Dump fleet question.

[DM&RDBulldog]

For you guys running modern trucks, what would you recommend buying? Im in U.S. and have all major brands within a few hundred miles.

The short of it is, im running a very large project and have already exhausted the local owner operators. I have three trucks of my own but they are 90s era and I have no experience with anything modern. I will need minimum twelve class B tri-axle dumps to keep me on track.

Ive got more than 70 hired trucks right now and on any given day 5 to 7 of them call in or knock off early, and there is at least one or more breakdown every other day. I have reliable drivers to fill the seats, I just need reliable new trucks.

Thank you.

 

[CM1995]

If you have 12 reliable drivers already, then you've solved the hard part at least in my area. Buying trucks is the easy part.

What is the budget for these 12 trucks?

 

[cuttin edge]

Work must be plenty if the owner operators leave early. You hire one truck here they all want to come. Do you even have a single dealer with 12 trucks ready to go to work. It would take a year to get one truck where I live. Unless you were willing to take what's on the lot. Even then it would take time to buy and install boxes. Rare to have more than a couple trucks with the same specs that are work ready

 

[Truck Shop]

Western Star--for specs as first choice. Truck Paper has lots of new and newer used listed.

 

[CM1995]

Work must be plenty if the owner operators leave early. You hire one truck here they all want to come.

I wish it was that way here. Tri-axles for hire are hard to get.

The company we use has 20 or so trucks and it's a struggle to get more than 3 at a time. Dispatch will call around 2 PM every day to see if you want to keep the trucks for the next day, if you let them go - no telling when you can get them back.

FWIW we pay them upon invoice before we are paid on the project.

If I could find reliable drivers I would buy however many trucks their were drivers. Could keep them busy hired out and have them for our own work.

 

[cuttin edge]

I wish it was that way here. Tri-axles for hire are hard to get.

The company we use has 20 or so trucks and it's a struggle to get more than 3 at a time. Dispatch will call around 2 PM every day to see if you want to keep the trucks for the next day, if you let them go - no telling when you can get them back.

FWIW we pay them upon invoice before we are paid on the project.

If I could find reliable drivers I would buy however many trucks their were drivers. Could keep them busy hired out and have them for our own work.

Any dot contracts require you to hire trucks. Company trucks csn only haul 25 percent of total materials. Unless the association cannot supply trucks. Trucks have to be paid according to the government rate, and there are provisions to make sure a contractor pays the hired trucks

 

[DM&RDBulldog]

From calling around so far this week, there are enough Kenworth T880 complete at a single dealer to fill my order immediately. Volvo dealer also has enough trucks, although mixed models and more in chassis cab configuration. Im waiting to hear back from a few other brands as to what they could pull together.

I can spend up to 350k per truck and still be comfortable, of course less is better and why I want to get all one brand as a bulk buy in hopes of great discount.

Unfortunately right now there are two major projects in my area that have commissioned most of the owner operators from a large radius. I cant get anyone with a trailer end dump at all and am only able to hire the tandems and tri-axles the other sites didnt want or let go under conditions.

Im lucky to have a crew full of primarily operators that all hold at minimum a class B. I need at least 70 trucks per hour for my excavators to feed. Unfortunately, ill have to pull operators off the clearing work to fill the truck deficit day to day but can make that up after hours when the plant is closed that we haul to.

 

[Shimmy1]

Any dot contracts require you to hire trucks. Company trucks csn only haul 25 percent of total materials.

Since when in the *** can the government dictate how the job gets done? If a company has the ability to roll in with 100 trucks, how is that a bad thing? Seems like they are trying to suppress the free market by requiring the contractor to pull trucks from some pool. If these poor trucks can't survive without the government pushing work their way, maybe they need to find another line of work.

 

[Shimmy1]

I can spend up to 350k per truck and still be comfortable, of course less is better and why I want to get all one brand as a bulk buy in hopes of great discount.

Sorry, but your business model seems to be crazy unique to anything I've ever seen. The truck doesn't move without the excavator.

 

[HarleyHappy]

Trucks will move just fine with the Sany excavators feeding them.
Sounds like I need to buy a tri-axle and come out of retirement.
Where is this pit? As long as it’s not in Mass, just have to get my medical card and I wI’ll buy my own truck.
6 months, ROI in 2 years at 50 hours a week.

