Livestock transport

Really intense.

Let's say I like to think I am fast with a 18 wheeler. Animal Cage going nuts waiting to get around me at 130 impatient because it's not fast enough.

I have a passing interest in livestock related to railroading, meat industry and history. And it is one of the most intense time schedule freights you can ever have.

That's why I choose not to get into this part of trucking. When it's time to get that cattle down the road to the plant that truck will get it there soonest in any weather.

Im happy to see them coming on. So I can at least get out of their way. (Anyone remember Monfort?)

 

Yea lots of wanna be's run a 1 ton and a gooseneck. From small to 20k rated trailers. Then you got your guys in the 4 door transport rigs, I'm old school and call em 2 ton rigs. Takes 2 or 3 of them grossed out and hard to stop to do what I can legal. We get paid by the CWT or hundred weight. So much for each hundred pound of net weight. A 1 ton cost just as much as my Pete to operate and gets less per CWT and hauls less. Honestly it's a new fad amongst the buyers. See they are equivalent to the 1880's traveling gambler. Loyal to no one, will use you up and keep dropping the rate when they see your in trouble. They know there is 10 waiting on your spot. South Florida Georgia bama and Mississippi are prime spots to go broke in a flourishing market.

 

I will never understand why a one ton will cost as much as a Pete. Unless you are looking at costs such as Commercial Insurance among other things.

They have been running one ton or similar for years in my county. If you were to go by the Civil Court, about once a month a ticket is written for no CDL, incorrect etc.

 

Its crazy at what the diesel pickups cost to maintain. I can put brakes on my Pete cheaper than a 1 ton. The engine parts are stupid high. Really no sense in it. I agree it doesn't seem right but that's how it is

 

I hit many a sale barn at midnight with merely a load card in the gate. Walk around, figure out what’s what, then set the trailer up. It’s me by my lonesome and hardly any light to see with. When you see a charlois headbutt a cattle gate and cave it in, then stroll on a trailer like nothing happened, you realize how powerful they are.

 

I'm doing that very thing tonight. I kinda like it like that. No one waiting on me, get to do #### at my pace

 

One thing you want, is to have 12 by 12's between you and 30 cattle shoving each other to get to a trough filled with goodies not found in a field. If you are between 4 ton of hangry and goodies you are good as dead.

 

The only barns I ever got help late at night was Livingston, Alabama (that drunk guy named Duck), Winona on Hwy 51 if it’s before 10 pm, and Lucedale on Hwy 98 about half mile off the highway. It seems when you are picking up killers no help is to be found.

If you ever load in Philadelphia, Ms with them old raggedy gates that don’t hardly shut, put your runnin shoes on or give Doc some biscuits to chase them back.

 

I dont let him near the trailer but in the pens he is coming along. Still ain't no Freckles but none are lol. I used to load at Lucedale pretty regular. Ol Bob Thompson was from around there had an old yellow 359exhd he was a card. Laurel was booming then too, Shreveport, Texarkana, Muldrow Ok, Batesville Ar, and West Plains were my main haunts. I pretty well stayed with a buyer name was Waymack. Conley wrote the checks. I miss be in a sale barn slut was lot easier livin

 

Yeah I like Lucedale. Load on the south side of the building 3/4 ways down. There was an older hand and a younger guy helpin me when I got in there late at night. Nice gates, well lit, get in and get out pretty quick. I’d get in the top deck and they would run them to me, I’d work the cut gates.

Uniontown , Alabama and Letohatchee Alabama are nice facilities but I was alone over there. Delhi, La is nice if your order buyer gets you on the chute early enough. Otherwise it’s a lot of trucks. Danny Miller over in Marion, Ms is likely to have 15 trucks loaded for out west on a Thursday night.