Looking for grain hauling job !

[Rev.Vassago]

There different that OTR companies b/c they train you but in the grain hauling business i get the impression if you dont have experience your not getting in unless you call farmer john. Anyone else got 2 cents on that ? Would love feedback !!

That's how I got my start in grain hauling - pulling for a guy who had 5 trucks, and a farm. There are a few larger carriers, but mostly it is small outfits (5 trucks or less).

[Cntrygrl22]

I got nothing against farmer john....I would love to haul for a farm operation but I'm not connected to any large crops farms. I work on a small dairy farm where the boss runs the one semi they have. Southern MN is really the jackpot for large cropfarms. I just dont have the connections ~!! I'm trying to get in touch with co-ops for internships...anything I can find !

Keep the greasy side down !

[redsfan]

If I were you the first place I would go would be the farm papers and ag websites. One paper that I get is Farm World. I don't know if they go up into WI & MN, but they service IL, IN, OH & KY. If you go to www.farmworldonline.com you can get a free 4 week subscription and then you can view the classified ads in print or on their website. It's full of grain hauling jobs. If Farm World doesn't go up that far I'm sure there is another paper in your area. Another resource is www.agcareers.com, then there's www.agricareersinc.com, you can actually call the ladies here let them know what your background is and what you're looking for and they'll tell you what they can do.

From my experience, grain haulers need drivers almost as bad as the OTR companies. Some will require experience, but I know tons of guys that got their start in this area hauling grain or rocks right out of CDL school. The jobs are out there, you just have to look a little. The grain market is extremely high right now and with the forecasts of even higher prices this fall more and more farmers are contracting with the larger elevators 100 miles away rather than taking it to their local elevator. The oil companies are pushing the prices through the roof to try and drive the ethanol and bio-diesel plants out of business, and sadly they will most likely succeed. Good news for farmers and grain haulers at the moment though!

I will tell you that you will most likely work long hours, some days won't be so bad, but when you're busy it won't be unusual to run 16-18 hours a day. HOS? These guys have never heard of it... Most of the time you're running within 100 air miles so no log book is needed. So what if you made that trip 5 times today, DOT doesn't know when you started... You'll always be heavy also, some guys are regularly hauling 100K+ with the thinking that the extra revenue I bring in will more than pay that ticket if I get caught. Pay around here can vary greatly. Anywhere from $10-20 per hour and usually no bennies. Some will pay a percentage which will encourage you to take more chances on hauling heavier loads as the hauler is usually paid so many cents for each bushel hauled. If you can get in with a feed outfit that does backhauls instead of just hauling several loads per day and bouncing back empty they may not ask you to run quite as hard.

I hope some of this info helps you, but the resources above is where I would start. Good luck.

[Rev.Vassago]

The oil companies are pushing the prices through the roof to try and drive the ethanol and bio-diesel plants out of business, and sadly they will most likely succeed.

How, pray tell, are the oil companies going about doing this?

:?

[Manicmechnic]

I'm new the industry and just trying to look anywhere I can for a grain hauling job in the midwest, like MN or WI. Any help that anyone has would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks !

http://www.lclbulktransport.com


A little about them
LCL Bulk Transport, Inc. has more than 80-years experience in the food hauling industry. Family-owned and operated, the management of LCL Bulk Transport has always placed a high priority on customer service. To LCL, customer service means on-time delivery, quality product care, and responsiveness to customer needs.

[Jackrabbit379]

The oil companies are pushing the prices through the roof to try and drive the ethanol and bio-diesel plants out of business, and sadly they will most likely succeed.

How, pray tell, are the oil companies going about doing this?

:?

[Jackrabbit379]

Countrygirl, if there are grain elevators in your area, I would check with them. They should be able to tell ya something.

[Cntrygrl22]

Thank jackrabbit...they are definatley on my list.

Rev.Vassago....I got a good question for you....

As a veteran grain hauler....whats your advice to a super rookie like me ??? What are the ins & outs of hauling grain ? I would love to hear all your knowledge.

[Rev.Vassago]

Rev.Vassago....I got a good question for you....

As a veteran grain hauler....whats your advice to a super rookie like me ??? What are the ins & outs of hauling grain ? I would love to hear all your knowledge.

Well, it's a lot of work. Poking at loads, beating on rails, convincing loads to exit the trailer.

Each product has its own properties, and will react differently depending on several factors:

1. Where it was loaded
2. The temperature of the product
3. The air temperature
4. The humidity
5. How long of a trip it is
6. The moisture content of the product
7. The receiving methods of the elevator it is being delivered to

The same product can react many different ways, depending upon those factors. I've had loads of DDG just slide off my trailer, with no sweeping involved, and I've had loads of DDG take 8 hours to coax off the trailer.

You will need a LOT of upper body strength. There is a lot of climbing invovled with hoppers, from climbing up on top of the trailer, to climbing in and out of the hoppers (which is almost like repeling down a slope). Trailers need to be swept after every load, so it is constant work.

Loading. Each product has different weight properties. A load of Distillers is very heavy, and will give the trailer a low center of gravity. A load of Corn Gluten Meal is fairly light, which will give the trailer a much higher center of gravity. Some products load very quickly, depending on the product, and where it is coming from. Some can take all day to load. Learning how much to put in each hopper is a must - you'll be moving backwards and forwards during most loading, and sometimes will not have a scale anywhere near the loading area. Most grain trucks have an air gauge in them, which will assist with the loading process - LEARN IT. It's much easier to add more to a trailer, than to take it off.

