I recently had an engine go out on a newer truck... so I switched to plan B... a 1969 KW T/A that I have owned for several years. The driver moved 10 loads with it today. First time working with it in quite a while. It performed flawlessly. It got me to thinking...How many older trucks are still out working? Let's see them...
I have a 1961 404 unimog with a hoist and 600 gallon water tank used every two weeks to fill my cistern.
I have a 67' kaiser 6x6 multifuel that's my off road dump. I did run a 79' chevy c-60 as my regular equipment tower and dumptruck last year. Now I run an 88' ford f800, diesel . The kaiser can be used on road but the ford is faster and is 4 ton lighter empty, with simular hp.
I have 2 '94 Macks, 1 '96 Mack, 1 '71 Chevy C90, and 1 '77 IH. Unless I change my mind the Macks will be for sale next week.
mitch504, I sold my Mack dump truck at Ritchie Bros auction last fall. I couldn't believe it brought as much as it did, brought $4000 more than I was asking. They will definitely hold their value. My front line dump truck now is the one I started with, a '74 Ford F600 with a 361 and 4x2.
I run an 85 gmc 7000 and an 84 Western Star, Their old but still get the material to the job.
why r u sellin the macks mitch? If I might ask...
Got one '87 Mack jr
I haven't made money with for-hire trucking in a few years. I went to my main trucking customer about fuel prices; they agreed to a rate increase equal to half my cost increase, but refused to do it as a fuel surcharge, so the drivers get 30% of the increase. That leaves me eating 65% of the fuel increase, and more if it goes up further. My ins. renews this week. In the last few years I have let the other things I do subsidize my trucks, so I would still have trucks and drivers for my jobs when I need them. A carrier w/ 3 tractors competes with owner/operators; and, when times are bad O/Os make less money, but my drivers still get 30% off the top, before anything else. This new federal safety program is a PITA, and like usual, very little of it applies to a small local carrier, but I still gotta fill out all those forms, but w/o a seperate compliance person. When I want to go somewhere w/ my wife, I won't have to keep my phone on 24/7, or worry about trucks on the road, and what if one has a problem while I'm not there. In short, I'm Tired of it. I've had trucks on the road for 16 years, so it'll be an adjustment, for sure....
30%, you pay your drivers well. Either that or drivers get paid crap up here... 20-25%. I'm always looking for ways to expand what I do and have been looking at trucks w/ the marcellas shale boom and all. I just haven't seen where its something that a decent profit can be made in until your the primary contractor w/ the trucks. For instance unless you have 20 - 30 trucks, your subbing under someone else and getting paid $75.00 hr for tri-axle dumps, meanwhile the primary is getting $90. In my opinion $75 per hr isn't enough for a vehicle that can let $35 an hr go up the stack, and a driver that wants $20... + all the other costs and headaches.
Just trying things out :notworthyJust trying my luck with posting. Here are some pics of the D4 I am working on.
sorry dump truck people. I intended to do a new thread.
I quit custom hauling all together after the 2003 season. No money in it at all anymore when you have to hire drivers, or should I say "truck jockeys and cowboys." There are no good drivers around here to hire. Add to that increase in license cost of 30% jump at one time in 2009, fuel costs, maintenance, and it all turns up in the red. So my two Mack quads sit unless I need them myself. With the shortage of work I have been able to hire trucks for less that I can put mine on the road and don't have the headaches. Oh ya, DOT inspectors are also becoming the the hair on a dog's back too.
Yeah, and try to hire one that can pass a pee test. At least back when it was busy. Add to that, the crusher pits will haul for less just to push their product. I just get a 72 hour or 144 hour permit anymore instead of keeping them registered for what little I run them for myself. They're just a necessary evil. I have the record on warnings from our friendly state DOT. 39 warnings and 2 tickets all printed out on his newfangled laptop. I think he was just trying it out. I still have the printout hanging on my tack board. The girls at the JP's office let me keep it after I paid the fines. Speaking of tacks, that's what he was ... a pr!ck.