Who knows End-dumps?

[A Smalltown Rube]

Got a line on an upcoming bid contract-

GC wants flat-rate bids per load. The one End-dumper I've talked to says he'd be happy with $50/hr., plus fuel surcharge. Run is 60 miles from load to unload, 60 miles deadhead return. 5 loads a day seems realistic... Works out to $120/load (plus fuel surcharge) to the truck, which seems a little cheap. I'd really like to come in with a competitive bid. This would be steady work for several O/O's.

Does anyone know how to bid end-dumps?

Thanks for your help.

[Mackman]

50/hr LMAO that is cheap as hell. I wouldn't count on him to be around for long hauling for them rates.

I dunno about end dumps but i do know tri/axle dumps. Were i live in PA they get any were in the range of 70-80/hr.

[Kranky]

The one End-dumper I've talked to says he'd be happy with $50/hr.

[floored]

No idea where you are from but here in Sacramento, CA it is at least $80/hr. You should bill your hourly rate from loading plant to job then back to loading plant at end of day. Good luck getting a FSC on a dirt truck, when it was $4+ a gal here no one here (other than the brokers who charged and were keeping it) got one.

[Maniac]

You're right about the FSC, the quarrys want an all inclusive price, and since no one knows what the fuel price will be this Dec, you are really hard pressed to figure it out, and you still have to be the low bidder, and provide the service.

Do you know that if you win a bid with a quarry and then CANNOT provide the service, they go the next lowest bidder and give it to them, and take you to court for the difference, you singed a contract legal and binding, and that clause is buried in the fine print.

BTW here in Ct tri-axles get $95 an hour, and can only haul 76,500, when they put out a call for 30 trucks, usually 70 show up.

Why does it have to be an end dump?

[Jumbo]

Hire that guy who will do it for $50 an hour, He probably has a couple buddies who would do it for the same rate. I am sure you would be the low bidder.

[nightrider76]

Hire that guy who will do it for $50 an hour, He probably has a couple buddies who would do it for the same rate. I am sure you would be the low bidder.

Now there ya go. Bid it at $ 75 an hour, hire the guy for $50, pocket $ 25 an hour and charge % age.

[A Smalltown Rube]

Thanks for the comments.

I stopped by the mine this weekend, the crusher is up and running. They haven't decided how they want to handle the product at the delivery point yet, whether to stockpile it on the ground or dump it in a grizzly. Looks like Ends or Bellies will work, but it has to be covered. They're planning on running the crusher 24/7 at 100 tons a day so 5 trucks running 5 days a week will cover it. He said if the driver is front-loader certified he can load himself. Looks like the rate will equal $75-80/hr to the truck, but he'll pay per-load only, not hourly, and won't pay standby.

Does this sound OK? I'm new to this kind of hauling and appreciate the help.

[allan5oh]

I've never understood the idea of paying a flat-rate. If the shipper paid a fuel surcharge that truely covered any increases(including round trip in this case) the bids would be more competitive.

[Maniac]

No, it doesn't sound OK, forget it, not worth getting involved in, when the crusher goes down for an hour, or day or week, then what?

Run don't walk away from this "deal"

[Mackman]

Looks like the rate will equal $75-80/hr to the truck, but he'll pay per-load only, not hourly, and won't pay standby.

Does this sound OK?

It sounds ok to me. I mean I'm just going by what my dad does as an O/O with a dump truck.

He gets paid per ton when he hauls out of the quarry. The only time he gets paid hourly is when he hauls blacktop. As far as waiting time goes he gets it only after he waits 30min. to dump. But only gets paid waiting time on the job site. If the quarry runs out of work and they are waiting for contractors to call he doesn't get paid nothing for sitting in the quarry.

How long do you have to wait for your money???

[Kranky]

Thanks for the comments.

