Any money in intermodal?

Company driver at JB Hunt worked well for me. Independents were always complaining ... about everything always.

 

I'd say yes, although the truck lease would scare me. I pioneered intermodal in the late 80s. I bought a cheap sleeper truck, a '82 WesternStar conv. with new motor, for a whopping, $22grand in 1988, and leased to a guy in Green Bay, pulling at the time, both vans and containers out of Chicago. I did okay, and things have changed considerably since then. Vans have been phased out, all containers now, and the biggest plus, I believe they finally use tubeless tires. Rather than lease, I'd find an older tractor, or drive a company one, but make sure it has a sleeper. Most intermodal loads have about 150-200 mile range from the rail yard, and you can easily be home, more than an OTR gig, that's for sure. With Yellow going under, rail will be more popular than ever, you'll see. I say go for it, except the lease part. Many times it was drop and hook, from the rail yard or the customer, and saved a lot of time loading one.

 

I think he’s talking about buying his own truck and then leasing it on with a carrier

 

Intermodal facilities (ports and railyards) are like going to the DMV on the last day of the month. You're never in the right line, your paperwork is wrong, the chassis are crap and it's not anybody's job to help you!

 

You hit that nail on the head...

 

I don't know much about rail yards. I know way too much about ports. Once you learn your way around they're not too bad. You'll make enough money to struggle along but you'll never really get ahead.
That being said, we quit going to the Port of Oakland, Port of Sacramento, and Port of Stockton a few years ago. We're not going back, either.
Oh, also...brush up on foreign languages like Punjabi, Farsi, Urdu, Bengali, and Chakma. That way when you ask for directions or the right line to get in and they tell you "I give you nothing, American infidel whose mother smells like a goat" you'll be able to tell that you're not getting good advice. Again.

 

It's easy to get into, so there are too many in it. Junk trucks with poor maintenance and too much work until the economy stops. Ports can have long times to get trailers, but you get paid per load so you eat that wasted time. That's my view from outside of ports/container hauling.

 

Also
All the trailers are total
Garbage , never maintained and always always have something wrong that will get you written up if you get a DOT roadside inspection.

 

You folks think rail facilities are bad now, back in the 90s, most of the facilities were deplorable. It was great to get your wagon and leave. Some guys did all crosstown, by the hour, and made good money. No computers, all done manually, and lines until tomorrow. After many crashes, the DOT did come in, and every piece has to be inspected and a sticker. I had trailers with 1 brake working sometimes. Tubeless tires too. With tubes, if you went 2 days without a flat, one was a coming. Many rail yards are out in the sticks now, and while I think "lifts" could still be a problem at 2am, most is still drop and hook. Years ago, it was a given never to take a rail can over a scale, but I think with megas joining in, equipment has gotten better. I truly believe, history will repeat itself, and most goods will be shipped by train, like in the 40s, and then distributed locally, if the rails can handle it, that is.