Most containers are weighed in dry without the reefer unit according to the people I have talked to. The unit is about 2500 pounds extra since they are trying to get people to believe that they are as light as a trailer. The loss of the 2 tons is still way to much in the reefer carrier business where every pound is needed to sometimes make a profit in hauling.
Shadow the Cats owner Tare weight of the container is 18500 alone then you have another 6k for the chassis. So your at 24500 for the combo. A OTR reefer trailer can be under 14 k wet weight with an ice cream spec unit and then 18.5 k for the tractor to get 46500 lbs of cargo. Prime specific lightweight can haul 48k in all states and their normal load is 47k for their fleet. So yes they've solved the cargo carrying issue however they're still way too freaking heavy for most OTR industry customers and carrier's. FFE hauls a lot of Kraft foods and Oscar Meyer products. KLLM hauls a lot of fresh express salads. All I know is England has not been expanding their own fleet of containers only replacement of older units. It's the 3 ton weight penalty that is the issue. You see most produce pays so much per hundred weight moved. So leaving 6k pounds on the dock isn't going to help the bottom line on the accounting department.
Tare weight of the container is 18500 alone then you have another 6k for the chassis. So your at 24500 for the combo. A OTR reefer trailer can be under 14 k wet weight with an ice cream spec unit and then 18.5 k for the tractor to get 46500 lbs of cargo. Prime specific lightweight can haul 48k in all states and their normal load is 47k for their fleet. So yes they've solved the cargo carrying issue however they're still way too freaking heavy for most OTR industry customers and carrier's. FFE hauls a lot of Kraft foods and Oscar Meyer products. KLLM hauls a lot of fresh express salads. All I know is England has not been expanding their own fleet of containers only replacement of older units. It's the 3 ton weight penalty that is the issue. You see most produce pays so much per hundred weight moved. So leaving 6k pounds on the dock isn't going to help the bottom line on the accounting department.
CIMC 53' Reefer comes in at 13,890 Lbs. Tare, with a 7,000 Lb chassis=20,890 Lbs. So under 5,000 Lbs. or better difference. Containers won't ever match trailers tare weight dry, and/or reefer we know this... Though this is a step in the right direction. Even though I'd prefer RR's get back into TOFC for domestic IM, but that's a dream that won't happen... Not enough multi-speed capacity available..for fast frequent TOFC service..
An extra row of pallets with slimline units installed.. This could be a game changer.
Deggesty That Swift driver wasn't too swift, was he?
That Swift driver wasn't too swift, was he?
I was a little concerned the other day in Deshler when I saw a container from said company on a train...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Johnny
Nah we call that one the See What I F'up Today and Crash Roll Stunt Teams Driver training School Videos around here. Swift somehow managed at a local DC for Petsmart to take out 20 trailers at one time by hitting one and causing it to collaspe sideways into 19 more and breaking their landing gear. The cargo was yet to be delivered in some of them and needless to say Aqueon and Marineland are beyond angry with SWIFT right now. Why the Black friday sale aquariums for most of the midwest were in 2 of the trailers and we are talking 125 and 150 gallon tanks that were destroyed. I got that bit of news from our UPS driver that was making a delivery there.
Training session for the Shadow's 'Expidited Delivery' drivers
https://www.facebook.com/brian.l.duke/videos/10220170781280175/?t=158
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
It depends on how severe the failure is and how heavy your loaded. We run them and tell our drivers if you blow one to stop when it is safe to do so and wait for a service truck. But then we are pulling hazmat most of the time with the trucks equipped with them and do not want the headaches of dealing with the DOT that causes. Most carriers are dropping them do to costs and not saving enough money from replacement. A set of drives is 1200 bucks one of these super singles is 1400 each. So the costs are higher and the weight savings just are not there for the mega fleets. Also you run into some traction issues come winter and wet weather they tend to not want to grip the road as well as 2 tires and can spin out more. My drivers prefer the dual wheel setup and we are switching back to them and cutting fuel capacity on the trucks we can to compensate for the slightly heavier tire package overall about 300 lbs per truck so we are dropping about 50 gallons of fuel from 250 down to 200 gallons.
