Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

I drove for Moorman Farms in KY and they got a FSC .
Fuel is $4.17 in Indiana . If you use this site and enter a city where you know there is a Pilot or Loves you can get the diesel price . http://www.indianagasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=D&area=Leavenworth&dl=Y&intro=Y

 

Yes diesel prices are back up again everywhere, I don't get it really. Diesel prices were going down for several weeks and was sure helping make a difference for some carriers when rates have been low like they have been. I would like to see rates go up when diesel prices go up but it never seems to work that way.

I'm not moving any grain right now so I don't know what the rates have been, what I was moving the rates seemed better than what they were a few months ago. For example in Sept and Oct the Peas we were moving were paying .26/bu a few weeks ago they were paying .31/bu and than towards the middle of the move they paid .34/bu.. Every little bit helps but it's never enough when diesel prices are as high as they are.

On some of the regular freight I have we have not been able to get the customer to pay anything more than what they always pay. On some of the Produce loads we have the last couple weeks I been getting .25cwt per hundred more on the rates and that sure has made a difference. I have some customers who understand and actually will pay a little more when fuel prices jump but I also have some that won't. All rates on all freight right now are terrible and the worst I have seen them in many years and everything is slow, even our regular freight we have every week has dropped to. I think once this weather starts to change around the country things will pick back up again. Prices of diesel fuel is the number one killer when the rates are low like they have been.

As far as fuel surcharge goes from what I hear out there, the Owner operators tell me it don't make a difference with showing a fuel surcharge it's the amount that they cash the check for. The Lease Operators tell me it does make a difference cuz the fuel surcharge all goes to the truck. The customers usually don't increase the rates when diesel fuel prices raise it's always up to us to ask the customer for more money, sometimes we get it and sometimes we don't. Some guys will work harder for their carriers and some don't. It's a good working relationship with everyone at times like these that do make a difference with Brokers, Shippers and Carriers..

 

Have any of you guys pulling a hopper ever hauled sweet potatoes in your hopper before? I got a email from a customer last week saying he is going to start moving sweet potatoes in a couple weeks and is going to need hoppers. I have never hauled sweet potatoes in a hopper before, is there anything I need to know? good or bad?

I have hauled many loads of sweet potatoes in Refers over the years but never in a hopper.. I'm not sure I will even get involved with this yet, I think I will wait and see what you guys say about it and the pros and cons and see who I have for carriers as well before I get to excited and than see what kind of a rate they are going to try and moves these for.

 

$4.09 here WH,and i swear the stuff is 1/3 water,i have been having trouble with water in bottom 1/3 of the primary filters every since the real cold temps hit,anybody else notice any extra water in their filters this winter,or is it just me.

I ask for a .02/bu increase on 1 of the shorter runs i do last thursday and my merchandiser looked liked i had ask him for his right leg. He said ''with the economy like it is,he just could'nt ask the receiver for a rate increase at this time'' so i told him ''no problem,i guess you'll just have to drop your cut by .02/bu then'',then i told him what we've all heard from one time or the other, ''c'mon man,can't you just 'take one for the team'

 

So dairyman did your merchandiser take the .02/bu cut or did you take one for the team and hope he remembers you??

Myself I would of took the .02/bu cut and kept my team leaders happy and know they would remember me for that, but that is just me..

 

That's funny and sooo.....true.


UTI,I'm not too familiar with the bulk 'produce' hauling sector,but i'd say if the rates are good enough from your shippers there will be folks more than willing to haul 'em. Good paying freight is purty hard to find out here this time of year in my neck of the woods. I know i would try 'em with my hopper,could'nt be any worse to get out than whole cottonseed once you got 'em flowing,i would think.

 

I better make myself clear here after looking back... What I meant was "I would of took the .02/bu cut and kept my team leaders happy and know they would remember me for that" meaning my TEAM LEADERS are you guys with the trucks.. Without the trucks I am NOBODY

 

Don't know yet UTI,we'll see this week,i guess,but i'm doubtfull. I've NEVER been late,and NEVER dropped one of those loads for him on that particular short run for over 2 years and the receiver can only store 2 days supply at a time,so timely and consistant delivery is purty important. It does come out to $20/load but the wait time on that short run can be anywhere from 1 hour all the way out to 3 hours if you get behind just a couple of trucks so i'm taking a chance of tieing up the truck for 1/2 day and the merchandiser i'm loading at opens 1 hour later than the receiver so it's a crap-shoot on whether or not i get there 1st,so my problem is,if i pre-load for the next morning so i'm assured of being 1st in line the next day,i end up tieing up the truck for the rest of the day,hence my dilemma. Just part of it though.