livestock hauling ?

Honestly no BS here. I grew up in it so there you go easy for me. Now for the useful piece of advice you seek. The way I have seen everybody break into the business the hard way is be at the right place at the right time. The only way to do that is hang out at feedlots and sale barns every freaking chance you get. Don't kiss the drivers butt, but ask questions. Be blunt just like you are right here right now. Even on the ads that post the experience required blow there dang phone up and be honest no you don't have the exp but don't need it. Put me running with another truck for a week, to help me figure out the size and head count for each gate and from there I will be good. (be sure they understand you just need them in front or behind you not in the cab with you). I would rather train a farm hand that knows cattle to drive as train a driver to load and haul cattle. You say you are so there you have it.

The jockeys and buyers will push you, and the bad ones will send a guy to knock on your door to give you a little help "if you need it driver". You don't want to run for those guys till you have it down pat pretty well. Its easier to buck the crowd when you are considered a top hand than a greenhorn. I am by no means implying that you do or would ever do any thing of that sort. I am only giving a small piece of advice as I have seen level headed good guys in their mid 20's to 30's that been against that kinda thing all their life give in to the pressure because they wanted to succeed so bad. I agree you won't know if you like it till you try it. I have seen boys look the prt be way to soft, and seen some that I woulda bet drove a ford escort handle a pot with the best. I love eating dinner in a different sale barn every night. I like sitting in the bleachers with my eyes closed listening to the sale. The old school buyers that you never see bid cause thats how they were taught, never let the competition see you bid. The best part of it for me is getting that call from a cattleman, and him saying I'm in a bind. I shoulda started moving them days ago but had other stuff going and so and so said if he don't have the first load by X time he wont take none of them. You are the first one I called is there any way you can help me?

 

I don't know about where you guys are at, but down here the bull haulers work for #### near nothin

 

There are days here you will see me pulling a spread axle flat, or a double bunk quad axle log trailer. This winter the rates in the south have been good. Most of the hauling we do is for old names in the cow business, in a big way I'm riding the coat tails of a couple that have long ago punched out for that sale barn in blue sky country. Most of my customers know their is much more to it than not laying one over and being on time. Things may change for us our customers head for the same sale barn.

 

If your willing to move a stepping stone could be Gurney Trucking in Salina UT. They hauls pigs daily loads to Farmer Johns in Los Angeles and empty back.

And they hire people with your Experience. Google them.

 

I've never hauled cattle but haul hogs part time. Guy called me up one day in a bind and asked me to run a load. That's how I got started. Now granted I grew up on a hog farm and have had my cdl since two days after my eighteenth birthday.

But around here there is definitely a shortage of livestock drivers. A guy that had a good attitude and wanted to learn could easy get a job.

Livestock haulers do run hard and it's rarely much of a set schedule.

 

I live in an area surrounded by cattle ranches when I started and was in a unique situation since they came to me. I had one truck they liked what they saw asked me to haul exclusively for them.I did until they sold out because of the drought. I guess it's going to take being in the right place at the right time. Good Luck!

 

I grew up in it as well, it's not easy to get into unless you know someone, so, wore outs advice is probably your best option... Good luck...