Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Are any of you long haul hopper guys familiar with Reliant or Eclipse Transportation? As far as a kind of "dedicated" broker? as far as keeping busy and paying on time etc.

 

Dairyman the dryland corn in La was better than they expected. I did hear of about the lowest yields I've ever heard of. Down around Newellton they were telling of yields in the 40-50 bu range. Where I was it was 90-120 bu and they were pleased. It's got to where it seems the lower delta is bone dry every year May thru July and then it rains in Aug and Sept. Strange weather. They're cutting early beans now. They varied alot. The deer had eaten several fields I saw about up. I saw the fattest deer I've ever seen down there. They had the most corn there's ever been down there and the coons, deer, and bear seem to be thriving. I saw the biggest black bear I've ever seen in a cornfield.

 

Does any body on here have any opinions on the cornhusker hopper trailers,looking at 06 ultralight 42x96x78. Just wondering how well built they were since there so light.

 

Thanks for the crop update,cowdoc.Yep,the deer around here are fat this year too.Sounds like yields are kinda up and down in La.,thats the way its looking here,if folks got the timely rain,i think the yields are going to be ok,but if they missed the mid-july rains,i think they are going to be below avg. at best,especially the corn.Thanks again.

 

I'd looked those over, and talked to alot of people about them. IMO they've cut muscle instead of fat to trim the weight down. With the HD Wilson I've pulled, it weighs about 9,400 pounds (43x78x102) and an ultralight the same size weighs about 8,000 so people have told me.

Now that's only 1400 pounds more freight, but it'll take a chunk out of your pocket when it starts cracking out all over the place. Check out what carriers run - I don't know a single OTR carrier that runs UL trailers.

It's alot like the question to switch to super singles. Sure, they save weight - but they don't save expense and downtime when you get a flat and need to buy a wheel with it.

Everything comes at a price, and unless the roads and the customers lots get ALOT smoother out there - I'll never even glance at an ultralight trailer.

 

Any of you guys know what it takes to reinstate old authority? I let it all go in 2002 when i sold my last two trucks. Is it possible to fire that old of authority back up or do you have to start over? Im thinking about starting back up got some old connections that can run me. Thanks for any info on this. crop jocky