Werner and Hopper Bottoms??

[P A Frederick]

So, I was sitting in a truckstop last night talking to a couple other drivers. Of course, you can hear anything in a truckstop (including where Elvis and Jimi Hendrix are hiding right now) but we got to talking about hopper bottoms. Most of you probably remember when I was trying to find a hopper bottom company to pull for in my area, so I was interested a little.

Anyway, one guy says a Werner driver told him Werner was buying a bunch of Hoppers and were getting into the bulk hauling (grain, feed by products, etc). I have no idea if this is true or not. Maybe this guy was mistaken and Werner has a few for a localized dedicated account somewhere, but he swore they were going to go nationwide with them. Has anyone (especially Werner drivers) heard of this? Is there any proof, or just a lie or tall tale?

Now, I don't need the "Werner is a crap company" posts and all that. I know what Werner is. I'm not looking to go to work for them, even if they start pulling hoppers. I just wanted to know if there was any fact in this "truck stop story" (too many of them have no fact at all in them... lol).

Thanks. Keep the bugs off your glass and the bears off your... um... tail...

[ordinaryguy]

I drive for them, and I've never heard anything about hopper bottoms. Although i did see a Werner truck pulling a tanker, i had to do a double take, but yes it was a Werner truck, one of those "Fleece Ops" pulling a tanker....So i dont know about the Hopper Bottom...

[P A Frederick]

I figured it was just idle chatter from some truckstop cowboys, but I wasn't sure. Would like to hear from a couple other drivers who have or have not heard of this. Thanks for the answer.

[Orangetxguy]

I drive for them, and I've never heard anything about hopper bottoms. Although i did see a Werner truck pulling a tanker, i had to do a double take, but yes it was a Werner truck, one of those "Fleece Ops" pulling a tanker....So i dont know about the Hopper Bottom...

Werner, CRST and JBHunt have all got trucks pulling tankers in the midwest. Mostly animal fats and blood, but they may be setting themselves up to start serving the "Bio" industry, hauling soy oil, peanut oil, and the like.

[ordinaryguy]

Werner, CRST and JBHunt have all got trucks pulling tankers in the midwest. Mostly animal fats and blood, but they may be setting themselves up to start serving the "Bio" industry, hauling soy oil, peanut oil, and the like.

yeah i saw this Werner pulling a tanker at the Albert Lea TA in Minnesota....ive just never seen one of our drivers pulling a tanker..hmph learn something new everyday haha....

[devildice]

This has nothing to do with Werner pulling or not pulling hoppers, but it did remind me that I have seen Swift pulling chip trailers. Can't remember where I was at the time, but was a little surprised when I seen them.

[Mackman]

There is a daycab JB HUNT truck around my way that pulls a dump trailer.

[Walking Eagle]

Werner going back to it roots That's how Clarence started, driving a grain trailer around Ia. and Ne.

[Orangetxguy]

Werner going back to it roots That's how Clarence started, driving a grain trailer around Ia. and Ne.

That was what I was thinking, but was not certain. Seemed to me like Werner got their start with Hoppers and Bull Wagons.....but was not certain.

Soy Beans, Rice, Corn, Barley, Peanuts are all "Bio" material now. Soon they will be using Sugar Cane and Sugar Beets as well.

Liquefied animal fat is being used in lubricants, as well as feed for animals. Animal blood is used for manufacturing fire ******ants...as well as for feed.

[VPIDarkAngel]

And add to this confusion the fact that there's a company (AR, A&R, something like that) which uses ex-Werner Classic XL's and 379's in their fleet.
I'll admit, I never heard anything about Werner hauling tanks, but I'll ask the dispatch crew about it if I can remember it.

[BanditsCousin]

I saw a werner day cab pulling a dump the other day in Waco, TX. Me and Teal95KW were rolling in his Powerstroke behind one and he said they have a terminal there where they started pulling said trailers

[P A Frederick]

Well, I've talked to several people on other boards and on the road and there seems to be no truth to this myth. They might have a few for a dedicated account, but nothing like what I've heard rumors of. I know when my dad worked for Risinger out of Morton, IL they had several W900's that pulled hoppers for PPG in Decatur hauling sand for glass. Maybe Werner has taken over an account of this type, I don't know.

