From the spectacular mountains of the Pacific Northwest to the myriad rock formations in New Mexico, truckers get to see some of the most impressive sights. Topping this list of cool places to go is “The Caves” in Springfield, Missouri. Formerly known as the Springfield Underground, an Erlen Group Company, it is an underground industrial park created after removing limestone products.
According to John Griesemer, President and CEO of the Erlen Group, “The land is about 600 acres that have been mined over the last 70 years. They removed limestone products for construction products, such as concrete for roads and bridges. With the open space below, the Springfield Underground was created.”
Fast Facts
- Springfield Underground contains 3.2 million square feet of leasable space free from exposure to the outdoor elements
- Buildings range in size from 50,000 – 400,000 square feet
- The ambient temperature of the former limestone mine is a constant 62 degrees
- Springfield Underground’s on-site refrigeration maintenance crew manages the temperature of refrigerated buildings, ranging from -20F to 55F
- Process 500-600 tractor-trailers daily
- Employs 600 people
- 224 dock doors
- Over 3.5 miles of lit roadway
- Over 3 miles of rail siding
- Clear ceiling height of up to 30 feet
- Immediate accessibility to I-44 and US-65
- Protected by fire sprinklers.
According to Griesemer, they primarily work with companies in the food industry. Seventy percent of the 3.5 million square feet is dedicated to food product storage, and about 60 percent of the space is refrigerated. The warehouse’s natural temperature is about 60 degrees, making it energy-efficient and ideal for storing food products, including cheese and meat.
DAT Freight & Analytics spoke to several drivers who offered several insights. Some reefer carriers noted that trucks with extended wheelbase configurations have difficulty negotiating tight turns. Others said no cell phone service was problematic, especially with delayed loads. One driver said, “There were a billion pounds of cheese stored in the caves, enough cheese to last Americans for 17 years.”
Surprisingly, several drivers spoke about the psychological effect of being underground, especially those suffering from claustrophobia. In the Midwest, truckers load in several underground caves, and drivers report less anxiety in underground warehouses with higher ceilings.
Served mainly by large contract carriers, the Springfield Underground Caves are located in the Joplin, Missouri market and ranked 35 out of 135 freight spot markets. There are 76 million people within a day’s drive by truck, encompassing top reefer destinations in Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston.
