Trailer wash out problems.

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:35 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I run Walking Floors. They have many more places for debris to hide than other trailers. While I understand shippers wanting clean equipment to load we are finding it very difficult to find washout facilities that have a clue. Every place I have ever been uses cold water. Most have less water pressure than I would expect. None of them use any soaps or cleaners. A lot of times I could actually clean these trailers better with high air pressure. These facilities won't listen and the washout is a waste of money. A good portion of the shippers could care less if the trailer is actually clean, they only want a copy of the receipt. More people, however are starting to inspect and I think this will increase as the government gets more involved with new rules. I went to my local truck wash today in Phoenix and they washed the trailer three times before excorting me off the property and in my opinion it will take me 2-3 hours in my own facility to get the little places clean. I have one shipper that requires special care with clean trailers. They have an air station and special area for clean out. You do the work, they inspect the trailer, and you keep cleaning until they are happy, but when it is over they sign for the clean out. I love it as an owner as I then have no liabilty, my drivers don't like the time or getting a little dirty. Personally I think that more shippers that actually care about a clean trailer need to set up their own facility. The last 3 washout places we sent trks to the drivers ended up spending several hours with pokers and air to get clean enough to present the equipment for loading. These washouts aren't all that cheap either. What do we as an Industry do? Art Pfluger

Mar 14, 2015 at 09:35 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I run Walking Floors. They have many more places for debris to hide than other trailers. While I understand shippers wanting clean equipment to load we are finding it very difficult to find washout facilities that have a clue. Every place I have ever been uses cold water. Most have less water pressure than I would expect. None of them use any soaps or cleaners. A lot of times I could actually clean these trailers better with high air pressure. These facilities won't listen and the washout is a waste of money. A good portion of the shippers could care less if the trailer is actually clean, they only want a copy of the receipt. More people, however are starting to inspect and I think this will increase as the government gets more involved with new rules. I went to my local truck wash today in Phoenix and they washed the trailer three times before excorting me off the property and in my opinion it will take me 2-3 hours in my own facility to get the little places clean. I have one shipper that requires special care with clean trailers. They have an air station and special area for clean out. You do the work, they inspect the trailer, and you keep cleaning until they are happy, but when it is over they sign for the clean out. I love it as an owner as I then have no liabilty, my drivers don't like the time or getting a little dirty. Personally I think that more shippers that actually care about a clean trailer need to set up their own facility. The last 3 washout places we sent trks to the drivers ended up spending several hours with pokers and air to get clean enough to present the equipment for loading. These washouts aren't all that cheap either.
What do we as an Industry do?

Art Pfluger

Replied on Sat, Mar 14, 2015 at 11:25 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I know how u feel.. I run a hopper bottom and it is difficult to find anybody to wash out the trailer.. i was in minot, north dakota yesterday and could not find anybody to wash out the trailer. Blue beacon absolutly refuses to washout hopper bottoms.. Its basically a royal pain in the ass.. wish i had a solution......

Replied on Sat, Mar 14, 2015 at 11:25 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I know how u feel.. I run a hopper bottom and it is difficult to find anybody to wash out the trailer.. i was in minot, north dakota yesterday and could not find anybody to wash out the trailer. Blue beacon absolutly refuses to washout hopper bottoms.. Its basically a royal pain in the ass.. wish i had a solution......

Replied on Sun, Mar 15, 2015 at 08:42 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I look for bigger trucking companies most cases if you show up they won't turn u away

Replied on Sun, Mar 15, 2015 at 08:42 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I look for bigger trucking companies most cases if you show up they won't turn u away

Replied on Sun, Mar 15, 2015 at 08:49 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. What a great topic. Washout are unregulated and basically a joke. I have 2 trucks that are on dedicated route and haul organics one way and on the return we haul dog food grains. There should absolutely be no reason to have a washout after each organic load, but when we get done with the dog food grain then we see a washout. We use a power washer here at the shop and when you sign a clean out waiver to reload organics it clears the trailer. I have never seen any type of government form on clean out procedure or even if the government requires one. I've always thought that if a facility wants me to haul their products in my clean trailer they should wash it out themselves for reassurance. For example if I get my trailer wash out at Joe's trailer washout and it is cleared for reload and we get to the receiver and it is rejected because of prior contamination then who is at fault? You can see all the headaches this will bring lawsuits etc.. oh and I love it when a broker or whatever says the clean out is included in the rate... hmmm. if these companies would actually test the trailer after a wash out l don't think any of them would pass. Cold water non pressure is really a joke but as long as l got that piece of paper. .Umm I guess that works so what Eva as they say.

Replied on Sun, Mar 15, 2015 at 08:49 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

What a great topic. Washout are unregulated and basically a joke. I have 2 trucks that are on dedicated route and haul organics one way and on the return we haul dog food grains. There should absolutely be no reason to have a washout after each organic load, but when we get done with the dog food grain then we see a washout. We use a power washer here at the shop and when you sign a clean out waiver to reload organics it clears the trailer. I have never seen any type of government form on clean out procedure or even if the government requires one. I've always thought that if a facility wants me to haul their products in my clean trailer they should wash it out themselves for reassurance. For example if I get my trailer wash out at Joe's trailer washout and it is cleared for reload and we get to the receiver and it is rejected because of prior contamination then who is at fault? You can see all the headaches this will bring lawsuits etc.. oh and I love it when a broker or whatever says the clean out is included in the rate... hmmm. if these companies would actually test the trailer after a wash out l don't think any of them would pass. Cold water non pressure is really a joke but as long as l got that piece of paper. .Umm I guess that works so what Eva as they say.