I stopped by the mine this weekend, the crusher is up and running. They haven't decided how they want to handle the product at the delivery point yet, whether to stockpile it on the ground or dump it in a grizzly. Looks like Ends or Bellies will work, but it has to be covered. They're planning on running the crusher 24/7 at 100 tons a day so 5 trucks running 5 days a week will cover it. He said if the driver is front-loader certified he can load himself. Looks like the rate will equal $75-80/hr to the truck, but he'll pay per-load only, not hourly, and won't pay standby.

Does this sound OK? I'm new to this kind of hauling and appreciate the help.

They're only putting out 100 tons in a 24 hr workday?

That's only about 5 truckloads.

Must be an awfull small crusher, or else that's a typo.

[A Smalltown Rube]

How long do you have to wait for your money???

7 days. He said if they know you, you can stop by the office with your PODs and the accounting girl will cut you a check.

They're only putting out 100 tons in a 24 hr workday?

That's only about 5 truckloads.

Must be an awfull small crusher, or else that's a typo.

Nope, not a typo. But you have a point there. I might have missed something in the translation.

What they don't want is a situation where 20-30 trucks are lined up waiting to load on Monday morning, since space at the mine is limited and this has happened in the past when they used brokers. And it creates a cluster**** at the delivery point Monday afternoon. They would like a steady flow all week that matches the mine capacity preferably with the same drivers who know the system, and if 1 or 2 drivers are front-loader certified they can load each other after hours. I'll have to double-check those numbers, though.

[Mackman]

any update??

[A Smalltown Rube]

Going out there again tomorrow. Last week he mentioned something about hauling water in from the holding pond which is 2 or 3 miles away. Going to ask more questions about that. It might be a better gig with less competition.

[Part Time Dweller]

Load yourself? Do they want you to grease their equipment everyday to, and run to town for parts when the crusher is down?

It is morons like these why this industry is in the toilet. Once upon a time, everyone got paid hourly to haul dirt and material, then some genius thought he could make a killing and get lots of work if he hauled by the load, with no travel time. Fortuneatly, many of those types are going out of business as we speak. Funny thing about those types, they never seem to have any money to fall back on when times get tough. To Bad, So Sad!

[A Smalltown Rube]

Load yourself? Do they want you to grease their equipment everyday to, and run to town for parts when the crusher is down?

It is morons like these why this industry is in the toilet. Once upon a time, everyone got paid hourly to haul dirt and material, then some genius thought he could make a killing and get lots of work if he hauled by the load, with no travel time. Fortuneatly, many of those types are going out of business as we speak. Funny thing about those types, they never seem to have any money to fall back on when times get tough. To Bad, So Sad!

I don't know what part if the universe you're from, but on this planet- times are tough right now. If I can make a halfway decent profit I'll consider anything that's reasonable.
However, I respect your opinion.

Thank you and have a nice day.

[Kranky]

I ran a small fleet of dump trucks for 19 years. The following is my observation on rates & working cheap. It is a generalized statement and not directed at anyone personally:

Just because times are tough is no reason to work cheap just to stay busy.

The sole reason for being in business is to make money.

If you can't make a profit, you're just hastening your own demise.

Another thing that happens is that when one dump trucker in a particular area begins to work cheaper than the rest, the "customers" in that area take notice and then expect everyone to work for that cheap rate, and the downward spiral begins anew.

[Maniac]

I ran a small fleet of dump trucks for 19 years. The following is my observation on rates & working cheap. It is a generalized statement and not directed at anyone personally:

Just because times are tough is no reason to work cheap just to stay busy.

The sole reason for being in business is to make money.

If you can't make a profit, you're just hastening your own demise.

Another thing that happens is that when one dump trucker in a particular area begins to work cheaper than the rest, the "customers" in that area take notice and then expect everyone to work for that cheap rate, and the downward spiral begins anew.

Best post I've seen in a long time.

Whether you have a small fleet of dump trucks or 1 tractor,or a house painting buisness, this post should be printed out and framed in every one of your offices, or above your desk

Rules to live by............great post!!