looking for advise on a owner/operator dump truck

[motorhead]

Im thinking about buying a truck and hauling rock for a new quary here in the Okanagan. Other than a class 1 that I haven't used much Im pretty much a total Noob here. So Im looking for advise/insight about all aspects of owner/operator trucking from the truck to get to the costs involved running a 1 man band show
thanks Norm

[belmont mild]

uhmm it will grow large weld up many bins and start the rubbish business etc.........

[Lone Ranger]

To be totally honest, with fuel prices right now it's a pretty hard go (I have been kicking around the idea of buying one too). From what I keep getting told keep your monthly payment to an absolute minimum, stay easy on fuel consumption, keep up on maintenance and paperwork, and hope like hell you never get into an accident. I'd suggest hiring on with a local company and get as much experience as possible with them then decide from there. Plus, you can enjoy your days off without having to deal with maintaining the truck on your days off. Basically, if you buy a rig you're married to it for the next 4-6 years where as a company unit you can walk away from anytime.

The bonus is tax breaks and you get to decide how fast it can go, how much power it gets, what go on/into it, ect. But I'd seriously suggest getting some solid experience in the industry first eh. Good luck!

[SizzleChest]

I used to work indirectly with a guy that did landscaping deliveries (soil,mulch,manure etc) and he was always whining about how much he was struggling to stay afloat. over a 5 year period though, he bought 3 new trucks, each one bigger and better than the last - go figure...

[belmont mild]

doode if you can combine rubbish into delivery and rock moving from the quarry ( which i am wondering as to how you would keep afloat) The big mac trucks that do loads are the ones that will slash your throat sooner or later)

If i had a truck (1) and 4 bins the bins would be dropped off daily and making money while im out doing other work... No brainer...

The rock removal well rocks worth money to the right person so if you can load it somewhere or get into cahoots wiht a rock crusher alls good... But quarries and rockcrushers go hand in hand


by the way what type of truck are you talking about?

[Hayes]

Forget it dump trucking is a money loosing job. I have been working with dump trucks for years. I don't know what type of truck you plan on getting into ?

A cheap truck like a Sterling LT-9500 with West Coast specs is 145,000 dollars you get into a T-800 Kenworth it is more. You can buy a used truck and trust me what ever you look at is worn out junk. I was out truck shopping in december even trucks selling for 40 grand are worn out junk.

To own a dump truck you pretty well need a shop to work on it you should have some mechanical skills especially at changing tires which you willl be doing on a regular basis. You should also have welding skills you will be welding up cracks in the box. With dump trucks they see allot more abuse than a truck tractor you will wear out a set of steer tires in 6 months a set of drive tires you can squeek a litte more out of unless you stuff a rock through the sidewall.

The current rate for a regular tandem axle dump truck is 80 dollars per hour a truck and pup is about 100 dollars per hour. You have to calculate in that you will be burning about 100-150 dollars a day in fuel if you have to pay a driver looking at 20-25 dollars per hour.

If you never run a dump truck you may want to go drive one before you buy one becuase there is lots to learn. For one you dump a load and the truck is in soft ground the truck will be laying on its side. You get into solf ground you can tear the drive train out of a dump truck so fast.

So who is this new pit in the Okanagan ?

Did they ask you if you wanted to haul for them because they know you are a noob and they can take advantage of you. If you haul for them you only haul by the hour and you get paid for every hour your working. If they start paying you by any other way tell them to stick it up their ass.

My suggestion is go drive a dump for somebody I think you will change your mind right smartly about becoming a owner operator dump truck. If you want to go driving maybe Lone Ranger can get you a application for Glenncoe.

