Bruce Oakley Trucking (Bulk)

This was my first one and my last. The DT12 was pretty good but this 10 speed is not all I hoped it would be.

 

Can confirm

 

I-shift is awesome, never thought I would dig it but defenetley wouldn't frown upon a new 730 with the i-shift as my next ride

 

I always hear guys praising the I-shift.

I prefer my 18 speed though

 

I-Shift is a 12 or 13 speed?

 

12 speed

 

You guys pulling the hopper bottom trailers, how long are you required to stay out? Regarding pay, website says $1.34 a mile (includes fuel service charge). Can you make any money operating your own truck at $1.34 a mile? That seems low to me.

 

I pull an end dump for Bogler and we load alongside Oakley trucks all the time.. Ya'll got some really nice rides I must admit. Most of our guys go there if they decide to buy a truck and if I were to do that Oakley is the first place I would go because you have to have a trailer too in order to lease on with Woody's end dumps. I know what my truck is making because I don't do well unless my truck does well... I suspect the Oakley guys are doing well... My truck averages 4 to 5k gross per week and you know we are famous for fuel mileage over here at WBT.

We have a few tanks too but they are for special customers, we run day cab end dumps up in the Rolla to St. Louis area. I think these Oakley drivers would agree if you own your own then bulk commodity is not a bad business to be in. We haul everything from grain to rock, glass to scrap metal.. I know Oakley does too because I load next to them in Springfield most Monday mornings

The great thing about end dumps is being home every weekend unless you don't want to be home that weekend sometimes they got a long load you can take on a Friday... Oh and duckhead... There is no more to fear with an end dump trailer than any other trailer you have to learn to operate properly.. Respect the trailer and the routine and you will be fine.. Always pick your spot, don't let anyone tell you that everyone else dumps there so you should too.. Check it first and move if you feel the need. Like I said if I were going to own my own Oakley end dump would be OK... The freight the hopper bottoms get isn't quite as diverse as we can get and so not as profitable all the time... BTW Woody wants them to run legal too, he won't pay over 82... We don't have scales at some of clay spots so there is some leeway given but everyone should learn to read their gauges....

BTW... We have bought some live bottom trailers... We shall see how that works out.

 

So in summary, more diverse freight which means more loads, better pay pulling an end dump, and better home time. Yeah I have watched those end dumps tilt that bed up and it scares me just watching. That thing starts to go over there ain't no stopping it. I have only pulled bulk tankers since day one so I have zero end dump experience.

Anyway, I started kicking around the whole owning my own truck thing again. Kind of controlling my own destiny and making a little more money is starting to sound more appealing to me since I have been in this a few years now. Being a company driver has it's advantages but you are limited to what you can make. Been thinking hard about going out on a limb and seeing what happens.

 

I just looked at their website again. I am in the hiring area for end dump but I fall in the area on the map where it says home every two weeks. It does pay better than hopper bottom though.