Buried Semi Trailers in Rural Michigan?

According to an MLive story about 800 semi- trailers being stored at this remote site, people are asking "what's up?"

Is the economy tanking and these are used trailers no longer being used? Why are some seemingly almost buried below ground? Local residents have noticed a vast increase in these trailers.

What do you think?

It's at least partly a drop yard going by the article. A lot of freight is known as Just In Time freight. Manufacturers order what they need and schedule it to be delivered right when they need it, instead of ordering it to use later. It keeps space available for other uses.

Other companies order something and arrange it to be delivered for use later. If they don't have a large warehouse space they build areas to leave the trailer, with the load on it, and then have it moved to where they need it when they need it there. Some of these also lease space to other companies to offset the cost of the property.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yah, that makes more sense than stuff being said in the comments.

obviously it`s a FEMA camp if it`s in a remote area, or not.

Grow ops?

Looks like a nonstory. The only story in this article is that company sounds shady in their business dealings(see mlive comments).

a reply to: jellyrev

I loved the "TSA stockpiling ammo and food" comment.

Couldn't use a setup such as this down here. A good rainstorm would have them underwater.

a reply to: roadgravel

Most places use paved lots.

But has anyone noticed the words

some seemingly almost buried below ground?

Would or could a company set up a shipment so much later , the shipping company would have had to bury them ?

a reply to: Gothmog

Did you notice the part about the earth shifting due to erosion? Think that just might have piled up near those trailers?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Gothmog

Did you notice the part about the earth shifting due to erosion? Think that just might have piled up near those trailers?

In that case , I guess that was quiet a delayed shipment. Long enough for the surrounding area to erode and either semi or full bury a semi-trailer. What is the height counting the tires 20' or so ? I used to have to know 30 years ago.

We do not process junk like we used to. Note the absence of junk yards from the thousands that were in the outskirts of towns and cities 30 years ago. There must also be real reasons why it is not economically feasible to recycle these big hunks of steel.

a reply to: Gothmog

I picked up a load that had been sitting in the wrong yard for four months once. Another driver had dropped it in the wrong place and it just sat there until I was in the area and empty.

a reply to: charlyv

They're still in use. Some of the trailers there are loaded others are waiting to be loaded.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: charlyv

They're still in use. Some of the trailers there are loaded others are waiting to be loaded.

Yea, I guess I am thinking more locally.
All my favorites when a kid are long gone. The mechanisms have obviously shifted...

ps.. Did not take into account the cost of land, which must be a factor as well.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Gothmog

I picked up a load that had been sitting in the wrong yard for four months once. Another driver had dropped it in the wrong place and it just sat there until I was in the area and empty.

Wonder if I was the one that loaded (or supposedly loaded ) it...
Peace

a reply to: charlyv

The company that I'm currently contracted to allows two or three different companies to use one of our terminals as a drop yard, and our main terminal allows about five different companies drop trailers there. They get a small amount of rent, and the other company doesn't have to pay to build their own yard to drop a few trailers on.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: charlyv

The company that I'm currently contracted to allows two or three different companies to use one of our terminals as a drop yard, and our main terminal allows about five different companies drop trailers there. They get a small amount of rent, and the other company doesn't have to pay to build their own yard to drop a few trailers on.

Bartering in the American spirit! I like it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I-10 west of downtown in Houston is below grade. It's a lake every few years.