[motorhead]

At this point Im trying to stay neutral before the glamour of a new truck gets ahold so this kind of advise is a good thing. The Quary is being started by a close friend and our companys while separate will basicly be married so Im not worried about being taken advantage of there, and if it did go bad with being separate the parting should be not as difficult. I do have a shop that will fit a tandem, I am a competent welder - have a miller 210, Have some heavy mech.experience but not enough to feel good about a "in frame" on my own - although with a new truck that won't be an issue. Fuel price , tires , insurance , certification, truck payment , truck pm service , other than damage repair am I missing anything ? The conflict truck wise is big power means big fuel bill. The trouble is the road that I would have to come down is steep and winedy so big power is a pluss to help hold that thing back. Ive heard the Mercedes has good mileage but lacks grunt where as the Cat makes good power but likes fuel. Then there's trans most seem to like the 18 speed but then they are long haulers. Im leaning toward either Westen Star or Kenworth - both decent built trucks both with local service and a rock box built in Penticton that has been sucsessfull on the Kettle Valley Stone trucks. My current job of 7 years has a life expectancy of 6 months or so, so I need to come up with something - where as the Quary should be sooner than that - no presure :rolleyes: . Ultimatly if all goes well I would follow up with another truck and a loader within 1-2 years and by then a crusher would be feasible. OK enough soul bearing now back to your regularily schedualed programing.:rolleyes:

[Hayes]

I don't know what happened but I tried posting and what I typed disapeared :confused:

Anyhow if you really want to do this be prepared for a tough go trust me people think dump trucks is easy money which its not. You have the worst case sceanario is you are a newbie that wants to be a dump truck owner op.

You REALLY need to go drive for somebody for atleast 6 months before you even tempt becoming a dump truck owner operator. I'am trying to save you money now because if you try to learn with your own equipment you are going to go broke so fast you won't even know what hit you.

You need to learn on sombody elses dollar not yours you break their truck it comes out of their pocket not yours. Dump trucking is far far different than running tractor and trailer. When your dealing with offroad conditions you can ruin a truck quick. Tires are the biggest expense to reshod a tandem axle dump truck with recaps on the back and super single drive tires is close to 5 grand. You ruin one drive tire a day it will cut deep into your profits.

You have no dump experience so you flip the truck dumping the box your truck is in need of major repairs or its a write off.

You want to loose a easy 10 grand go buy a dump truck. A owner operator dump truck runs a dump truck because he knows what is involved. Myself I can be a owner operator dump truck because I have been in the business.

Had one contractor say to me your a (censored) fool to buy a dump truck. Excavation contractors have them because they need them if they didn't need them they wouldn't own one. When I did all the number crunching I'am sticking with landscaping and a 2 ton dump truck I will make more money.

If you got the bug to go driving go drive tractor trailer you can pull in 4-5 grand a month.

I'am not trying to be a dink just telling you becoming a dump truck owner op isn't a good career choice I have been playing in the dirt for 13 years.

Good Luck

[mabb]

I've had (read that: had) truck-driving clients with dumps and currently have some that use large trucks for their business including hauling bins and lumber deliveries.

The consensus of opinion would be: slit your wrists instead. You'll still bleed to death, but it won't take as long or hurt as much.

[Chet]

my dad and brother have had gravel trucks here on the island for the last 15 years. it used tobe pretty good. now with fuel prices and people undercutting everyone else they are thinking of selling.

new guys don't understand that a certain number of your sales you will never get paid for. tough titty trying to get it back too! a new set of tires is outrageoud priced right now. let alone a clutch job or brakes.

trust me you will make more money driving for someone else. Why do you think most companies hire other people to haul for them? maintenance and repairs will also eat up all your spare time. you can kiss weekend wheelin good buy if you buy a used truck.

You can get a Mack granite truck with a tub style box (sucks for rock) for around $140,000 right now out of vancouver.

[Hayes]

I know the price of tires have gone up allot I haven't kept up with the prices when I worked for the excavation contractors I just installed them on the truck and did the truck repairs.

We don't have the undercutting problem on the Coast yet or I'am not aware of it because every contractor pretty well plays fair they know if they drop the rate they are loosing money. There really isn't any independant dump truck companies running on the coast its all excavation contractors.