Replied on Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 06:59 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. If the shipper's were smart they would have a clean out area at their location and would charge you $25 - $50 to clean out the trailer. Then all would be happy, oops I forgot somebody would complain about having to pay for the trailer clean out anyways. I know what you are saying though, I had to pay for a washout and the guy charged $75.00 just to use a garden hose with cold water. I was fuming mad, and have not hauled for that shipper since. Like Jason was saying, I was hauling beans before they asked me to haul their precious meal for dog food. It amazes me that they are more picky about the washout for animal food products than they are for human products. What a joke. It is just like the lumpers on the dry van and reefer side of things, but at least wise those trucks (dry vans) don't have to deadhead miles out of route for a washout, and they always reimburse for the lumpers. The problem is that shippers, brokers, and receivers don't actually have to pay us dumb truckers for giving up hours and hours for free just to make them happy. Was sitting in GA the other day and the customer took 9 hours to load, he was shocked when I told him that he could A: Take his product back out of my trailer and find another truck at 21:00 or B: pay me $100.00 per hour for my time on top of the load. Guess what they decided it was better to pay my rate versus trying to find another truck. So there is the answer gentlemen, sometimes you have to be an ashole and get just as shi*y with these shippers as they are with you. They will continue to take advantage of us as long as we allow them to.

Replied on Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 06:59 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

If the shipper's were smart they would have a clean out area at their location and would charge you $25 - $50 to clean out the trailer. Then all would be happy, oops I forgot somebody would complain about having to pay for the trailer clean out anyways. I know what you are saying though, I had to pay for a washout and the guy charged $75.00 just to use a garden hose with cold water. I was fuming mad, and have not hauled for that shipper since. Like Jason was saying, I was hauling beans before they asked me to haul their precious meal for dog food. It amazes me that they are more picky about the washout for animal food products than they are for human products. What a joke. It is just like the lumpers on the dry van and reefer side of things, but at least wise those trucks (dry vans) don't have to deadhead miles out of route for a washout, and they always reimburse for the lumpers. The problem is that shippers, brokers, and receivers don't actually have to pay us dumb truckers for giving up hours and hours for free just to make them happy. Was sitting in GA the other day and the customer took 9 hours to load, he was shocked when I told him that he could A: Take his product back out of my trailer and find another truck at 21:00 or B: pay me $100.00 per hour for my time on top of the load. Guess what they decided it was better to pay my rate versus trying to find another truck. So there is the answer gentlemen, sometimes you have to be an as*hole and get just as shi**y with these shippers as they are with you. They will continue to take advantage of us as long as we allow them to.

Replied on Tue, Mar 17, 2015 at 09:04 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I have ran into the same problems. Blue beacon does a half-ass job of washing out a dump trailer. Also if you don't have a man door or barn door they will not wash it out. I want to mount a pressure washer right on my tractor so I could do a good washout myself. But some shippers want a recipt with the trailer tag number Also whos going to pay me to drive a couple of hours to get the trailer washed out that is if they will even do it. They love to say they cant wash out trailers saying it would be too messy or hazzardous. The shippers need to realize how hard it is to get a trailer washed out and also it can take hours to just wait in line!!

Replied on Tue, Mar 17, 2015 at 09:04 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I have ran into the same problems. Blue beacon does a half-ass job of washing out a dump trailer. Also if you don't have a man door or barn door they will not wash it out. I want to mount a pressure washer right on my tractor so I could do a good washout myself.
But some shippers want a recipt with the trailer tag number

Also whos going to pay me to drive a couple of hours to get the trailer washed out that is if they will even do it.

They love to say they cant wash out trailers saying it would be too messy or hazzardous.
The shippers need to realize how hard it is to get a trailer washed out and also it can take hours to just wait in line!!

Replied on Tue, Mar 17, 2015 at 11:52 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Was sitting in GA the other day and the customer took 9 hours to load, he was shocked when I told him that he could A: Take his product back out of my trailer and find another truck at 21:00 or B: pay me $100.00 per hour for my time on top of the load. Guess what they decided it was better to pay my rate versus trying to find another truck. So there is the answer gentlemen, sometimes you have to be an ashole and get just as shi*y with these shippers as they are with you. They will continue to take advantage of us as long as we allow them to. Jordan Good point we moving the freight doing the hard part of this Industry and we have the horses (truck) Im not bad guy with shippers or customers but we need to get pay for what we doing .

Replied on Tue, Mar 17, 2015 at 11:52 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Was sitting in GA the other day and the customer took 9 hours to load, he was shocked when I told him that he could A: Take his product back out of my trailer and find another truck at 21:00 or B: pay me $100.00 per hour for my time on top of the load. Guess what they decided it was better to pay my rate versus trying to find another truck. So there is the answer gentlemen, sometimes you have to be an as*hole and get just as shi**y with these shippers as they are with you. They will continue to take advantage of us as long as we allow them to.

Jordan
Good point

we moving the freight doing the hard part of this Industry
and we have the horses (truck) Im not bad guy with shippers or customers but we need to get pay
for what we doing .

Replied on Thu, Mar 19, 2015 at 11:10 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. i had the same problem with beet pulp, i dont really understand the logic. the only washout i ever found that got a belt trailer clean was coty's truck wash in saginaw, mi. the cleaned it from every direction with the belt running. to top it off the usually charged $50 and spent about 45 min on it. lets see the streakin beacon do that!!

Replied on Thu, Mar 19, 2015 at 11:10 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

i had the same problem with beet pulp, i dont really understand the logic. the only washout i ever found that got a belt trailer clean was coty's truck wash in saginaw, mi. the cleaned it from every direction with the belt running. to top it off the usually charged $50 and spent about 45 min on it. lets see the streakin beacon do that!!