Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Wheathauler, I think we have soft red winter wheat, but I'm ashamed that I can't say it with absolute certainty. I know I've hauled hard red winter before, but I think that was out in your neighborhood when I worked for the harvesters. Wheat isn't a huge crop around here, its probably 90-95% corn/soybeans. Its planted on the poorer soils and rotated with corn-beans-wheat, or by people with livestock to bale the straw from. What there is here is starting to turn, its usually ready around the 4th of July.


Pharm, I think I see what you're saying. Some place has plenty of grain to move, and you're ready, willing and able to make it happen but because of the powers that be, it can't happen now. Wait till your busy or broke down, then they'll want you to move it!

If I understand it right, you're leased to someone? I think it would better suit you to work toward getting your own authority than trying to buy and sell grain. Wait until you've made plenty of contacts and established a reputation with those places for being dependable, honest, hard-working, and they'll remember you and want you hauling for them more often.

 

I pull a hopper trailer. Hauling wheat lately. We only use our truck for farm use.

 

I'll be keeping an eye on this idea. This sounds really challenging, Pharm. Are you expecting to buy low and sell high or simply secure repeat loads?

 

I think he is talking about using his authority to run for shippers directly. Eclipse isn't a lease on deal, but they provide great services for their fees. My guess is he will eventually be on his own, with no need for their fuel card and all; with his own contacts that give him a great rate in his region. I think there will be a spectrum to this though.

You may end up taking less loads for Eclipse as you find more of your own contacts, Pharm. They will probably think your getting lazy. "Oh...I'm gonna take it easy this week."

 

We have a lot a farmers around here with own trucks. The big farmers have nicer trucks than I have. When is wheat harvest in the dakotas?

 

When you don't have to use brokers is when you're starting to make it. They're sometimes a necessary evil.

 

Harvest is starting down in southern kansas. It's trying to start here ,there has been more and more farmer trucks coming in to Hutch. Hutch has terminal elevators which means they pay Kansas City prices, which are higher. There can be as much as 14 cents difference a bushel between Hutch and smaller elevators ten miles away.

That is why so many farmers here have trucks, the difference in prices could pay for a truck over time. They used to have bobtails but now are almost all trailers of assorted sizes.

 

These farmers here have nice trucks, a KW W900 and an International of some sort, at least 2 hoppers and a dump. They say they just don't have the time to haul it themselves but they haul it out of the fields on their own.

 

Not sure really, well, yes, but not as like an investment. Just wanted to see what the buyer would pay and what I could get it for and the difference is what I have for shipping. But of course for all the trouble of that it would have to be more than the .30 to .45 a bushel depending where it's going.

But, now like last time, I'm headed SE on some other loads so this will be on the back burner again.

 

Farmers don't want to haul it themselves to end user. I know farmers sure hate to wait in lines here. Course it might also be truckers haul it cheaper than the farmer could haul it.