[anthony1995]

Yet another question here..imagine that...ha!

From what I gather on here, pulling a box van equates to cheaper pay whether you are an owner op or company driver. What about livestock? I was up in Indiana during the summer and it seems like I saw a ton of trucks pulling livestock trailers. What's the deal with that? Is that a profitable niche market or was it perhaps just farmers pulling thier own?

Also, when I decide to switch into the trucking industry, I'm leaning toward flatbeds. It seems like there is a bit more profit to made there. Specifically, what about hauling John Deere equipment and tractors. Does JD usually contract to larger firms like TMC or do they allow owner ops in there?

One more thing, with regard to flatbeds, I live near Decatur, Alabama just outside Huntsville. There are literally hundreds of flats rolling out there with steel and such. I also see covered wagons coming out there. There are several steel mills in the area. How's that market? Excuse the ignorance but most of what I see them hauling is rolled steel, coils or whatever you call them. Thanks.

[GMAN]

Vans typically are on the lower end of the rate scale, but there are some good paying van loads out there. You may just need to work a little harder to find them. Pulling livestock involves the driver to be more involved in his freight. Depending on where he is going, he may need to find a feed lot so that he can stop and feed the animals. Most of them try to get their loads delivered before they have to worry about that. The driver is usually involved in loading and unloading the trailer. It can be hazardous. Pay is usually pretty good with livestock. The more specialized one becomes the greater the potential pay.

Large machinery shippers, such as John Deere, usually have a company who handles all of the outbound freight. They haul what they can on their own trucks and broker the rest to other carriers. It is diffucult for smaller carriers to handle so much of the business of a major shipper. If you have authority, you could probably go through whoever has the contract and haul some of their tractors.

You live in a great area for pulling a flat bed. There is a plant near you that ships copper pipe. They only load vans or side kits. There are plenty of steel loads coming out of Birmingham and other areas near you. I had a flat bed running from Chicago to Birmingham for a while that did very well. Living in that area you could get by the house on a regular basis and still earn a good living.

[Cabhappygal]

It may be good pay, but remember that these days livestock carry all kinds of illnesses. That's why 143 million pounds of frozen beef was recalled on Sunday in California. The smuggled video of the livestock, before being processed into those frozen patties, shows the cows being taken into the slaughterhouse off the trailer. They had to be dragged out of the trailer because they were too sick to walk. Mad cow disease. Most of that beef has already been eaten by schoolkids. As for chickens, the bird flu isn't Stateside yet, but just wait. Keep your hands clean.

You don't have to believe me. Look at the news article and the video.

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_...17172309990030

http://video.ap.org/v/default.aspx?g...cadiu&fg=email

[tracer]

Originally Posted by anthony1995

What about livestock?

With livestock, you have to be extremely careful when doing the required by law PRE-TRIP INSPECTION. If you walk too close to the trailer, the bored animals inside might take a leak at you

[allan5oh]

not necessarily mad cow, I can guarantee you that. What I can guarantee you is that this is very alarming. I didn't realize it was that bad.

Downer cows are serious.

[furbis]

Originally Posted by Cabhappygal

It may be good pay, but remember that these days livestock carry all kinds of illnesses. That's why 143 million pounds of frozen beef was recalled on Sunday in California. The smuggled video of the livestock, before being processed into those frozen patties, shows the cows being taken into the slaughterhouse off the trailer. They had to be dragged out of the trailer because they were too sick to walk. Mad cow disease. Most of that beef has already been eaten by schoolkids. As for chickens, the bird flu isn't Stateside yet, but just wait. Keep your hands clean.

You don't have to believe me. Look at the news article and the video.

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_...17172309990030

http://video.ap.org/v/default.aspx?g...cadiu&fg=email

HOLY SH&$T I just ear tagged a newborn calf this morning I'll probly be dead by night fall what with all the diseases and sickness in cows theese days, I'll bet there won't be a farmer or rancher left within the week.

your an idiot, :evil:

[jorlee]

Originally Posted by Cabhappygal

It may be good pay, but remember that these days livestock carry all kinds of illnesses. That's why 143 million pounds of frozen beef was recalled on Sunday in California. The smuggled video of the livestock, before being processed into those frozen patties, shows the cows being taken into the slaughterhouse off the trailer. They had to be dragged out of the trailer because they were too sick to walk. Mad cow disease. Most of that beef has already been eaten by schoolkids. As for chickens, the bird flu isn't Stateside yet, but just wait. Keep your hands clean.

You don't have to believe me. Look at the news article and the video.

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_...17172309990030

http://video.ap.org/v/default.aspx?g...cadiu&fg=email

Please list all the illnesses that cattle carry.

Tell me how sick I can get from cleaning the pens in which the cows that calve are kept.

Tell me how to handle cattle, w/o catching a disease/illness.

If your so darn worried. Go to an independent rancher and buy a steer from them, and take it to a butcher yourself. That way you know what your getting.

Oh don't go to a dairy farm, they aren't beef cattle. Gotta get beef cattle for the better steaks.