 

[DM&RDBulldog]

Are you the same guy that is nickel and diming, trying to make do with a mediocre at best excavator??? Now, you are willing to dump THREE HUNDRED FIFTY GRAND per truck???

Sorry, but your business model seems to be crazy unique to anything I've ever seen. The truck doesn't move without the excavator.

Yes, im that same guy who is more than likely going to purchase the cheap SANY excavators.

It was never my intention whatsoever to purchase trucks but at the moment with the way things worked out by the time I got my permits, its looking like im going to have to do just that. Of course I want the cheapest trucks but with the price im getting for material im leaving way too much on the table not having 70 trucks per hour leaving my site. So if I have to spend up to 350k per truck (which isnt that extreme for my region) I will do so.

I appreciate your concern for my business model.

 

[Shimmy1]

Trucks will move just fine with the Sany excavators feeding them.

Not my point.

 

[DM&RDBulldog]

Trucks will move just fine with the Sany excavators feeding them.
Sounds like I need to buy a tri-axle and come out of retirement.
Where is this pit? As long as it’s not in Mass, just have to get my medical card and I wI’ll buy my own truck.
6 months, ROI in 2 years at 50 hours a week.

Im down at the bottom of CT, North Stonington and we are hauling into Richmond RI.

 

[Shimmy1]

Yes, im that same guy who is more than likely going to purchase the cheap SANY excavators.

It was never my intention whatsoever to purchase trucks but at the moment with the way things worked out by the time I got my permits, its looking like im going to have to do just that. Of course I want the cheapest trucks but with the price im getting for material im leaving way too much on the table not having 70 trucks per hour leaving my site. So if I have to spend up to 350k per truck (which isnt that extreme for my region) I will do so.

I appreciate your concern for my business model.

You do you, but there is no way, no how, not any universe in any dimension that I would put my faith in Americanized pieces of Chinese junk keeping 70+ trucks running if the return is so great that you can drop $350k PER on 12 trucks at the drop of a hat. If I was one of your operators that had to sit his ass in one of those Sanys while 12 brandy-new company trucks are coming in to load, well, I guess I'd be more than a little pizzed. Just sayin'.

 

[skyking1]

You are having a lot of fun out there!
Too bad I am the shy retiring type.

 

[DM&RDBulldog]

You do you, but there is no way, no how, not any universe in any dimension that I would put my faith in Americanized pieces of Chinese junk keeping 70+ trucks running if the return is so great that you can drop $350k PER on 12 trucks at the drop of a hat. If I was one of your operators that had to sit his ass in one of those Sanys while 12 brandy-new company trucks are coming in to load, well, I guess I'd be more than a little pizzed. Just sayin'.

I appreciate your concern for my crews comfort and looking out for my investment. Im in a comfortable financial position though and being cheap where I can has allowed that to happen. My crew has the next 6 weeks to try out the SANY equipment on rental and if its as bad as you describe ill look to other brands.

Just because im making plenty of money doesn't mean I need to spend it on the top name brands when a budget brand can do the same. Id rather pay bonuses to my crew or match their IRA contributions.

 

[Steve Frazier]

Please keep this thread on topic. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

 

[Coaldust]

Truck Shop recommended the Western Star.
I’m a T880 KW guy, but the 49x is proving to be more reliable and less expensive to operate for the fleets I’m involved with.

The 49X is the money maker. I can’t share the data, because it’s not mine to share, anymore. Rough number, probably 15% T880 va 49X.

 

[DM&RDBulldog]

Truck Shop recommended the Western Star.
I’m a T880 KW guy, but the 49x is proving to be more reliable and less expensive to operate for the fleets I’m involved with.

The 49X is the money maker. I can’t share the data, because it’s not mine to share, anymore. Rough number, probably 15% T880 va 49X.

Thank you very much. Western Star has amongst the least listings within 200 miles of me. Probably just for the reason you pointed out. I did place a call to my closest dealer and am waiting to hear back.

Those T880s I mentioned up thread that are upfitted already sitting on a lot may have to do by next week if nothing else. Ive got two more 50t excavators coming tomorrow or Friday and will have to make a decision within a few weeks on trucks.

 

[Coaldust]

Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes a K-Dub is the answer. Like Black Gold Express. 95’ and 80 tons. Hauling the mail.