Onions....

Discussion in 'Flatbed Trucking Forum' started by Big_Red, Jul 3, 2014.

  1. Big_Red

    Big_Red Medium Load Member

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    So I got a load of onions today.we are stuck with each other for 2700 miles. Any advice on the tarping or how to keep the straps from loosening every 50 miles would be greatly appreciated.
     
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  3. passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    From what I have seen, cross strap in the front and in the back.
    Somewhere on the board is a post about hauling onions.
    Try doing a search.. Good luck and do not let them get wet from my understanding
     
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  4. Big_Red

    Big_Red Medium Load Member

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    Yea from the way the shipper explained it to me...this load is really high maintenenance. They told me my tarps were too low so I had to do that all over again. Only tarp the top bags...if it rains stop and lower tarps...then raise them afterwards. It seems as if they would just go ahead and put these on a refeer. I still haven't figured why the hundreds of empty crates next to the dock wasn't a solution to putting them on a flat. Not too fond of this one.
     
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  5. MachoCyclone

    MachoCyclone Road Train Member

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    The smell of the onions would kill the reefer driver as soon as they opened the doors.
     
  6. mtoo

    mtoo Road Train Member

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    I have never had any desire to haul onions. Good luck to you, thats one of those things where you watch the other guy that knows what he is doing. Like Passingthru69 said. I think there is a thread
     
  7. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    put a dunnage under the front of the front pallet. and under the back of the back pallet. that keeps the front and rear rows tilted into the loads.

    2 straps over the front and back rows. some of us have never crossed. those that cross, usually don't have the rows tilted.

    lay tarps over the top. the onions need to breathe. if you find a storm coming your way. pull the tarps down and bungee. or you could just tarp the sides. leave front and rear flaps on top so air can run through the load that way. then all you gotta worry about is flaps if it rains.

    it's a good idea to tarp the sides anyways. so you don't have onions or bags flying out the side. ( a net to catch the spillage).

    tighten straps when you don't like how loose they are getting. you can tell by the flapping. i never rotate the straps on onions. i like to see the full flapping effect.

    ALWAYS check straps before crossing the scale. and you'll be ok.

    the first load is intimidating. after that, it's a breeze. but they're just like regular produce. BS from shipper and receiver. receiver ALWAYS complains. FDA approval needed and all that crap. i'm guessing they don't want to pay if they don't have to.

    DON'T let onions get wet. surefire way to get moldy. don't let em sit in the sun. they get sunburnt. tarps trap the heat inside. and tarps get hot also.

    HAVE FUN AND SAFE TRAVEL.
     
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  8. Freightlinerbob

    Freightlinerbob Road Train Member

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    It's been a while, about 20 years to be exact. But I started out paranoid on the first few loads but found that once they settled, it was just another load of bagged material. I trapped the whole thing but left the end flaps rolled up (ends open) and I used the highest row of D rings and pushed the tarp up to that level. This way I could close the whole thing up fairly quickly if it started raining.

    The whole thing smelled like a giant plate of fajitas every time I stopped.
     
  9. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    "Onions, just like tomatoes, become soft in the fridge -- and what's an onion without its crisp bite? They also have the tendency to impart their flavor on surrounding produce. And while you might love the taste of onions, you probably don't want everything to taste like one. It's actually better to keep whole onions in a warm dry place until they're cut. Once cut, you should store them in the fridge, covered; they will keep for a few days.

    One more thing to keep in mind: never store your onions and potatoes together. Onions and potatoes can both give off gases that will cause the other to spoil faster."
     
  10. MJ1657

    MJ1657 Road Train Member

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    Onions are on my short list of things to not haul.

    Not worth the headache to me.
     
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  11. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    onions really aren't a headache.

    hauled potatoes and melons also.
     
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