, and training from my best friend.
It was the start of another new chapter in my career.
Follow me next into Chapter 6, where I share my first three weeks with BESL Transfer and the unexpected adventure that came with it.
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My Trucker Life 