How physical are delivery positions at Sysco/Pepsi? Concrete mixers?

Always after disconnecting the suction hoses walk a loop to push ANY residual to and into the still running pump....

 

Yeah that’s lifting the EMPTY part of the hose. Still a cake walk. You’re not handling a packed line. So technically I guess you’re handling with product in it but it’s still lifting the empty bag art of the line. Guy was making it sound like slinging hoses was some sort of triathlon. Walking a line and lifting product with it is doing it wrong if there’s liquid in the loop

 

Viscosity dependent and those old green Matlack hoses were still a hassle empty.

I had the unfortunance of delivering Air Products 'Rhoplex' latex to a dinky place in Paterson, NJ needing 100' of 3" of that stiff green stuff...place would have given an OSHA inspector insant heart attack....

 

Been there done that have the tshirt but in chiraq. Ran for Dana/Suttles and we picked up a lot of that Matlack crap when they went out.

 

Regardless, OP bulk tanking dry or liquid would be worth checking out. Food grade pneumatic is gravy

 

Thanks everyone I appreciate the advice a lot. I should have clarified I'm relatively young and not in awful shape, too skinny/wiry if anything - my knees are just beat up from too many years of high impact sports and some unlucky injuries the last couple years (nothing requiring surgery yet..). It's repetitive squatting/bending/pushing of stuff >50 lbs repetitively that concerns me - no problem getting in and out of the truck, climbing ladders or moving hoses so long as it's not while carrying too much weight.

From the sound of things I will avoid food/bev delivery and concrete mixers. It sounds like any of LTL, Linehaul, P&D, Flatbed are worth looking into - can be really physical but generally not too demanding. And Bulk/Tankers or Dumptrucks might be ideal if I could even get a call back anyplace.

Now I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for companies worth applying to in any of those specialties as a new driver? Or even just for future reference. Preferably in the Southern half of the US. I'm willing to relocate if it means avoiding the OTR grind.. Otherwise if I can't get in someplace desirable, I guess there's always the mega carriers.

 

With economy right now it might be a tough row to hoe but when things start picking up I’d see if there was an Old Doninion, R&L, or XPO terminal in the area you want to be in and try them first.

 

I did concrete mixers for a little over a year. Dealing with the chutes is the easy part. It's the constant up and down that will do you in.

At the plant you'll be up by the barrel opening rinsing and adding water to get your slump close.

At the job site you'll be up there again when the job is done, hosing the leftover mud back into the barrel.

Back at the plant, again for clean up.

As a guy that doesn't have bad knees, my knees were happy when I found a new job. If you've already got questionable knees, forgetaboutit.

 

It can be very rough and especially with bad weather