Hopper, Dump O/O's & Drivers

Welcome Chad,by the bushel in most places. Each area is a little different when it comes to rates,but remember fellers,this is a public forum,and we don't get real specific about rates,if ya know what i mean.I'm getting ready to leave out right now,but i'll send ya a PM tommorrow with some better specifics on rates,ok? Plus,i type with one finger and this is the most pointing and clicking i've done in a while


Wheathauler,RW,Highside,BigJohn..........Wherefore art thou

 

Dairyman....

Yes I believe I'm in a very rate competitive area.... when I drive through town in my pickup on the way to work I cant go without seeing 4-6 hopper bottoms on the way through town..... Not quite sure what to do right now as everyone I talk to in line always gives you the "You can make a million dollars pulling a hopper but first you have to start out with two million dollars" speech about how they never make any money but still haul it.... So I'm kind of confused/nervous about the decision!

 

Wheathauler when you say you would think about it does that mean you would be for getting my own truck??

 

Well I guess I should maybe do a little Cold calling this week and see what some of the co-op's and companies have to say

 

Welcome to the hopper thread Chad Norquist, COhauler, and DodgeFarmBoy. I am just local short hauls (usually 25 miles or less one way) when it comes to hopper work, and lately there hasn't been much of it. Since we almost never have a load back the other direction, we figure our total miles, not just loaded. We're paid by the bushel also, and on that short of a haul, you need at least around 2.30 a mile for all miles to make it worth doing. That's figuring about 950 bushels a load, and not much waiting at either end. That's as specific as I'm going to get on rates here. With fuel prices what they are now, the margin for error isn't much- too low and you're not making enough to maintain your equipment and earn a decent living, too high and someone will decide you're making too much and get someone cheaper.

Another thing that is hurting right now, and I risk getting shot for saying this, but grain farmers have been making very good money the last few years. When corn is 6 or 7 dollars and beans at 14 dollars, a lot of farmers that didn't use to have any semis do now, and a lot of them that had 1 or 2 now have 3 or 4, so they don't need any outside help hauling.

So I guess my outlook is a little bleak, but on the bright side, you found this forum, and it has a virtual library of information that will help you. The "search" function is an excellent way of getting answers, and I haven't found many on here that wouldn't help if you have specific questions. I'm just a bad example of a hopper operator right now.

And where is Big John, do we need to send out a search party?