Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by wheathauler, May 31, 2009.

  1. jdscj8

    jdscj8 Bobtail Member

    4
    1
    Dec 30, 2010
    Eastern, Nebraska
    0
    Hey all, just stumbled on your site and liking it. So im starting to pull hoppers again after 5 yrs of being layed up from an accident, how much has changed? I used to have a 48' wilson spread but it looks like everyone is running 42/43 footers now. Whats the deal is smaller the way to go now? My Pete was getting lonely so I looked at a 09 50' cornhusker triple axle today and was thinking for hauling ddg,bean meal,corn,beans,and wheat in a 200 mile area it might be a bit over kill length wise, but for the deal it sounded good, or is it a bad time to have those types of payments? It would be $950 a month for the trailer, and the truck is paid for. What do you all think? Anything you all can fill me in on would be great. 5 years aint a long time but you all know in this biz things change by the day. Thanks, JD
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. wheathauler

    wheathauler Trucker

    2,031
    584
    Mar 10, 2009
    Hutch, Kansas
    0
    Welcome jdscj8, man that's a tough member name. Maybe should just call you jj. Anyway about the only thing that's changed in he last 5 years is the rates have gone down.

    The length of your trailer would depend on what you haul and how hard it is to get around when you pu and deliver. Some places I go you couldn't get a 50 footer in. In Nebraska the triple axle would help you but in Kansas it wouldn't help you.

    Should be able to make trailer payment since you don't have truck payment. It's tough right now with rates down and a oversupply of trucks but it can be done.
     
    bullhaulerswife Thanks this.
  4. bullhaulerswife

    bullhaulerswife Forum Leader/Admin Staff Member Administrator

    27,995
    42,967
    Jul 23, 2007
    Midwest
    0
    You are in an ideal location for 200 miles, but extend that a bit to 300, and it would get better. Your only 40 miles from us.

    Iowa changed their laws recently, so you can go 85K. So a lot of the guys around here are selling their tandems and ordering spreads or triples.

    That cornhusker will be heavy, though. Hubby is pulling a 43', and comes in at 27,800 tare wt with half tanks of fuel. Usually he can haul 52k without a problem.

    We have found for this area that the shorter runs pay better than the longer ones. 300-400 miles pays pretty good.
     
    wheathauler Thanks this.
  5. jdscj8

    jdscj8 Bobtail Member

    4
    1
    Dec 30, 2010
    Eastern, Nebraska
    0
    Wheathauler, Just call me JD, isn' Kansas 85000 for spread and 90000 for triple? Man rates being downs not what i like to hear startin back out.
    Bullhaulerswife, most of my runs are for farmers that we know, so they kept me busy for half of the year atleast so i dont go over 50 miles for them. Other then that I like to stay between Kansas City south, Elk Point,SD to the north, and Kearny,NE west. I dont have any contacts out of that area so i call this area home. I took the truck to look at the trailer to see how it pulled, stoped at the scales and full of fuel it was 29,160. With my old wilson spread i was 31,000, so i was really shocked. Thats with a exhd pete 63" bunk with a 525 cummins,13 speed.
    Whats with this new 2010 law?
     
  6. wheathauler

    wheathauler Trucker

    2,031
    584
    Mar 10, 2009
    Hutch, Kansas
    0
    Ok JD, 85,500 spread and triples. That's why a triple doesn't do any good in Kansas, would help you on axles and bridge but that's about it. That's not a bad weight for a 50 ft triple axle.

    The CSA 2010 I believe is going to hopefully get rid of some bad drivers and carriers. Bad inspections will go towards carrier and driver and they are more strigent than before. Last I heard even warning tickets went toward carriers basic score. I think there is a thread here in forum on CSA 2010. I just know I want my truck up to DOT standards and no overweight tickets. BHW, Highside or someone else, may know more about CSA.
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2010
    dairyman Thanks this.
  7. Big John

    Big John Road Train Member

    2,022
    1,515
    Oct 7, 2006
    Oklahoma
    0
  8. RW.

    RW. Heavy Load Member

    715
    995
    Jan 18, 2009
    west central IL
    0
    Welcome to the hopper and dump thread, JD.

    I got the pin number in the mail last week to look up our CSA score. We've had 3 vehicle inspections in the time period they keep track of, all of them satisfactory, but the other categories said insufficient data or something like that. I hope to keep flying under the radar and passing the roadside inspections so as to not give them any undue reason to audit us.
     
  9. Big John

    Big John Road Train Member

    2,022
    1,515
    Oct 7, 2006
    Oklahoma
    0
    I talked to a DOT official here in Oklahoma and he told me that if you are showing a clean record that has no inspections on the road or in house, that will be a red flag when pulling into a scale or inspection site. When they pull you up on the computer you may get inspected.
     
    dairyman Thanks this.
  10. 1988pete379

    1988pete379 Light Load Member

    193
    75
    Feb 28, 2009
    North East TX
    0
    Our local TX DOT officer told me that as long as you don t have any violations found while they do a inspection that it will look good on your CSA 2010 data So far only 1 violation with only warning but it showed up on our sight with drivers name also listed with 3 points on him and us just for a amber light on the rear in the middle cluster . Now when we look at tail end of trailer is is bright red as we went and put all new led lights in .
     
  11. wheathauler

    wheathauler Trucker

    2,031
    584
    Mar 10, 2009
    Hutch, Kansas
    0
    Somewhere I had a piece of paper that said how many points for each infraction. Might be easier to look up on internet.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.