Rail Frieght Hauling

Your most likely looking at leasing on to a company. Since most container freight is locked up by large companies.groups of companies.

 

Hauling cans can be profitable, but you have to be leased on with one of the better outfits. BTT and Reserve come to mind, but both of them require two years (or more) of verifiable OTR.
And even though you said you are looking at a daycab, you may want to consider getting a truck with a small sleeper (like 48" or less), because those trucks tend to be cheaper than regular condos and are more useful (since you could end up running overnight every now and then).

BTW, I don't haul them but have a friend who does.

Good luck.

 

I have hauled containers with my own truck. Here is what I know, but I haven't hauled them since early '04, so a few things may have changed.

Rail containers are usually very heavy, as shippers want to get as much use out of each box as possible. You will be overweight sometimes. Expect to spend a lot of time waiting at certain times to get checked in at the rail yard because your load hasn't been billed yet.

After you finally find a place to drop, and if you are very lucky and get to pick up another box there, expect to spend more time having lights, brakes, dollys, tires, or several other things repaired, as the last driver only wants to get the box back into the yard without being charged for any repairs, so problems are rarely reported.

Be sure to look the chassis and box over good, especially the roof if possible. YOU will be responsible for any un-noted damage.

If you don't have a pick up where you dropped, expect to run all over town to a drop yard to get an empty or load, as most rail yards can't hold everything, so companies have them at drop yards where ever they can find them. Good luck here, as many, or most, don't have mechanics on duty there, and you can bet this is where you find half a recap is missing.

Do not get a nice fancy truck, as many yards are dirt, or mud, as the case may be. You will be running into tight city areas a lot, so you don't need that big, heavy, fancy truck.

Rail freight does not pay all that well. Unless you are loaded both ways, which is unusual for local containers, the rates are only calculated one way. This means your fuel surcharge is only calculated one way. If you are being paid by the mile and not percentage you will get shorted.

Container usually have bias-ply tires and spring ride. They ride rough, and the tires coupled with the trailers ridged sides and front cuts fuel mileage 1/2 to 1 MPG over regular trailers.

The drivers who leave their trucks at the terminals and live a few blocks away get the best payday. You will know them right away. They will be driving the worst looking cabover day cab there is, with slick tires and potatoes growing in the floorboard.

They only run into the city, so the DOT doesn't bother them. They get the minimum pay per run, but they are running no miles, and using no fuel, and doing several runs a day, while laughing all the way to the bank. Unless you are "in" with someone, you will not see these runs much.

When their truck breaks they get another $4000.00 truck that will last another 4 to 5 years.

Ocean containers usually have lighter loads, but since you are in Ohio, and there is no ocean there, you probably won't pull many of those.

I was leased to BTT one time. Making money is a crap shoot there. It depends upon dispatchers and terminal managers.

Most of the containers are at their yard, at least they were where I was leased, so I didn't see the rail yards much with them. My problem was they didn't have a variety of freight into the area where I lived.

I signed on to do a mostly dedicated run close to home. Things were OK until freight slowed down, then the city "daycab" drivers complained that I had freight when they didn't. They got my freight, I sat at home.

That's the way it goes I guess.

P.S. Before signing with anyone make sure there is plenty of freight going to where you live, or you will sit at home or deadhead yourself out of business.

 

I agree. I actually looked into a few container companies. Most are owned or co owned by the Chinese Shipping lines. Go figure.

 

The main container hauling around here is from Nashville to Memphis. They may pay decent in some parts of the country but the Nashville to Memphis run is bottom of the barrel stuff.

 

We really need an auto-archiving feature for threads more than 2-3 years old...

 

LOL. I think this is the oldest one I've seen that was brought back to life. 2007.