Tarping. Usually it is fairly easy, but if you are loading a very light product, that is being packed in (and usually overpacked in), getting the tarp closed can be a challenge. Not to mention wind - not much fun having a tarp blow over the side of the trailer.

Weights. You are almost always at the maximum gross weight (I'm not going to go into the whole "You'll always run overweight", because I rarely did). If you are over on an axle, it can be a challenge to shift the weight. Sometimes it's as easy as hitting the brakes real hard, and letting gravity shift the weight, but sometimes no amount of shifting the load will get the weights right. Then you have to get out the shovel, and start moving product from one hopper to another - one scoop at a time. Not much fun when you are 1000# over on your drives.

Getting in and out of shippers and receivers. Some of the places you are putting the truck can be downright scary. Many of these older elevators were not designed for a 45' hopper bottom, but were designed for a small straight truck. But you still have to get in there. Other times, it requires belt setups that clog easily.

Dust. Dust is the enemy of the hopper bottom driver. You can very quickly develop a serious athsma problem if you don't take the proper steps to protect yourself. A CLEAN dust mask (not a painters mask - too thin), an air hose, and several changes of clothes are a MUST.

Most of the quirks of pulling hoppers are remedied by EXPERIENCE. I can show you exactly how to get a stuck load of Corn Gluten Pellets out of a hopper with nothing more than a rubber mallet. I had to learn how to do it the hard way. I've seen guys in that business beat the crap out of their trailers, to the point that there is nothing left of the lower hoppers but dents. Sure, they got their product out, but those dents are going to make getting the next load out even harder.

Sometimes, I think I am a glutton for punishment. I went straight from doing hopper bottoms to doing HHG. The home time was very good, though. I was home weekends, and managed to spend several nights per week in my own bed.

One thing to note is that hoppers are seasonal. The spring and fall are very busy, with fertilizer going in during the spring, and grain going out during the fall. Depending upon the market prices, feed can slow down or pick up at a moments notice.

I think you'll find that you'll average around 2500 miles on a good week. I had great weeks, and I had crappy weeks where I couldn't break 2000 miles. Finding a carrier that suppliments this by providing loading and unloading pay helps greatly. You'll find that you can have upwards of 10 loads in your trailer in a 5 day week, depending upon the length of haul. That's a lot of loading and unloading, and a lot of work, depending upon what you are hauling.

Sorry for the long winded post.

[redsfan]

The oil companies are pushing the prices through the roof to try and drive the ethanol and bio-diesel plants out of business, and sadly they will most likely succeed.

How, pray tell, are the oil companies going about doing this?

:?

Because....that's who is buying all of the corn and driving the prices up. I normally wouldn't believe this either, but I was told this by two different merchants at two different Cargill elevators. As they are the people who buy and sell the grain, I put a little faith in what they told me. I also know that the number of ethanol plants that were set to go online this year have been cut in half because of the high grain prices.

Also, the opposition to the NAFTA superhighway has thrown a wrench into the plans of building plants all along the corridor. :P

[Rev.Vassago]

The oil companies are pushing the prices through the roof to try and drive the ethanol and bio-diesel plants out of business, and sadly they will most likely succeed.

How, pray tell, are the oil companies going about doing this?

:?

Because....that's who is buying all of the corn and driving the prices up.

And the Securities and Exchange commission is just sitting by the wayside and allowing this price fixing to happen...............suuuuuuure.

I normally wouldn't believe this either, but I was told this by two different merchants at two different Cargill elevators.

Perhaps you shouldn't get commodities market tips from guys at grain elevators.

As they are the people who buy and sell the grain, I put a little faith in what they told me.

They have nothing to do with the market price on the Commodities market.

I also know that the number of ethanol plants that were set to go online this year have been cut in half because of the high grain prices.

Supply and demand - welcome to Capitalism 101.

Also, the opposition to the NAFTA superhighway has thrown a wrench into the plans of building plants all along the corridor. :P[/quote]

[Cntrygrl22]

Well...I'm still looking into co-ops, but I've decided to really pursue the option of working for a custom harvester. I'm really hoping some contacts I made pan out for something. At least this way I'll get some truck driving experience but also get to drive some very big equipment..and you know how girlsl like big equipment. LOL

[Jackrabbit379]

Here is the US Custom Harvesters website. http://www.uschi.com/index.php They have a link on their main page about Classified Ads. There are some crews, needing help. That might help. You can also contact USCHI about finding a crew. I know that there are many South Africans, and Austrailians that come over to go on harvest, and USCHI helps them out finding work.

By the way, if you get a chance to look at their Hall Of Fame page, look up Dishman Harvesting. Those are friends of mine. I used to work for them, and I still do when they are home.

If you do find a harvest crew, have fun, get ready for some long hours. :P Best of luck.

[okieoo]

I started out pulling a hopper years ago.
After hauling feather meal and trying to stomp it out of the hopper,I had enough.
I went home,pulled my boots and clothes off,left them on the front porch.
Next morning every damn cat in the county was there!
That feather meal really stunk...
Best of luck to ya!

[Rev.Vassago]

I started out pulling a hopper years ago.
After hauling feather meal and trying to stomp it out of the hopper,I had enough.
I went home,pulled my boots and clothes off,left them on the front porch.
Next morning every damn cat in the county was there!
That feather meal really stunk...
Best of luck to ya!

I completely forgot about feather meal. Yuck.