hopefully joining intermodal soon

jb hunt offered me a 10k bonus to move to harrisburg,pa to run regional intermodal as a o/o

 

Yup some of the owner ops out of the Elizabeth intermodal terminal are being sent to Harrisburg to help out but nobody wants to do it for 92cpm are they tripping?? I don't move a load for less than 2.00cpm! Plus fuel surcharge and some for tolls(at least $100)

 

Jb intermodal is a joke if your a o.o. I've only done maybe 5 jb loads out of about 60 offers because they pay like junk.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4217608]Hi 4no, I never like to rip on anyone that makes a decision, usually once someone makes up their mind to do something, they don't listen anyway. I pulled that junk for almost 5 years, and the main reason I put up with it, was it was somewhat local, like you said. RR are STILL using tube tires, local drivers STILL load the wagon( 48K is not uncommon), brakes are shoddy , at best, some chassis STILL don't have sliding tandems, these rail yards are trying more than ever to stick repairs and tires on you, getting a live lift, or chassis change, can be challenging, and DOT loves to pick on you, and for good reason. I'm not saying it can't be done, but after 4.5 years, I had enough, and moved on.[/QUOTE]

Haven't seen a rail chassis from Norfolk Southern, CSX, or JB Hunt that you couldn't slide the tandems on...if anything sliding the tandems on a chassis is much easier then a road trailer from my experience.

 

JB Hunt pays for there own equipment to be fixed. So if you are driving down the road as an Owner Operator and the tire blows out on the chassis JB Hunt will pay for it to be replaced. If you report damage on a JB Hunt Container and/or chassis to the rail yard they document and JB Hunt will bill the rail yard for the damages.

 

Yeah I believe that. Harrisburg is hurting for intermodal drivers. There are three company drivers that got $6,500 bonus to move to Harrisburg to work for JB Hunt doing rail. JB Hunt actually flew in 20 drivers from LA to work the rail yard to help us catch up for two weeks then flew in 20 drivers from Seattle for 2 weeks to do the same as well. Pay for there lodging and gave them meal vouchers at the hotel which has a great restaurant in it. JB basically keeps outgrowing itself in Harrisburg and isn't showing signs of being able to catch up...it's pretty crazy.

 

OK, well, again, I've been out of the loop for a while, but I don't know how you can say a RR chassis will slide better than a "real" trailer. Some of those sliders on that junk are so rusted, and the brakes are so poor, I remember putting blocks of wood in front of the tires to get them to slide. Once I went to the on site shop, and they brought out a water hose, and I soaked the slider, and they blocked the wheels, and BAM, finally it moved. Maybe they have junked all those old chassis, but I've had sliders on "real" trailers that slide like butter on warm toast. RR wagons, not so much.

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4218989]OK, well, again, I've been out of the loop for a while, but I don't know how you can say a RR chassis will slide better than a "real" trailer. Some of those sliders on that junk are so rusted, and the brakes are so poor, I remember putting blocks of wood in front of the tires to get them to slide. Once I went to the on site shop, and they brought out a water hose, and I soaked the slider, and they blocked the wheels, and BAM, finally it moved. Maybe they have junked all those old chassis, but I've had sliders on "real" trailers that slide like butter on warm toast. RR wagons, not so much.[/QUOTE]

Yeah you've really been out of intermodal for a very long time. If you pull a "trailer" from the rail yard 53ft container and chassis and then grab a regular 53 ft road trailer the chassis it's going to be easier to slide the tandems on. You won't fight the chassis nearly as much because the tandems don't get stuck like a road trailer does. I've done OTR and I've also done yard jockey work as well and honestly the rail road chassis I don't ever have problems sliding the tandems compared to road trailers...perhaps because it's two seperate pieces?....Don't know but again I usually hook up to at least 5 a day and I never have problems sliding them.