Intermodal - The What's and Who's

Casual Trucker is right. Container trailers are definitely a site to see. As long as you dont mind hauling boxes that look as if its lost a battle with the incredible hulk Go for it. I currently work for a container company. Mainly local runs however i wanted melton truck lines OTR but i just started trucknig and they were desperate for drivers. The thing about containers is as long as your not running far with them DOT wont always mess with you especially if you live near a pier, however, Im pretty sure long haul guys will get pulled easily. From the cracked chassis, the tires, the lights, the old reefers, loose air lines, broken locks, the holes in the ceilings and floors, the heavy loads (90000 lbs yes I've seen it) cracked spring leafs, bad breaks just to name a few issues.

Pay for me is 17hr or 40cpm if my run going one way is over 100 miles.

 

intermodal is the best because its uaually local home daily and if your a owner op not lease. owner u can make big $$. but ya the equipment sucks b

 

INtermodal chassis that they put the containers on are the worst, second only to pallate hauling trailers.

But companies that "rail" full trailers are not bad. With KLLM our rail trailers are the newest in the fleet! Computer antilock brakes on each wheel hub!

Mikeeee

 

Your best bet would be to get your hazmat and twic if you don't have it already. I say anywhere you will find a port you will find a company from your larger scale companies to smaller companies

 

That's funny. You've apparently never looked at a Triple Crown Roadrailer trailer. LOL, the worst I've ever seen on the road. And over the past two years Norfolk Southern, at least in central Pa, has replaced all the old, crappy chassis with nice new ones all with LED lighting and some with very new style LED lights. Now some of the containers leave alot to be desired but you don't drive on the container, only the chassis.

 

any of you professional drivers kn ow anything about triple crown out o atlanta?

 

Guess it all depends on where you work. I pulled containers for 2 years going from Miami to Daytona and from Daytona to Martinsville Va. I never got DOT'D. I had the occasional problem with a flat tire or a handle for the landing gear nothing major. Most of the ports have shops that will fix that before you leave if you ask them to. So if a driver leaves with unsafe equipment he's to blame. Something that travels by ship a large portion of the time isn't gonna look pretty. Salt Air takes its toll. The biggest problems were tightly packed yards making it hard to get the landing gear raised to get the trailer out. Landing gear that's hard to raise/lower and doors that are hard to open. You do have to be extra cautious in your driving though (something to consider) as they are much more top heavy than your standard trailers.

 

Pacer Continum FMX all intermodal carriers

 

Been doing this for three weeks now. So far it seems alright. Had a few issues with doors that are hard to open and close, and a busted airbag in a chassis I was going to pick up, but other than that it's been pretty smooth. The spaces at the rail yards are usually pretty tight, however for the most part they're diagonal spots so they're much easier to get into for backers (like myself) that aren't the best. So far I've enjoyed it. Work nights, but am home every day and have weekends off. Can't complain much.