Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

I had a couple questions for you hooper O/O. Right now I haul jet fuel for the government it pays well and usually home every night. But I am considering buying another trailer and putting my other truck on the road. There are not enough loads right now hauling fuel to put my other truck on. Thats why I was looking at a hopper. They are alot cheaper then another fuel trailer too. Harvest is in full swing down here in SW Oklahoma and I know several custom cutters that hire trucks for the harvest season. Well what about after wheat harvest is over in a couple months? I need something year round for that truck to do. Also I dont wanna hire a driver then have him run out of work after a couple of months. Has any of you guys had any experience with Blake Agri-Transfer? I heard they have lots of regional runs in my area. I was going to contact them today.

 

Welcome to the hopper/dump thread Big Josh,your a tad too far west for me to give you much advice,but WH hit the nail on the head,if you want to keep a driver busy pulling a hopper,you'll need to develope a few decent contacts BEFORE you rush out and buy a hopper for just harvest,imho. In my area at least,harvest rates have slacked off quiet a bit in the last 3 seasons,but we don't have that much wheat around here,mostly beans amd corn. Good luck to you,whatever you decide.


Every one have a nice Memorial Day weekend, may we never forget about the folks that have given the ultimate sacrifice, for the freedoms we all enjoy

 

Been hauling rock to just west of Kingman, KS, and noticed that they've started cutting wheat out there. Also was down around Canton, OK last Monday and they're cutting too.

 

Driving through McPherson yesterday I seen a combine cutting. Wont be long with the wind and heat till everybody is cutting hard and heavy.

 

I wished Harvest lasted two months but about two to three weeks tops here. It has been in full swing for a week and harvesters are already loading up and heading north thank God. I have had three near misses with harvest trucks this last week. You have the harvesters that hire drivers with little or no driving experince and then you have the farmers that drive their trucks to town two weeks out of the year. The first one pulled away from a stop sign at a blind corner right in front of me and then turned left into the elevator after I slammed on the brakes because I was on his right side hitting the shoulder. The worst part of it was he had a passenger and neither one of them looked. After confronting him about his driving habits and telling him the miiror might as well be up his xxx instead of on the truck he said "I apologize sir but I we are all in a hurry" Well I told him being in a hurry and pulling out in front of someone will get you killed one way or another. Watch out Wheathauler and Highside thay are coming you way! lol

 

Big Josh I don't know anyone in SW Oklahoma. I take it your in the Altus area since they have the Air Force base. If your talking Sid Blake I would stay far away, have not heard anything good about him. I guess just needs to get out and make some contacts, talk to the local elevators or other local haulers.

 

Wheathauler you running harvest yet?