Hauling Onions

weigh the load 900 bags is suppost to be roughly 45000lbs but them bags usually have quite a bit more then 50lbs in each bag last time i hauled them 900 bags i was 83,500 figure that one out on a truck that weighs 30,000 mt full of fuel

 

If you are hauling them on a flat bed make sure that you keep them dry and have a way to keep air running through the load. If you are pulling a van, make sure that it is well vented. The last thing you want is a claim. Onions can literally cook from pick up to delivery if you don't take precautions. I prefer hauling them with a side kit. That way I can open the front of the tarp and open the center rear panel to keep a steady flow of air on the onions. You can also pull back some of the rear tarp to give more flow. With a side kit, you can also raise a few panels and put something under them to allow free flowing air to circulate. It is critical to keep them dry if it rains.

 

Some times you gota do what you gota do Hauling this onion loads avg about $1.60 The fuel costs is about .85 cpm on a good day which leaves you with .75 cpm to cover all of your expense. tolls,road tax ifta, truck payment,insurance, maintenance oil ,tires, and so on which will leave you making less than driver wages if you are lucky. Hauling 48,000 lb loads is a sure way to destroy your equipment faster than you can say what happened here. Now if you get an over weight ticket, a Flat Tire or two ,lumper fee or GOD forbid you had to catch up with your Log book hours in this heat while your onions cook in the parking lot. that is why you need to get as much as you can for onions Oh ya I have not mention the deadhead you are going to do after you deliver your load of onions in the Boston market area Guess what they have waiting for you in Boston? Another 48,000 LB load that pays .80 cpm ya know BACK HAULS soon you will find your self Back Hauling in every direction until they take away all your credit cards and you are back driving for schmucks Transport worrying about your home time and paydays. iff you need to haul this kind of loads make sure you insist on hauling no more than 800 bags this way your avg WT is about 40,000 just in case you end up 1LB over in each bag which will put you @ 41,000 LB and less wear & tare on your truck/trailer OOIDA have a lot of claims from drivers against onion brokers that use every excuse in the book to short change you. Make sure you are hauling for a broker you know is good. The last thing you need is someone to steal what ever little money you got left from this load

 

Your incredibley positive attitude on everything really gives me a big smile. (just like that)

 

Most want to put around 900 to 950 bags on a truck. They want to max out your weight. Onions are usually paid a flat rate by the bag.

 

IF positive attitude means to you to take ####### & keep on truckin I'am happy to oblige....

 

Would I be able to haul onions in a roll tarp and would I need to have a vent installed in the bulkhead?

 

I would not want to haul them in a roll tarp without having a vent in the bulkhead. Air must circulate around the onions. You won't have enough air just by opening the rear curtain.