Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

"Hopped Up" I like it. I could see Dave, Hugh and Rick all driving for the Kramer fleet. Put them in all new Pete's and let them go.

 

Must have been a new employee that didn't know any better.

 

I think they'd be a much better fit at Head's, or even Oklahoma Ag. I wouldn't let those guys check the air in my tires, let alone drive a truck with my name on it!

 

I have had some brokers call me this past week trying to move fertilizer out of the Tulsa area to Kansas and Colorado. I was afraid to ask what it is paying.

 

I would be surprised if those guys new how to check the air in tires. They check it when it blows.

My hat is off to you Highside and your parents. Their is know way I would have more then one truck. I am so picky and wouldn't have the patience if a driver tore up my truck so I will have to remain a one truck one driver operation. Maybe an owner operator in the future but no company rides. I seen a driver the other day blow two virgin tires on the same axle, same side. He told me they were low and he didn't have any way to air them up so he was going to try and make it threw the day hauling rock and get to the shop that night and get them aired up. Well he didn't make it and I am sure his boss wasn't happy and I know he went by two places that day to air them up. I told him I wouldn't tell his boss what he told me because he might be out of a job and his response was "It's not my fault". Some of these drivers forget one thing "This equipment pays your salary take care of it"

 

Tell me about it. You buy nice equipment, and most of these drivers treat it like it's and old worn out White Freightliner (no offense to any White Freightliner fans out there.) NOTHING is ever their fault, either. Ask them how a fresh dent got on the bumper, and they're stumped. Don't have a clue.

It's not just drivers tearing up/not respecting your equipment. Now we get to worry about O/O's not keeping their equipment up to spec, and wrecking our CSA score when they bring home bad inspections. About a year ago we had a few O/O's get inspected, and the end results weren't pretty. Now we're on "alert status" on our Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. Dad and I have resorted to inspecting our O/O's trucks ourselves to try to mitigate any further damage. Our guys run for good rates, so it's not like they can't afford to keep their equipment up. Sometimes they just put proper maintenance on the back burner, because it doesn't directly affect them, and that just isn't going to fly any more with the government deciding they have to save the world from out-of-control truckers.
We're getting closer and closer to going to a brokerage type operation. Get your own authority, and we'll keep you going for a flat percentage.

I won't lie to ya, there's days where all I want to do is run my one truck and tell everybody else to...well, you know...

 

Bunge has alot of hominy coming out of Atchison, and there's also an alcohol plant up there that puts out plenty of DDG. That's actually where I was pulling out of this summer when had to pay the hombre to shovel out my trailer. It set up purdy good.

If you're going to haul it, quote a GOOD rate. They can't keep steady trucks on that stuff, and they'll pay if you'll haul it, but like every other broker, you've gotta drag it out of them.

BTW, you could probably get just under 26 tons of DDG, and maybe 20 tons of midds on your low side, WH