I am listening hence the reason I won’t be looking at maritime but I thought Tarmac would be better.
Tbh common sense has all but prevailed and I’ve given it up as a bad idea but having a look costs nowt and will scratch the itch. I value your opinions.
OVERLOAD:
Your not listening NomiS36. I lost my wife (I spent more time in the truck or something to do with the truck then with her. The hours, effort and time you put in does not justify the insanely low reward you get out of it). I lost my house. I even sold my car and even put on ebay all my boxing gear, punch bags, weight machine. I did everything and sold everything to keep my business heading sky wards. It didn’t happen.You say you want to get into the tarmac game but whose to say you get this HUGE loan out and the work your promised disappears or worse still, you get under cut. I know of a company that lost a contract to another over a dispute over a £2 pallet charge increase. And I bet there is guys on here that can tell you the same. Plus, I don’t know any bank manager who would loan you the kind of many your quoting to go into a industry dominated by multi-million powerhouse companies like Dhl, Wincanton, nobby D, Eddie stobart etc. They and do work for cost or even at a loss to poach contracts of small haulage companies. And yes, I speak from experince.
One final point, something worth keeping in mind. If you are married or have a girlfriend and have kids or you like time off to watch the footie etc how are they and your free time work into your plans?. Your day won’t stop when you turn off the truck. Spare time for you?, forget it. Please, really consider these factors. This side of the business I over looked and it cost me dearly.
Ok I understand what your saying it didn’t work out for you but it doesn’t mean every one who starts as an od will end up in your predicament I’m sorry it went that way for you but there are some who make it it work
I’m not rich and I no I never will be if I stay in this game but I’m comftable I manage to pay myself I wage ( more than I’d earn working for Somone ) and pay my finnance and all all other costs and have a profit left over so it can be done but like I’ve said before chasing taut work or boxes is a waste of time and I persanaly wouldn’t do a job weather it’s one tonne or 26 tonne for less than 2 quid a mile I am not saying ive cracked it but I will not work for stupid money end off if the money wasn’t there the truck would be sold and I’d call it a day end of
I am sorry to add to the doomladen advice but it realy is hard to make a go of haulage on your own. I ran a 2/3 vehicle opp for 15 years and while I did enjoy it there were more memories than £ at the end.
The bigest problem many drivers have is that they see themselves driving, then the vehicle and then the load rather than looking at what is the most profitable work and working back from there.
Good luck whatever you do however!
After the last post I became a bit more positive and my advice to anyone setting up in transport on their own would be.
(a) Decide what market you are looking at and what vehicles will be required.
(b) Draw up a business-plan (or hire someone to do so) showing=
(1) How much the vehicles will cost and loans etc.
(2) How much for costs per mile etc.
(3) Work out what rates to charge
(4) Find out just what is offer! How much of a difference.
To me this good advice.Unfortunately there are many people who would think nothing of paying £300 for vehicle maintenence but would be horrified to pay that for a business-plan. I speak from experience!
Rob K:
Another lamb heading to the slaughterhouse.
Stop giving people ideas, that’s my niche 
I persanaly wouldn’t do a job weather it’s one tonne or 26 tonne for less than 2 quid a mile I am not saying ive cracked it but I will not work for stupid money end off if the money wasn’t there the truck would be sold and I’d call it a day end of
To say the above you’re in a good postion. Good for you. I know from myself and my o/d friends that sadly they have like me, had to do work that worked out much less then £2 per mile. Not all the time but some of the time. If I stated im not going to work for what you call stupid money I would have gone bust much earlier.Oh, and I was reluctant to sell my truck if I didn’t get my own way with rates like you said you would as I had four other drivers looking at me to keep them in work.
Compared with a few guys I know you are in a sweet spot, hope you keep there.
2 quid a mile sounds good, but…
A heavy haulage, or any other specialised operation would class 2 quid a mile as buttons, so would a local haulier running 50 miles each way.
Whatever rate you charge has to cover ALL your costs and leave a consistent profit margin.
You could, with the right work, make money out of a pound a mile, on the other hand you could lose everything on a fiver a mile work.
There is no single rate that ensures profitability, each operation is different and the only way to know if you’ll make money is to know all your costs, charge enough to cover them and add a profit into the equation.
I’m going to go against the grain here, but I’d say as long as you do your homework correctly it’s not the huge minefield some are making out.
First thing is forget the fancy unit and trailer, and if your starting pick something a little more reasonable. If things work out you can upgrade from there and hopefully get to the big truck eventually, if not then your not digging as a big a hole as you can. Also, if possible self fund it as much as possible, starting a business with borrowed money is like starting with a negative bank balance, it’ll never get you anywhere.
My dads been an owner driver for over 30 years now through the days of ECC/Camas/Bardon on rigids, and openly admits the markets a lot rougher now than it has been in the past. But running an '05 DAF thats fully paid off is one less worry. It won’t make you a millionaire, but it can get you a fairly good living and the freedom of not having someone breathing down your neck all the time.
I was a Tarmac O/D on tippers from 1990 to 2000 so my knowledge is well out of date, but I was glad to get out and I don’t think it has improved.
The financial side depends on where you are working from but the frustrations are common to all depots.
- they are obsessed by H&S
2)they treat you as if THEY own the lorry and you are one of their drivers
3)they expect you to upgrade your lorry much more often than is necessary(because they get commission from the dealer)
4)you can never get in front of the payments due to 3
There were many reasons why I left that were specific to the time and outside events, but the above 4 were the things that chafed all the time.Some are happy to work like that, some like me wanted to feel as if I were in control.
In my opinion being an O/D can only work successfully if you can get work direct from the source, and you are a good businessman. Being a good, hard-working driver is not enough.
HTH
nomiS36:
ShameI always thought I had been born 30 years too late.
I was o/d and packed it in 4yrs ago best move i made forget it carry on as you are i got out before it ended in tears but still cost me a few k
newmercman:
2 quid a mile sounds good, but…A heavy haulage, or any other specialised operation would class 2 quid a mile as buttons, so would a local haulier running 50 miles each way.
Whatever rate you charge has to cover ALL your costs and leave a consistent profit margin.
You could, with the right work, make money out of a pound a mile, on the other hand you could lose everything on a fiver a mile work.
There is no single rate that ensures profitability, each operation is different and the only way to know if you’ll make money is to know all your costs, charge enough to cover them and add a profit into the equation.
Quite right.
I can make a good profit at £1 a mile and lose lots of money on £40 a mile.
dew:
I’m going to go against the grain here, but I’d say as long as you do your homework correctly it’s not the huge minefield some are making out.First thing is forget the fancy unit and trailer, and if your starting pick something a little more reasonable. If things work out you can upgrade from there and hopefully get to the big truck eventually, if not then your not digging as a big a hole as you can. Also, if possible self fund it as much as possible, starting a business with borrowed money is like starting with a negative bank balance, it’ll never get you anywhere.
My dads been an owner driver for over 30 years now through the days of ECC/Camas/Bardon on rigids, and openly admits the markets a lot rougher now than it has been in the past. But running an '05 DAF thats fully paid off is one less worry. It won’t make you a millionaire, but it can get you a fairly good living and the freedom of not having someone breathing down your neck all the time.
[/quote]With the exception of the bank Manager of course!!
Think very,very carefully,…whatever you decide,all the best.
David