2025 BULK FREIGHT CONFERENCE
115
D
6
H
15
M
58
S
More Details

Home > Forum > Cottonseed In A Hopper Part 2

Cottonseed in a hopper part 2

Dec 06, 2024 at 01:00 PM CST
+ 7
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Hello all, last year I posted a similar post regarding cottonseed in hopper trailers. If you are new to this business know that it will not flow out (unload) without significant help. Help by the customer should be established before taking the load. After all, if the farmer isn't willing to pay the small premium to have the load hauled in a belt or walking floor trailer, you had better make them share in some of the work. I called on a cottonseed load from NC to MI this week that was labeled H,HHS,B,WF and it would have paid my belt $1.92 a loaded mile. If a truck pulling a high side hopper could get 25 tons it would have paid $2.09 a loaded mile............. ouch.
Replied on Sat, Dec 07, 2024 at 07:31 AM CST
+ 2
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Cotton seed died last year when they started putting it in vans more frequently. Those guys were running for 1.20 and I pretty much told everyone I dealt with there's no way were going to run 140k belts for that cheap. I was told the farmers didn't care anymore they'd be putting ramps in to unload the vans or poking it out of hoppers. Literally our worst enemy is guys doing belt work in wagons that's shouldn't be doing belt work.
Replied on Sat, Dec 07, 2024 at 01:02 PM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Quote: "Cotton seed died last year when they started putting it in vans more frequently. Those guys were running for 1.20 and I pretty much told everyone I dealt with there's no way were going to run 140k belts for that cheap. I was told the farmers didn't care anymore they'd be putting ramps in to unload the vans or poking it out of hoppers. Literally our worst enemy is guys doing belt work in wagons that's shouldn't be doing belt work."

Getting cottonseed delivered in vans and hopper trailers is highly dependent on cheap farm labor. Otherwise, it don't make cents to spare a couple hired hands for an hour to unload a van or hopper, when a belt can unload directly into the commodity shed in 10 minutes without sparing anyone. It may get interesting in a couple months when the new administration takes over and actually enforces the immigration laws. Cheap trucks and cheap farm labor may be harder to come by.
Replied on Sat, Dec 07, 2024 at 01:02 PM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
If they want to haul it in van trailers, then let them. We all see these trash trucks with the junk equipment. Constantly broke down on the side of the road with the packing tape holding their fender together and a hole in the floor to defacate through. I just saw one in Valdosta 3 nights ago. If someone showed up to my place with that kind of equipment, I'd turn them away and call the trader, and he would be fired so fast his head would spin. And yes, I've seen the trucks first hand with a hole in the floor.i thought it was a trucker tale until I saw it with my own eyes
Replied on Sun, Dec 08, 2024 at 01:25 PM CST
+ 1 - 1
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Quote: "Getting cottonseed delivered in vans and hopper trailers is highly dependent on cheap farm labor. Otherwise, it don't make cents to spare a couple hired hands for an hour to unload a van or hopper, when a belt can unload directly into the commodity shed in 10 minutes without sparing anyone. It may get interesting in a couple months when the new administration takes over and actually enforces the immigration laws. Cheap trucks and cheap farm labor may be harder to come by."

You really have to ask the question, what would freight rates be if the rule of law were being followed? And what would insurance rates cost if we had reasonable retention in this industry? Sounds like new department of government efficiency is going to make this a priority.
Replied on Sun, Dec 08, 2024 at 08:19 PM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Same problem here. Cottonseed from Lubbock to Az in a floor or belt about $1.40 per mile. Sad as you know people will actually do it. Inland kenworth in phoenix ask if you have a hole in floor. Turn those people away if they do.
Replied on Mon, Dec 09, 2024 at 07:35 AM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.

I run a gin in south east Texas and the amount of hoppers we had moving cottonseed was substantially higher this year than previous. I've seen vans moving cottonseed from Georgia Alabama when the price is right to our oil mill local to us. They could buy the seed and ship it cheaper on van freight than our bid was delivering local. All depends on markets and freight. But the seed quality was substantially lower so they were using our good seed for blending to keep oil production up. Some places have tippers for vans so unloading is simple here.

Replied on Sat, Dec 14, 2024 at 12:18 PM CST
+ 1
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.

20-25 years ago I'd see Wisconsin vans running bulk potatos south and cottonseed north. Overloaded both ways. I enjoyed hauling cottonseed (on a floor). Sadly, I haven't hauled a load in fifteen years. Better money elsewhere.

Putting it in a hopper is work for a ignorant youngster. Been there. Done that.
Replied on Sat, Dec 14, 2024 at 12:22 PM CST
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Quote: "I run a gin in south east Texas and the amount of hoppers we had moving cottonseed was substantially higher this year than previous. I've seen vans moving cottonseed from Georgia Alabama when the price is right to our oil mill local to us. They could buy the seed and ship it cheaper on van freight than our bid was delivering local. All depends on markets and freight. But the seed quality was substantially lower so they were using our good seed for blending to keep oil production up. Some places have tippers for vans so unloading is simple here. "

I've seen van trailers get loaded with cottonseed in North Carolina. I assumed they were going to a port or rail depot where they had tippers to unload them. A trailer tipper for a farm would be a significant investment. I would imagine van trailers on a farm would be unloaded by a loader tractor and hired help via loading dock. Unloading cottonseed from hoppers would require hired help to poke the cottonseed out of the traps with a long pole, or the use of air guns to blow the cottonseed out. Then it's either windrowing or dumping the seed onto a conveyor. Either way, it's not a simple unload.
Replied on Fri, Dec 20, 2024 at 08:10 PM CST
- 1
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.
Posted by a private FlatLoads.com member.

Hey Kyle, I stopped in at Dane's the other day for lunch, it looks like a ghost town over there, not a bale on the yard!