Hopper Bottom or Flatbed?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Big Road Skateboard, May 2, 2021.

  1. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Appreciate any opinions guys. I'm no driver but have decided a career change is needed. I've already bought a truck, and I've been trying to decide between these two so I can start looking for a trailer. Running paper logs and would prefer to stay away from both coasts, if it makes a difference.

    I'm sure some will ask. I do have experience around both trucks and trailers of all sorts, and have carried a CDL since the 90's.
     
  2. Trashtrucker1707

    Trashtrucker1707 Road Train Member

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    End dump is steady, relatively short wait times so your ability to make the most of your week is better in my opinion. I’ve been doing it for quite a few years now and would only give it up for local work, or possibly private fleet stuff. I have no opinion of flatbed, but I do know hoppers can sit in lines for hours waiting to load, and do the same on the other end, plus the possibility of loads hanging up and sticking is something to keep in mind as well. Dumps are very versatile, there’s a number of commodities that can be hauled, some of which pay extremely well.
     
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  3. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Depend on where you’re located.
    Nucor was looking for drivers to pull steel, did that years ago, would reload roll roofing back from Pryor ok to Memphis Tn/West Helena AR Reload steel from Blytheville Ar back to Tulsa/OKC

    Hopper is steady, if your patient, feed mills always need feed for chickens/dog food/cattle
     
  4. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Flatbed, no question. You'll never see a hopper bottom at a state scale( unless shanghai'd) those guys always "load the wagon", because it pays so poorly. Flatbed is wide open now, and here in Colorado, that's all I see is flatbed,,,or bull haulers, and I won't even get into that. I always thought, a hopper is for the farmer, who doesn't have much else to do but sit in line with their crop harvests, and almost always no backhaul. Flatbed, without question.
     
  5. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    During crop harvest is where you can get good pay from the field.
    Was hauling corn 15 miles last harvest total of 105 miles/ at 180-200$ load depending on bushels
    Could do 7-8 a day.
    I’ve taken loads in a hopper to CO, but there’s nothing out of there, so you gotta do like Florida, get a good rate and bounce back to either NE or KS
     
  6. JSanborn103

    JSanborn103 Medium Load Member

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    Do flatbeders do a lot of backing?
     
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  7. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    HA! Not too much. I did haul a load of shingles once and had to back into a "slip" of sorts, they loaded them from the side, but generally no, most stuff comes off by a crane or hoist.
     
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  8. mpd240

    mpd240 Road Train Member

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    It’s an old running joke that flat bedders can’t back since they do so little if it
     
  9. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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    Thanks guys. I'm impatient AF, and have seen that scenario where hoppers stuck in line for hours. Definitely want no part of that

    On my way to Colorado now to look at a flatbed. Hard to find a decent used 48x102 all aluminum around my place. Seen this one last week and it fits my budget.
     
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  10. mpd240

    mpd240 Road Train Member

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    Buy a 53 step. Pulled both flat and step. Preferred the step
     
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