Also, if you're thinking A&R out of Joliet, IL, they don't use old Werner trucks. They might have an O/O or two who has them or something, but they order all their trucks new, with O/O specs. They pull mostly pneumatic tanks, with a few road-oil tankers, and a couple dump trailers. They have a nice fleet of trucks. I tried to get on with them, but they didn't have any open company positions. Pretty common right now.

[BanditsCousin]

[QUOTE=P A Frederick;454450]Well, I've talked to several people on other boards and on the road and there seems to be no truth to this myth. QUOTE]

Well, I saw it. Werner on the back, white daycab with Werner Enterprises on the door. It's gotta be a small divison, because it is the first I've seen or heard about. You know how drivers can make a mountain out of a molehill

[P A Frederick]

[QUOTE=BanditsCousin;454470]

Well, I've talked to several people on other boards and on the road and there seems to be no truth to this myth. QUOTE]

Well, I saw it. Werner on the back, white daycab with Werner Enterprises on the door. It's gotta be a small divison, because it is the first I've seen or heard about. You know how drivers can make a mountain out of a molehill

I'm not doubting you at all. Its like I said in the post that they may have a few for a dedicated account, but they aren't starting to haul grain and bulk products OTR, at least not yet. Especially having a day cab pulling it screams dedicated account to me.

[Skywalker]

The other day I saw a CRST tractor pulling a tank.... it was at the "Casey's" there at Osceola, IA....it was labeled "inedible fat"..... I think those are buzzwords for "Gross stuff".

If things keep getting weird...we'll see more weird stuff...

[devildice]

Here's another one.....the other day I was rolling through SLC and had to do a double take. I seen 2 red Volvo's pulling flatbeds and on the side of the sleeper it said "Central Refrigerated....Flatbed Division" I got to talking to a driver later and he said that they have had that division for about 3 years. He also said CR England is looking at getting into it as well. That's all we need is some more mega carriers coming in and under cutting already cheap freight!

[Orangetxguy]

The other day I saw a CRST tractor pulling a tank.... it was at the "Casey's" there at Osceola, IA....it was labeled "inedible fat"..... I think those are buzzwords for "Gross stuff".

If things keep getting weird...we'll see more weird stuff...

Worse! I saw a CRST truck yesterday afternoon, dropping down the hill into Collinsville IL, on I-55/70, pulling a pneumatic trailer! Looks like they are getting into that now!!

[P A Frederick]

"Inedible fat"?? I'd love to have the job loading and unloading that. I've never seen a Central Ref. flatbed, maybe I live too far east for them. And CRST pulling tanks and dry tanks? Crazy. Everybody is trying to make a buck of course, so they might as well try different divisions. Can't ever tell who you'll see pulling whatever kind of trailer. Reminds me of the first time I saw an old Roadway flat bed with the new UPS stickers on it. Didn't know what to think!

[Orangetxguy]

]"Inedible fat"??[/b] I'd love to have the job loading and unloading that. I've never seen a Central Ref. flatbed, maybe I live too far east for them. And CRST pulling tanks and dry tanks? Crazy. Everybody is trying to make a buck of course, so they might as well try different divisions. Can't ever tell who you'll see pulling whatever kind of trailer. Reminds me of the first time I saw an old Roadway flat bed with the new UPS stickers on it. Didn't know what to think!

"Inedible fat" is loaded into tankers as a liquid, at about 160 degrees. It is used in animal feed, synthetic oil products, petroleum products, and several other "consumer goods".

Those aren't "Roadway" units. They were "Over-Nite" units. UPS bought out "Over-Nite" to compete against FEDEX in the LTL freight business. Flatbeds had been in the Over-Nite system for years. Long before JBHunt started a flatbed division.

[P A Frederick]

"Inedible fat" is loaded into tankers as a liquid, at about 160 degrees. It is used in animal feed, synthetic oil products, petroleum products, and several other "consumer goods".

Those aren't "Roadway" units. They were "Over-Nite" units. UPS bought out "Over-Nite" to compete against FEDEX in the LTL freight business. Flatbeds had been in the Over-Nite system for years. Long before JBHunt started a flatbed division.

Sorry about the Over-nite/ Roadway mix up. I always forget which was which and which got bought out by who. The fact remains though, I was surprised when i saw one of those trucks with the UPS stickers on it...