Let’s say I wanted to start a business...

No one cares about speed on a bulk grain or corn shipment. They already have the silos built for storage. And if they need more storage they will build more silos. Much cheaper than custom ordering.

You got to remember to the guys that use products a semi trailer full might only last them an hour of production. They require more than is reasonable for a semi to carry.

The smaller places already get it from the elevator the farmer delivered to.

 

everything

 

Whatever you wish to haul just figure out what kind of trailer you want but good luck finding these good drivers to reach those standards you dream about

 

OK, so youre wondering about hauling grain, or whatever the farmers got that you can haul, with drivers that bring their own trucks. Hmmm, sounds like you want to be a broker. Anyway, lets go through some of your questions.

Grain processing facilities are EVERYWHERE in the midwest. Most farmers are within 30-60 minutes of an ethanol plant (using corn), and within 2 hours of a bean plant. Then there are grain elevators, probably 6 to choose from within an hour, whose bid price is the best? Then theres large feedlots that bid 2 cents a bushel higher than the elevators, and suck up all the grain within 15 minutes drive.

Drivers? Most farmers can drive a tractor trailer, but they dont have time to work off the farm in the spring or fall, and the rest of the year they dont really want to drive someones truck more than a couple days a week to pick up some grocery money. 4 farmers equals 1 full time driver. Replace as needed for any that smash #### up, unless they've got a really nice truck or will pull 110,000 lb loads.
Full time drivers will work, but you'd better have 14 hours of work every single day, or pretty quick, they will go somewhere else where they think they might.

Any other carrier or farmer with his own trucks will undercut your rates if they need to pick up some quick bucks, and the works done in a week.

3 or 4 day trips with grain. Sorry, prob aint gonna happen, low value cargo. 900 bushels of beans is worth about $7500. 1000 bushels of corn, about $4000. No ones going to pay 3 grand to haul grain somewhere where they already have grain without all the truckin thrown in. Same case with what they turn all that grain into - feed, ethanol, processed oil, wheat mids, flour, etc.

Benefits? Just make sure your checks come quick and that youve got a couple of cold beers waiting at days end.

Uniforms? HAhahaha. Theyll provide their own boots, jeans , wifebeater shirt and a seed corn hat.

Backloads of manufactured goods? Youre gonna load up some plasma TVs, white goods, farm tools and lumber in a grain hopper to get paid both ways? Or were you planning on loading bulk grain into a 53' dry van? Or do the drivers need to bring one of each when they come with their truck?

I would recommend you focus on high dollar or niche freight that demands excellent service and pays premium rates. Think about hauling stuff worth more than $200k per load. Or Just in Time stuff that goes into making high dollar stuff. What freight can you haul that will bring $1500 or more to the truck per day, 5 or 6 days a week, with one driver? And a well-written, long term contract to protect your business.

Good luck.

 

If its common, the megas will be hauling it back and forth for $1.25 a mile or less. With 100% driver turnover every year. You would spend all your time hiring and firing drivers, instead of making money.

 

Geesw,you guys are a bunch of ball busters, you all done went and ruined it while I was getting my resume in order. lol

 

It's not a driver shortage, it is a shortage of truly qualified drivers in society today. All we need to do is look at statistics/data to the accident reports of the FMCSA, and insurance agencies. Heck just look on You - Tube at the stupid things that are happening and being recorded. The data shows the rate of accidents involving Commercial trucks increases and decreases. This is not including certain types of accidents do not involve another vehicle, or a major accident.

The companies and school are only looking at their bottom lines. The companies are only looking to fill seats with a person to move their freight. The trucking schools are only there to push out as many people as they can, as it adds to their accounts. With all the technology, and electronic safety measures being added to the trucks today. Drivers are still creating issues as to stupid accidents, and causing accidents at any level.

 

there is a so-called shortage of qualified drivers, cuz the companies relaxed or threw out thier standards of driver -trainer qualifications.

was a time when i started out, one had to have at the very least 10 years driving experience to even be considered to be a driver trainer...then 5 years..then seemingly over-night 3 months...3 MONTHS and these people are made into driver-trainers.>???

the old saying, "the blind leading the blind", most certainly applies here.

these companies simply will not go back to the old requirements they once had. they want bodies, and they want them now.

and yet, for all the bodies they claim to need, to move all this ghost freight, so many more sit at truck stops across the country for hours or days on end....cuz of NO freight.....