Grain haulers/Bull racks

[P A Frederick]

I was wondering if any of you all know of any grain haulers or bull racks that go through this part of East Tennessee (east, off of I75) that might be hiring. I'm going back to driving in December, already been accepted by Heartland Express, but I'm still looking at my options. I've had lots of experience unloading hopper bottoms and messing with cattle.

Let me know if you know of anything. Its tough when you're looking at a kinda niche market with no real big companies out there in this field. I don't know where to work. I know a few years ago I met a guy at the Pilot in Terre Haute, IN and he pulled a hopper bottom from NC to Terre Haute, unloaded, then went to Kansas somewhere picked up and headed back to NC every week (maybe twice). Sounded pretty interesting. Nice guy...

Thanks in advance for your help.

[belpre122]

I know a few years ago I met a guy at the Pilot in Terre Haute, IN and he pulled a hopper bottom from NC to Terre Haute, unloaded, then went to Kansas somewhere picked up and headed back to NC every week (maybe twice). Sounded pretty interesting. Nice guy...

Thanks in advance for your help.

Bingo! You're leaning towards avoiding irregular route OTR trucking. Smart move. No sitting around truck stops waiting for an inept dispatcher to find you a CH Robinson cheapy load headed to White Rose Foods at Carteret, NJ Hell on earth.

Smart move.

[Orangetxguy]

I was wondering if any of you all know of any grain haulers or bull racks that go through this part of East Tennessee (east, off of I75) that might be hiring. I'm going back to driving in December, already been accepted by Heartland Express, but I'm still looking at my options. I've had lots of experience unloading hopper bottoms and messing with cattle.

Let me know if you know of anything. Its tough when you're looking at a kinda niche market with no real big companies out there in this field. I don't know where to work. I know a few years ago I met a guy at the Pilot in Terre Haute, IN and he pulled a hopper bottom from NC to Terre Haute, unloaded, then went to Kansas somewhere picked up and headed back to NC every week (maybe twice). Sounded pretty interesting. Nice guy...

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ya know....there are a couple different livestockers' that I see over that way...they be hauling porky pig to Cook/Smithfield in Grayson KY.

I just can't for the life of me remember the names on the door....them pork-haulers run just as many lights as the beef-eaters!


Unfortunately....I'm headed to Belle WV in a couple hours......so I might remember to look for some names for you....or not.

I wanna stay home.....I wanna stay home...........Oh Loarrrrrd I wanna stay home!

<sniff> <sniff> Why did the rate on this load haffta be so good I couldn't say no???

Why Lord....Why??

[Rev.Vassago]

The biggest hopper company I'm aware of is Autumn Transport, but they are 100% owner operator. You're right though - most of these "niche" type operations tend to be small, and are generally centered around farmers.

[P A Frederick]

I know how they work kinda. At my last job I was dedicated, so I was home every night by about 2-3 PM. A buddy of mine was working at the local elevator. It was in harvest, and they need temp help (most of what they got were worthless bums who were just waiting on enough money to buy a little beer with and were gone). Make a long story short, he talked to his boss and agreed to hire me as a temp. I worked for a couple months about 7:30- 2 on my route then go home and change real quick, and be at the elevator by 2:30 and be there till dark. I learned a lot about grain handling equipment and loading/unloading hopper bottoms and end dumps, though most of the guys just had 2 1/2 ton grain trucks. Its was a lot of work, but fun at the same time.

Hopefully someone will know of a company down here I can get on with. I figured if a guy was going from NC to Terre Haute, IN, he would about have to go through Knoxville. Wish I could remember the name on his truck. He said they had 10 or 15 trucks. International 9900's pulling pretty nice hopper bottoms.


Let me know if you think of anything.

[dobry4u]

The biggest hopper company I'm aware of is Autumn Transport, but they are 100% owner operator. You're right though - most of these "niche" type operations tend to be small, and are generally centered around farmers.

My family owns and operates a grain elevator in Michigan. Most of the companies and farmers that haul grain are local.

Suggestions would be to call grain "dumps" such as Andersons, (http://www.andersonsinc.com/wps/portal/corp) that are closest and see what trucking companies haul in there.

[P A Frederick]

I looked at Anderson's, but I couldn't find any dumps near here. I am even to go kinda OTR pulling a hopper or rack.

Can't seem to find anything.

Let me know if you can come up with something.

[Jackrabbit379]

The biggest hopper company I'm aware of is Autumn Transport, but they are 100% owner operator. You're right though - most of these "niche" type operations tend to be small, and are generally centered around farmers.

That's the only one I can think of. I know buttloads of outfits around here, but nothing like what he's looking for.

I cant imagine hauling cattle, grain in Tennessee. I wouldnt think that there would be an abundance supply of feedlots/elevators over there.