This all reminds me-- I haven't noticed them lately, but a few years ago, I noticed that the dual wheels were sometimes replaced by a single big fat wheel. What happens if one of those fails? It would be like having both tires of a dual set failing at once. Seems like it could be catastrophic.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
The tires on a tandem axle are rated to carry up to 7K lbs each tire and while the loss of 1 is a problem if the driver is lightly loaded which most Fed Ex trucks are they can normally get away with it as long as they do not come apart and throw parts of the flat into the second tire in the duel. With the way Fed Ex hauls their loads with a tandem truck here is how they can be loaded per the Axle loading setup according to the FMCSA 12K on the steer 34K on the drives 20K each on the single axles up to 80K gross weight.
I have towed several trailers - there must be 'adequate' tongue weight on the trailer hitch for the trailer to track straight.
I had one trailer with a very light tongue weight, I had to use a trailer sway bar to even think about keeping the trailer behind me.
I am guessing the same principles may apply to commercial trailers - have too much weight on the duals and not enough on the 5th wheel and the trailer will have a mind of its own.
Paul of Covington CSSHEGEWISCH The third trailer in a triple does not always track very well and can swing all over the place during a lane change.
CSSHEGEWISCH The third trailer in a triple does not always track very well and can swing all over the place during a lane change.
rdamonIs that by Anorak
No! You actually have to pass through Connecticut to get there on I-684.
Is that by Anorak
csxnsJust saw two of the containers on a train on a California cam and lots of KLLM and Frozen Food Express trailers.
Made a trip to Armonk, NY and back today. Saw several FFE/KLLM containers on the move - behind KLLM tractors.
Just saw two of the containers on a train on a California cam and lots of KLLM and Frozen Food Express trailers.
Russell
KLLM and FFE are 2 of the better mega carrier options to work for however the driver's that I have talked to that left there have painted a less than pretty picture of them. The sign on bonus they're offering is about standard for larger carrier's anymore just to fill seats. US Express was offering teams 20 grand for each driver last year.
Shadow, what I noticed on both FFE's and KLLM's website is the alledged desire to hire drivers.
FFE's says: WE NEED DRIVERS NOW!
kllm's says: $5,000.00 signing bonus
BaltACD From my observations, one of the hallmarks of railroad intermodal, TOFC etc. - containers/trailers go to the rails when they know the vehicles can pass everything on the road except a scale.
From my observations, one of the hallmarks of railroad intermodal, TOFC etc. - containers/trailers go to the rails when they know the vehicles can pass everything on the road except a scale.
Every day I commute to work on I-275, the main N-S bypass around Detroit. I average at least one 160,000# 11-axle gravel train per mile. Yesterday, I wasn't seeing any. Then I passed an old, closed rest area and ther MSP weightmasters had set up a portable inspection station...word travels fast by CB. I still saw some steelhaulers but their lading is more easily weighed at the shipper. That leads me to believe that double the national limit isn't enough for local trucking companies.
samfp1943I have yet to see any of the KLLM/FFE container boxes on any of the BNSF's trains; although their standard reefer and occasional dry boxes are frequent riders, in both directions through here. The posted linked ad for KLLM/FFE says they are capable of a loading of 44,500 lbs. I'd hate to be the one to have to 'scale' a box with that load for OTR travel.
Railroads don't price container/trailers on a weight basis only on a per box basis, for the most part.
Interesting 'conversation'; particularly, for a long-retired OTR driver. The term 'Wiggle Wagons' was coined many years back to indicate a 'pair of short trailers {about 22 ft/ea. around that time}.
