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Originally Posted by Cntrygrl22
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.
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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. :lol:
