Tarping
Covering flatbed freight with tarps to protect it from weather, common on lumber, steel, and machinery loads.
Tarping in Practice
Weather Damage Is the Core Risk
Rain, snow, and road grime can ruin certain freight, especially lumber, steel, and machinery, if it's left exposed during transit. Tarping exists specifically to prevent the kind of damage claim that an open flatbed load is otherwise vulnerable to.
It's Physically Demanding Work
Pulling heavy tarps over a tall or wide load, securing them against wind at highway speed, and doing it safely without slipping off the trailer takes real physical effort and practice, which is part of why some drivers avoid flatbed work entirely.
Tarping Can Affect Pay and Time
Some flatbed loads include a tarping fee built into the rate, while others expect it as part of the job. Either way, tarping adds real time to loading, which is worth factoring into how a flatbed driver plans a day.
Tarping: What It Means and Why It Matters
Tarping means covering flatbed freight with heavy tarps to protect it from rain, snow, road debris, and sun damage during transit, since an open flatbed trailer offers no built-in protection the way an enclosed dry van does. Lumber, steel coils, machinery, and other weather-sensitive freight are commonly tarped, and the job typically falls to the driver rather than a warehouse crew, making it a physically demanding part of flatbed work that dry van and reefer drivers don't have to deal with. Doing it correctly protects both the freight and the driver from a claim over weather damage.
How Tarping Works
Tarping involves pulling large, heavy canvas or vinyl tarps over a flatbed load and securing them tightly with straps, bungees, or ropes to prevent wind from catching the tarp at highway speed. Depending on the freight, a load might need one tarp or several overlapping tarps to fully cover an irregularly shaped or oversized shipment, and getting the coverage right matters just as much as getting it secure.
Unlike an enclosed trailer, a flatbed offers no built-in weather protection, so tarping is the driver's responsibility for any freight sensitive to rain, snow, sun, or road debris. Steel coils, lumber, and certain machinery are commonly tarped, both to prevent physical damage and, in some cases, because the shipper's contract requires it as a condition of the load.
A Practical Example
A flatbed driver picks up a load of finished lumber that will be exposed to several hours of rain during transit if left uncovered. The driver pulls two overlapping tarps across the load, securing each with a series of straps along the sides and ends to keep wind from lifting an edge at highway speed. The extra 30 to 45 minutes spent tarping before departure protects the lumber from water damage that could otherwise result in a rejected delivery and a cargo claim against the carrier.
Why Tarping Matters for Owner-Operators
A damaged load due to inadequate tarping can result in a cargo claim against the carrier, which directly affects an owner-operator's insurance record and reputation with shippers and brokers. Beyond avoiding claims, factoring tarping time into a day's schedule matters for planning, since a load that needs extensive tarping can add a significant chunk of time to what looks like a simple pickup on paper.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is rushing the tarping job or not securing it tightly enough, which risks a tarp coming loose or tearing at highway speed, potentially exposing the freight to weather damage mid-route or even creating a road hazard for other vehicles.
Another mistake is not confirming ahead of time whether tarping is included in the rate or billed separately. A flatbed load that requires extensive tarping without that time or cost accounted for in the rate confirmation can eat into a driver's earnings on that load.
Related Calculators
Related Dispatch Operations Terms
Carriers on Tarping
“Tarping a load of steel coils in the rain is not a fun way to start a morning, but skipping it isn't an option. I've gotten faster at it, but never quicker than the weather would like.”
“I always confirm whether tarping is part of the rate before I accept a flatbed load now. It changes how I plan the whole day.”