For over twenty years in states that have 'turnpikes [closely connected after short distances] ; all manner of multiple trailer combinations have been accepted for transit on those roads, and short connector routings. My first set of 'doubles' were a pair of 45's from Chicago to Boston (actually, started in Indiana, and 'broke' them at Oh/Pa for transit on NYT to 'break' Framingham, Ma. for a final dely to Boston))
Here in Kansas [Kansas T-pike] we see triple 'pup' sets, and combinations with a couple of 45/48(?) boxes; occasionally, mixed box sets, but not often.
I have yet to see any of the KLLM/FFE container boxes on any of the BNSF's trains; although their standard reefer and occasional dry boxes are frequent riders, in both directions through here. The posted linked ad for KLLM/FFE says they are capable of a loading of 44,500 lbs. I'd hate to be the one to have to 'scale' a box with that load for OTR travel.
GERALD L MCFARLANE JR I'm not getting that vibe from reading the article and looking at both websites(KLLM's and FFE's) as there is not a single mention of intermodal on the FFE site, this entire intermodal offering is from KLLM, and if you want to read between the lines, then just look at the graphics of those two logos(they're practically identical, which regardless of rules indicates that the two companies are operated as "one"), which isn't that hard to imagine, it happens in numerous industries so nothing unusual. I'm not an expert and I'm not going to dispute your other statements, just pointing out the obvious. Also notice that they specifically mention 3500 total trailers and 611 intermodal containers, further evidence that this is strictly being handled by KLLM(which makes it the equivalent of 20% of the trailer fleet of KLLM).
I'm not getting that vibe from reading the article and looking at both websites(KLLM's and FFE's) as there is not a single mention of intermodal on the FFE site, this entire intermodal offering is from KLLM, and if you want to read between the lines, then just look at the graphics of those two logos(they're practically identical, which regardless of rules indicates that the two companies are operated as "one"), which isn't that hard to imagine, it happens in numerous industries so nothing unusual. I'm not an expert and I'm not going to dispute your other statements, just pointing out the obvious.
Also notice that they specifically mention 3500 total trailers and 611 intermodal containers, further evidence that this is strictly being handled by KLLM(which makes it the equivalent of 20% of the trailer fleet of KLLM).
I see triple pups and double 53's on the Ohio Turnpike all the time.
BaltACD charlie hebdo I have yet to see a trailer, Swift or her little outfit's, pulling another trailer. Y'all needs a tractor, pal. I have seen triple 27 foot trailers being hauled in a number of locations. I have not seen double or triple 53 footers.
charlie hebdo I have yet to see a trailer, Swift or her little outfit's, pulling another trailer. Y'all needs a tractor, pal.
I have seen triple 27 foot trailers being hauled in a number of locations. I have not seen double or triple 53 footers.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Shadow the Cats owner Both of you need to read the sides of the containers again they are a joint venture between FFE and KLLM combined those are less than 10 percent of the combined trailers of the 2 companies about 10 percent of their trades for the year combined.
Both of you need to read the sides of the containers again they are a joint venture between FFE and KLLM combined those are less than 10 percent of the combined trailers of the 2 companies about 10 percent of their trades for the year combined.
I have seen a double 53 once, in the U.S.(wwill not speak of another other country where this is quite common though if interested you can look it up on YouTube).
As for whether or not refrigerated intermodal is a game changer all you need to do is look towards our northern neighbor's two railroads and see how many 53' refrigerated containers they own(they also have the advantage of a two tier weight limit for two different seasons and selling intermodal directly to customers as retail operations as opposed to wholesale only like the U.S. railroads do).
A trucker friend of mine calls them wiggle wagons. Detests them.
CSSHEGEWISCHThe third trailer in a triple does not always track very well and can swing all over the place during a lane change.
I have noticed that even with double trailers, the rear one tends to fish-tail a little with slight steering corrections.
charlie hebdoI have yet to see a trailer, Swift or her little outfit's, pulling another trailer. Y'all needs a tractor, pal.
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