Cottonseed in hopper trailers

No problem, just trying to save somebody a major headache, and call out the complete butchering of freight rates. I did the math on a load coming out of North Carolina going to Wisconsin, I came up with $1.77 a loaded mile on a 23 ton load. If a guy could actually get a 25 ton load it would pay just over $1.90 a loaded mile. Those rates hardly cover expenses, then add an hour or two spent unloading. Sorry, this is just taking advantage of hopper carriers that don't know any better.

I know a carrier who took one of those loads from the Andersons - he said he was unloaded quickly and it paid better than $2.00/mile. He would haul it again if those load were available and if he was in position. That was one person's experience.

I have taken loads from the Andersons in the past coming back to their Plato Mn facility. They unload you there and have never had a driver complain. The rates used to be better, and I passed on the lower rates last week and took other loads to get home instead. It is supply and demand on trucks, market spreads, and barge availability from last year that drive the rates. Rates were better in November even.

Cotton Seed in a hopper is fine if they unload it, we have had guys use large essentially ice augers to punch a hole in the middle to get it to move. Also, PVC poles to poke it down. I won't make a driver haul it if they are responsible for unloading it themselves, but some facilities and dairies have quite a system.

I haven't cottonseed for years now. 25-30 years ago it was fairly common to put it in a hopper. I did it as a company driver. Didn't know any better. The first time I put a load on a walking floor was the last time I put a load on a hopper. Eventually the traders told the recievers if they wanted to save the money and take it on a hopper it was up to the reciever to get it out. Not the driver. Price differences being a floor is heavier, cost more to buy, and the hoppers would / could move for less. There were few floors and nearly no belts when I started. At least in my neighborhood.

Does your operating cost match what ATRI claims?

Yessir, make sure the receiver is responsible for the unloading out of a hopper. We haul it in Belts as well and prefer it that way. With Floors and belts they weigh more, cost more, require wet kits, and are more specialized and as such require higher rates. Moving it in a hopper for cheaper the trade-off should be the receiver needs to unload.

If that is not the agreement then they are just taking advantage of nieve hopper companies, and perhaps this post will inform them.

So in my opinion to recap:

Can cottonseed go in a hopper? Yes, as long as the receiver is responsible for unloading.

Should it? depends on the market price and if the receiver is willing to unload.

Just like in almost all markets, low prices cure low prices. Eventually, they will come back through a combination of increased demand, lack of timely deliveries, the unwillingness of trucks to move it etc.

I used to get irritated at the people posting loads, but in most cases, it is the trader that made the trade at a subpar spread and now it is up to the transportation department to try and get it moved. Normally the person truckers talk to is the entry-level worker who will move up the chain in a couple of years and be replaced by someone new.

I've unloaded cotton seeds on a hopper and it only took 15 to 20 minutes per truck to unload. They used a big air compressor and blew them out from the top of the trailer. The pay depends on who you get the load thru. Mine came from an actual company not a broker so it paid pretty good.

Every Cottonseed load I have every gotten has been unloaded by the receiver.