From the Farm

[sodbuster]

Hey guys just joined the forum and wanted to ask a few questions. I operate a small sod farm in Tx
And this past year I switched from a straight truck (FL 80 frightliner) to a 18-wheeler. I run farm tags on both the tractor and trailer. My insurance more than doubled when I made the switch. In Texas if you gross more than 48K you have to have a motor carrier certificate and my insurance increased again when I applied for the certificate. Then I noticed that they had me limited to a 50 mile radius of the farm, which I had changed to 200 miles (which is fine for hauling sod) rates went up again !!!
Now I am wanting to switch to commercial tags and haul for hire, I was checking with a local steel fabricator about hauling to Houston or Dallas (both are in the 200 mile radius). They said I would need 1M liability and 100k cargo insurance. I currently only have 500k liability and no cargo. When checked with some insurance company’s and they found out I only had my CDL for six months and was wanting to haul steel they said no way. My current agent checked and to raise the liability and add cargo would bring it to about 6800 a year I don’t know if this would have any cargo restrictions are not. Comments and suggestions welcome.

I have read some of the prices per miles some of the owner operators are getting. Here is a breakdown on a load for some sod I hauled for a relative. 369 miles total they loaded the sod at the farm with their forklift
I covered and tied down the load. Delivered the sod and unloaded with my forklift for 600 a load. I made several trips some of the grass was light and some had me way way over the 80k. the trip takes about 9 hours total. My mileage was about 5.2 mpg I had a lot of traffic lights and some long steep hills, I drive the speed limit if its 50 mph or 70 mph I drive what the traffic and law will allow. After making some of these trips I think I bid to low considering some of the hills I had to climb.

Speaking of climbing hills I notice the pyrometer was sitting on about 1200 while I was pulling some of these hills. Is this to hot? Should I slow down and grab a lower gear? For example traveling the same speed but in a lower gear with high rpm’s be less stress or load on the engine, would this lower the egt?

Thanks

[GMAN]

The rate you were quoted on your insurance sounds like a good rate considering your lack of experience. The mileage restriction may be difficult to work with, but it sounds like you can make it work. I believe the least I have taken a load of sod in the last year has been about $2/mile. I have gotten as much as $3/mile, but that isn't the norm. There are some in Florida who will get owner operators to take sod loads for as little as $0.90/mile. I have heard of some who have been offered rates as low as $0.78/mile. If it were me, I would not haul it for less than $2/mile plus tarp charge. Some sod needs to be tarped, some doesn't.

[sodbuster]

Thanks GMan for the for your comments, I think 2 per mile will is a good rate but I also use my own piggy back forklift to unload also.

[furbis]

last I heard here in colorado they were getting .025 cents a square foot to haul sod with drop charges on the smaller sq ft drops around denver. theese are loads going to the denver metro area and not over the road so a guy could haul 3 or 4 10,000 sq ft loads in a day if he humped it and there weren't 5 drops a load.