Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Of all the days for the wind to stop blowing. Loaded mids this morning. Ended up dumping about 1K lbs over the back end AGAIN!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRR. That was only about the 3rd time I have ever loaded them, I gotta find somebody to show me the error of my ways. I was not happy hand shoveling all that at 6 or 7am this morning.

The out fit we haul for pays a FSC, but they are very slow to raise it. They certainly haven't raised it since fuel went up again. But, they are all over it when the price of fuel drops.

I am gonna run over to Dillons grocery store near where I live and fuel there. They are still under $4.00 a gallon. Takes about an hour to fuel there, as I have to run my bank card ($125 limit) 4 times to top off both tanks. Since I buy my groceries there my fuel should be "about" $2.80 a gallon this time around.

 

Thats probably a lot better than ''patching'' it with plywood,and it was a good Ridgid ratchet binder that i lost,i have finally replaced all of them dang knuckle-bust'n,finger-smash'n lever binders

 

There must be a trick to em I was born knowing, never had a problem with them. I'd like to get some ratchet binders for hauling vehicles but the #### things are so expensive.

I actually backed into another truck tonight. First time for everything. Had to be a nice Pete, right? Ah well, at least I hit his dock bumpers with mine and he's either a heavy sleeper or doesn't care enough to get out and look.

 

Clue me in on that trick,kajidono,i never learned it,and i sure wasn't born with it. I used to pull our farm tractor at the local fairs in the summer when i was younger and i picked up a few ratchet binders then,before i got married and had to actually ''make'' a livi'n, i haven't bought any in 20 years so thats why i still look for that one i lost on the parkway, LOL.

 

Kansas & the others talking about FSC. I don't lease to anybody so I deal directly with shippers. But, when it comes to FSC - some shippers will put it on the rate & others just want 1 rate with FSC in it. Others won't pay it whatever & if you don't want to haul for them they will find a carrier who will - and they will.

Example of how things work: Last week a good shipper asked me to bid them some loads out of West Kansas to MO and they didn't want a fsc on it, but if fuel went up from when it was bid they would talk about it. They told me that if we got too exicted with the rate they would go elsewhere or just not put the trade together. In commodities trading it is difficult for the shippers to commit to the rate + fsc because commodities can change value daily, weekly, monthly whatever and their customers don't want that kind of change in their cost model. So it easier for them to go with 1 certain rate even if the rate is a little higher.

That said, business has been brisk the last two weeks & even the cheap shippers have been paying up to get their loads hauled.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck guys!

 

I dunno, I guess it's the tool. I always use a long bar on them, never my hands. I can release them bare handed, you just have to remember not to have your thumbs over the top.

They were probably priced more reasonably back then. I wouldn't lose any more. They're $50 each and up now.

 

Bet you couldn't release my lever binders by hand lol. I use pipe, I broke a couple of those wussy combo winch bars before switching to 45" of heavy walled pipe, and I have another 3' extension if I really wanna get stupid with it.

Had a D8 break one of my binders once. Iced over deck, slipped just enough to put all the tension on that binder I guess. I heard the "bang" when it broke. Sounded like a gun shot, I actually thought I had blew out a tire. After that I always put the poop to the lever binders. Never allowing any slack of any type.

 

Yeah, I can't always release mine by hand, but on short trips just tying the skid loader down I down really crank on them. I figure if I need 7 feet of bar to get it tight enough, it's better to just put more chains on it.

Now those ratchet binders are nice but I've cracked those in half and had them tear apart on me without using a bar on them. Also snapped chains trying to tighten the lever ones. Always fun.

 

Hi All, Just checking in. I have to say I miss the hopper world and the comradery. I also miss the people associated with it. But I don't miss wondering where the next meal is coming from and whether I can afford the next repair. I've run 6800 miles in 10 days since I started. Making good money and minimal DH involved, less than 400 of the 6800mi. Only problem I have had has been seeing the backs of my eyelids. Gonna take time to get used to ( if I ever do) of sleeping at all hours and waking at all hours. Be Safe . WIsh you all the best.