Why don't you convince the friends of yours with the quarry they want to start to buy a dump truck and you will be number one driver :redneck

Vancouver is screaming for dump trucks because of all the work there is a shortage of dump trucks because of under cutting from the english as second language owner ops. I have talked with a few of the owner ops from Vancouver that english is their first language and have been in business for 30 years its getting bad. People think you will haul for the undercut rate but you can't if you want to run a legal truck and make some profit. The ones with dump truck crashes are the ones undercutting the rate and not spending any money on their trucks. You take any of their trucks to a proper commercial inspection shop they would fail the trucks.

[motorhead]

anyone else want to wade in here - so far it's not looking good :confused2

[Hayes]

Trust us we are not saying what we are just to be mean it is the reality of the situation. Another job idea would be getting on running excavator it is a decent job and after some years of experience you could be making 25-30 dollars per hour. Some people catch on quick and make good operators and some don't but a good hoe operator can be in demand.

[overthetop]

Are you working at the new quarry in winfield with that big new crusher? The one just below the heavy equipment school? I have a buddy involved with that. There will be more than enough work to keep you busy. I thought about getting my class one and a truck and working there. Still bugging him to get me on one of the loaders.

[Mud Rat]

I have seen it. a buddy of mine (25 years plus of driving) lost his tractor with HAIB 300 last month. it sucks big time after he worked for Aillied (car hauler) with own tractor and trailer . better off doing short haul or long haul. Image repairing the the rear diff with broken wheelbearing with busted thread on spidle with limit use of tool at home, it sucks. :cwm25:

[westcoaster]

anyone else want to wade in here - so far it's not looking good :confused2


I don't know a darn thing about being an owner operator. I do think the advice to hire on with a company before jumping in with both feet and buying a truck is great advice. Screw up their equipment as your learning how to drive rather than your own.
Now is the best time to try and break into a company, Most companies are starving for workers. So finding an outfit to drive for shouldn't be a problem.

While hiring on with a company will do nothing for your buddies, Your financial ass isn't on the line for the cost of a new truck if you simply don't like driving.

On the flip side, while your fooling around driving for someone else your buddies may give away your contract to someone else. Just something else to think about....

[motorhead]

thanks for the replies - and I wasn't whineing I do want real world advice. No The pit in Winfeild is not related to this upcoming Quary. So far it's becoming apparent that if I can't strike a deal for better than regular rate (basicly a minor partnership) at the least, I don't think this will fly - as has been pointed out here. But if anyone has more ideas or thoughts Im all ears.

[Chris S]

A buddy and his son drive for the new golf course developement near Vernon.
By all standards it's a pretty easy gig since 90% of the loads just move around on the property. They are making good money since he is a mechanic and they bought a $25,000 truck and rebuilt it. With an old truck they pretty much found that you do an hour every day of maintenance plus you spend 2 full days on repairs for every 10 days on the road, which is still worth it to them since they have a full mechanics shop and can do all the work themselves.
If they had to actually pay hourly rate for repairs they would make less than what they would as a hired driver, and same goes if they bought a new truck.
Last time I talked to him the son had just watched a loader overfill someone elses brand new truck and break the frame on it. Nobody will take responsibilty and the guy will be down until he can get it fixed and re-inspected. Hope he didn't plan on eating that month.

[fookeneh]

Wish I had a picture of the Mercedes 4000 in our shop last week that had a rod hanging out of the block. Mecedes are a throw away engine , as you can't cut the counter bores and install new liners. BIG $$ FOR PARTS. Alot of them seem to be blowing up at around the 1 million km mark.
Dump trucks are a 6 day a week 12-14hr a day job all the while with your body being beat on in the drivers seat.
A million kms on a hi-way truck are equivalent to 100,000 kms on the dump truck in respect to the amount of **** and abuse it takes.
I really don't see owning and driving a dump truck as a good job or business.... Its called the NEVER NEVER plan,
You never leave it, and you never own it. :beer