I've happened upon a nice used log truck while in Montana for work. I'm considering buying it and sending it back to southwest Washington to start a one truck owner/operator outfit. Its all set up nice '07 KW T800 with at 565 Cummins ISX. I'm told it was order pre-'07 and only has an EGR and not all the exhaust treatment equipment. It has 350k on the clock which seems low and he is asking $80k without the trailer. Heres what I need to know. The truck would be operated out of southwest Washington just north of Vancouver. My construction experience has taught me a little bit about the cost of operating equipment but I don't know much about the log hauling business other than what I have observed living in Washington. I need to know everything about the business top to bottom. I've done some research into the cost of operating the equipment itself through a program we use to estimate and came up with $74/hour. This is only accounts for the operational costs of the truck (purchase price, fuel, maintenance). What I don't know is where to acquire work, typical pay rates, consistency of work, expected loads per day. I also need information on any indirect costs: insurance, licensing, commercial fuel sources, cost of a good used trailer, etc. My driver would be a good friend of mine who I'm thinking would work on a profit sharing basis rather than hourly. This would be a business venture for me. My construction experience has taught me that companies often save money when hiring out their trucking rather than operating their own trucks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and please don't be afraid to tell it all, I want to hear it. Thanks.
From my perspective as a steering wheel holder in a log truck, and not an owner, you might do better taking all your money and going down to the local bar and buying everyone a beer until you have no money. It is easier and more fun to go broke that way vs. owning a log truck. The fellow I drive for is always struggling, either getting paid on time or being paid at all. It isn’t the loggers that are the cause of his difficulties, it is the timber companies, Landholders squeeze the loggers down to a paper-thin margin and since you are down-stream from the loggers, you get squeezed more. However, if you get a good spot, you can get ahead a little. All the people are great, scenery is fine, throwing chains twice a day is not all that bad either as much as I might whine about it at the moment. From what I see, wear and tear on you truck is somewhere between 35% and 50% higher than a dump truck, tires go faster, brakes go faster, use way more grease, lots of little things like that. Paperwork is atrocious although that is with any truck now. You best have a wife or some other relative to help with the paperwork while you are busy keeping your truck running. I like just being the steering wheel holder, grease, lights, oil and water. Everything else is the owners concern. Nevertheless, if you are young, (I am old..) full of energy, and ambitious, go for it. You can always beat the statistics. I bet you get the truck since you are already this far in you thoughts. So, go for it and have fun. See you on the landing some day.
Buying a log truck and having someone else drive it for you is nothing short of financial suicide. Even if you drive it yourself you will have a hard time making ends meet. It seems to me that the guys with the 'yellow iron' are the ones who make cash and the guys with trucks just barely make it and do so working for the guys with the equipment. If you want a truck look into a boom truck,or try and tie in a piece of equipment to a gravel truck (small cat, excavator,skid steer etc.). Then you can go after hourly as well as contract work. You will be better off and should do all right. This is of course all IMHO. Cheers Lowbed Driver
If there was lots of money to be made in log trucking all logging companies would own their own trucks, some do most do not. We've been lucky and have a several decade relationship with our trucking contractor, they get first loaded and the last to be laid off. Being the last truck in the string or having to fight for loads every night has been nearly a sure bet to fail. One positive is that there seems to be a shortage of log truckers right now, the 08-10 economy ruined quite few. The truckers I see surviving do nearly all their own mechanical work including the engine and tranny rebuilds along with tire repair. Your best bet to survive would be to get a quick change mule train, lord know we are always needing short loggers. Good Luck Scott S
everyone has an opinion on the dos and dont's in the game. thats what makes this site helpfull for a beginner.its you that has to sort everyones views out . being in the business 40 plus years you learn a few things along the way. my advice to you would be to go drive for someone for 6 month see if you like hauling logs its not everyones cup of tea. if you still want to be your own boss look for a truck thats on a job already hauling that way you know the truck is hauling everyday and you have a job that carries seniourity. you not buying a truck off a lot that you no nothing about. 2nd you should think about the truck having a drop axle and possible a pup or a 3 axle trl. if you can't haul 30 plus ton. you have no advantage over the people your hauling with.you have to have something to offer the loggers your going to haul for. just because you show up everytime they call isn't enough anymore in now times. summertime everyone needs trucks when winter hits you have to have an edge. 3rd the truck you buy should be able to switch over to do different things. being tied to just hauling logs being a owner operator you will die a slow death. its all just opinions but being in it as long as we have we are doing something rite . good luck
This is good advice, we've used Jeff's trucks from time to time.
Thanks for all the replies. You've got me thinking now that if it doesnt come with the trailer anyway, I could set it up as a mule train from the beginning. Can someone give me an idea of the going rate per load?