How To Become A Flatbed Driver: What It Is and Career Path

What is a flatbed driver and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

A flatbed driver operates a flatbed truck to transport cargo, including oversized and heavy loads. Flatbed drivers work to load and unload cargo, and ensure proper balance and security. They also must adhere to safety regulations while driving. They may work for trucking companies or as independent contractors, and often travel long distances across the country. Flatbed drivers require a commercial driver's license (CDL) and a strong understanding of transportation regulations and safety procedures.

ScoreFlatbed DriverUS Average

Salary

4.5

Avg. Salary $57,099

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.79%

Asian 3.52%

Black or African American 13.48%

Hispanic or Latino 17.36%

Unknown 4.61%

White 60.25%

Gender

female 5.01%

male 94.99%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress level

7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.6

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

1.4

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a flatbed driver?

Pros

Higher pay compared to other types of truck driving
Opportunities for bonus pay for safe driving and meeting delivery deadlines
Ability to develop relationships with regular customers
Possible flexible schedule with longer stretches of time off between hauling assignments
Satisfaction in delivering important goods that contribute to the economy

Cons

Exposure to various weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, wind, and rain
Need for special endorsements and training to handle oversized or specialized loads
Possibility of damage to cargo during transport
Higher insurance costs due to the risk involved in flatbed hauling
Limited availability of flatbed hauling jobs in certain areas

Key steps to become a flatbed driver

Explore flatbed driver education requirements

Most common flatbed driver degrees

High School Diploma

37.8 %

Associate

16.9 %

Diploma

16.4 %

Start to develop specific flatbed driver skills

Skills	Percentages
CDL	39.43%
OTR	18.11%
Customer Service	9.45%
Safety Regulations	5.76%
TWIC	4.45%

Complete relevant flatbed driver training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New flatbed drivers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a flatbed driver based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real flatbed driver resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed flatbed driver usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed flatbed driver in most of states. 13 states require flatbed drivers to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Arkansas	Specific course required	State exam required	Commercial Driver (Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver)
California	-	State exam required	Commercial Driver License
Idaho	-	State exam required	Commercial Drivers
Massachusetts	-	State exam required	COMMERCIAL DRIVERS
Missouri	-	State exam required	Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer

Research flatbed driver duties and responsibilities

Route development now reduce to GPS mapping and computer logs.
Operate flatbed tractor/trailer unit in the pickup and delivery of metals auto parts to area recycling yards.
Utilize forklift to load and unload pallets and product rolls in company's yard and at delivery site.
Load truck from warehouse, operate forklift, organize stock pallets and unload trucks and make deliveries to multiple customers.

Prepare your flatbed driver resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your flatbed driver resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a flatbed driver resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable flatbed driver resume templates

Build a professional flatbed driver resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your flatbed driver resume.