Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

5M2F, Where did you load in Jonesboro?

 

Well this scale has a pretty good slope on both sides and they would not let me split way said it would not be accurate. Some of the things we have to do to make the customer happy so we can haul their cheap freight.

 

That's weird Big John, I didn't know you could haul pallets and bulk at the same time. Do you put in some kind of bulkhead to separate them?

 

Sorry about your troubles, but at least I'm not alone - I thought I was the one that always got sent to those places. Seems like the last thing any of these places care about is the scale. Gee, I get to drop my trailer and hook back up? Awww, thanks! What's your trailer weigh empty? Hmmm - it was empty just a little while ago - why you asking me now?

Witmer Farms in Columbiana, OH had no idea what they loaded actually weighed - they expected me to guess and pull forward, and then tell them when to cut it off . They had an old scale around back that seemed to work alright - wonder if they ever thought to use it and figure it out themselves? When it was "over with" I nicknamed the place Witless Farms in my head, and I wouldn't go back there if they paid $4 a mile and had a free bikini wash.

That place paid nearly enough to cover fuel, and I only took the load to get home. After a half day finding a washout, fuel for the OOR miles to the wash, and 3 hours loading - I think I would've been better off just deadheading out. To top that off, they had a 15T max bridge between the closest exit and the highway - would've been fun if I was hauling to them instead of from. Nowhere to turn around that I saw, I probably would've had to back a mile. Just shows how the details can ruin a trip in a minute!

Any more if I see a scale with a loading chute above it, I almost want to hug somebody! Those places should get a small price break, and everyone else needs to pay double - what happened to detention time?

 

No doubt lol. Suddenly I don't feel nearly as bad about some of the stuff I have had to do.

I loaded sunflower seeds from a wooden elevator once. I knew I was in trouble when they drug an actual hose from the elevator over my trailer. One of the guys that worked there tied a rope to the hose, and then anchored the rope to the bumper of his pickup truck Did I mention it was a two hour load and then a 15 mile drive to dump? Wont be going back there again anytime soon.

 

No bulkhead I asked them if they had some cardboard to put in the middle so it wouldn't mix and they looked at me like I was from outerspace. He informed me that they never did that before and I was like I see their are a lot of things you guys have never done before. Maybe it is time for some change and upgrades. When I got down to Beebe, AR to unload they pulled the pallets off the back with a forklift and the two pallets in the center were covered with pellets.

If you guys ever get offered a load to or from Crescent Feeds in Springfield, MO run. If you haul a load in their you unload on the rail road tracks and those tracks are not flush with the ground.

 

I loaded corn years ago on a farm in Sterling, CO and he loaded me with a little auger. I think he was in his 70's and was in the bin shoveling the corn in the auger and it was hot that day, I felt sorry and took the shovel and did it myself.

I have unloaded at several mom and pop dairys years ago and unloaded into an auger and it was slow process but hey I sure if they were millionaires they would have a big elevator with a big pit like the big boys. But one thing I got from the small mom and pop dairys over the large corp. outfits were freindly faces and if I got their at the right time one hell of a meal.

 

I guess that's why whenever we had other carriers come to our place they were so excited. All trucks are loaded inside, on 70' certified scales with a dust collector, 24/7. Their also loaded with a grain pump so it can be loaded exact, no waiting for a auger or leg to unload. It helps when you spent years screwing with other places junk, so when you build your own you know what works.