Bruce Oakley Trucking (Bulk)

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Lug-Nut, Feb 8, 2015.

  1. nondriver1989

    nondriver1989 Light Load Member

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    I myself want to get into end dump or belly dump. How much experience do they require and whats the avg. gross a week ?
     
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  3. Fewe

    Fewe Light Load Member

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    From my experience they will quote you real numbers for your area and the division you want to run. Texas is a good area for hopper or end dump. The good part about hopper is you will never see a scrap yard... You do have to put a deposit down on the crank handle and vibrator but that will be settlement deducted.


    Oakley doesn't have belly dump but they do have end dump. They have square bottom and half-round aluminum and half-round steel trailers. If i remember right, they require 2 years recent experience. As for average gross, that depends on your area and what kind of trailer you pull. Call a recruiter and they will be able to give you an idea of what each division will pay in your area. End dump requires the purchase of a wet kit if you don't already have one on your truck. Oakley will finance the purchase and deduct it from your settlements at $175 per week.
     
  4. BRShirk

    BRShirk Light Load Member

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    I know this is an older thread but I've been thinking of taking the O/O plunge again.

    I've hauled fuel tanks but no bulk and always as a company driver.

    As a first time O/O would Oakley be a decent place to lease on? I'm in upstate SC and would prefer to stay SE regional out to TX and midwest. Maybe an occasional trip up to PA, would Oakley be able to work with that?

    Also any tips from O/Os on making money, besides keep the left door shut and Wheels turning, would be appreciated.
     
  5. Fewe

    Fewe Light Load Member

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    I started my O/O journey at Oakley and know many who did the same. Oakley is a good place to start. You can definitely make money at Oakley. There is a good bit of freight in your neck of the woods. You don't really have a whole lot of say as to where you run with Oakley. Your dispatcher will ask you where you want/ like to run and if there are any areas you don't want to run. They do a pretty good job of working within those parameters but on occasion will ask you to do them a "favor". It is non-forced dispatch and you can always refuse a load but that may be a load they need covered or may be the best/ only option given your location.

    I told my dispatcher "Absolutely no New Jersey or down-state New York". I went to New Jersey 3 times in 3 years, and I agreed to go each time. I unloaded on the weekend and kept rolling so I didn't have to deal with the traffic and ended up getting over 3,200 miles for the week each time I went. They do have loads picking up in the 5 boroughs and I wasn't even asked about going there. The answer would have been a decidedly loud "NO" if they had bothered to ask, and I suspect my dispatcher figured he had pushed his luck with me enough with the Jersey loads.

    I know there is good freight on the end-dump side and pneumatic side in SC, I don't know how hopper would be out that way but a recruiter would be able to answer that question for you.

    I know a driver who lives in SC off 85 by GA who does well with an end-dump. Some weeks he spends all his time in NC, SC, and GA running roofing granuals and tire chips back and forth. Other weeks he finds himself in TX, OH, IL, WI and various other places. The nice thing is you will get a change of scenery. Being that far East, getting home every Friday will be a problem, but if you are flexible on your definition of "weekend" you will do well. If you have a specific day you need to be home your dispatcher will work to get you home on time; most of the time. Sometimes there is some wishful thinking on the part of the dispatchers and you know there is no way you will get home on time with whatever scheme they have cooked up. Be polite but insistent, and if need be, point your truck towards the house.

    I dead-headed from Indy to Memphis when my travel agent couldn't come up with anything to load after I told him his hair-brained scheme wasn't going to work. I let it play out and proved I knew more about driving a truck than he did and still made it home for Thanksgiving. I also knew that was how it was going to end and went into this multi-load cluster**** to see what he would pull out of his hat. I was prepared to dead-head home at my expense from the start and it took him by surprise when I did just that. He never again questioned my willingness to do exactly what I said I would do. Every driver I have known at Oakley has a similar story.

    The one potential downside to Oakley is that they expect you to stand on your own two feet as a business owner. They will not for any reason loan you any money or help you out financially if your repair bill exceeds your ability to pay it. Your truck, your business, your problem. If you can get 3-4 months of good running under your belt you should be in a position to cover normal repair bills. Of course you should have enough set aside for normal repairs before venturing into O/O but that has been covered on TTR a thousand times at least.

    As for making money, knowing what your actual expenses are and being able to control them is key to success. There are always going to be unexpected things popping up, but preventative maintenance and staying ahead of problems is cheaper than neglecting an issue and letting it get much worse and more expensive. Tires and toilet paper are 2 things that I think are not where you want to be cheap. Even in end-dump where scrap yards will be a semi-regular part of life, spend the money and get good tires. You don't have to buy the most expensive tire you can find, but recaps and cheap Chinese tires that will blow out at the worst possible time don't actually save you any money in the long run. A roadside call for a tire at 3 in the morning 300 miles from the nearest town will cost at least as much as you saved on the cheap tires.

    Best of luck, and if you have any more question I will answer as best as I can.
     
  6. BRShirk

    BRShirk Light Load Member

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    Getting a good truck to start with is the crux. I'm looking mostly at dealers right now, theres Paccar and Pete Store close but I was thinking something like a 14/15 Cascadia on a cost basis. At the very least I want oil samples, ECM download and an independent inspection.

    I've been in the seat long enough that a pretty truck with lots of chrome and chicken lights doesnt impress me. Clean with a solid maintenance history on the other hand, which is the exact opposite of the place I'm at now.

    I dont have the 20K sitting in a maintainance account some say you need before thinking about O/O. I thought about bridging that gap with a warranty on the major systems. With luck and careful planning I could get a few 100K relatively major trouble free then upgrade.

    Interesting you brought up tires. The late time i looked at O/O I read an interesting article about how to make tires an asset not an expense. How things like rolling resistance and tread life effect fuel economy and total cost. Wish I still had it.

    If the numbers some are saying they're getting, 3K miles @ about $1.75mi avg, are right, the numbers work. I'll need to get a detailed breakdown of cost the factor in a truck payment.
     
  7. Fz1rider

    Fz1rider Bobtail Member

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    Nothing wrong with Bruce Oakley but pneumatic tanker is not for everyone. The job is noisy, requires constant attention for up to an hour or two while unloading and clogs will happen. Pneumatics is a fickle animal but gets paid well if you can stand it. I know drivers who get $400 per day but for myself it was a no go. If your good at it don't sell yourself cheap.
     
  8. Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

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    I gave my tank a stern talking to, and haven’t clogged since. She likes the strong, silent, dominant type.

    Didn’t work with the blower, however. No matter what I say, she just keeps gabbing away...
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2019
    intrepidor Thanks this.
  9. Roberts450

    Roberts450 Road Train Member

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    Im surprised you find pneumatic's fickle. I can get it set, walk away, come back to 0 tank and line pressure, close the empty hopper and open the next full one and away it will go and I never gotta touch the mainline valve.
     
    Frank Speak Thanks this.
  10. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    What are you hauling?
     
  11. Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

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    You’re wasting time if you let each hopper go empty before switching. Switch hoppers as soon as that first drops past 10. Same with the second. Then, let the third go to empty. Then clean out lines, pack up and hit the road.
     
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