Advice And Numbers

May 06, 2022 at 01:34 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Hello everyone. Ive been a driver for almost 5 years and did some time in the ag and bulk side of things. Recently ive been talking to a friend about entering a business partnership. Ive discussed with him on my experience on this side of trucking and offered the idea of running bulk loads I.E grain feed lime rock etc etc. Its been a minute since ive been on this side of everything but i was being paid 25 percent of what revenue my unit was bringing in (about 1k after tax) Has the market tanked on it or is it still solid enough to run a route like i used to (Grain to STL area and Lime back to Central IL 4x a day 5 days a week) and still bring in a profit? Im just trying to get some insight on this area again so i can run some numbers and come up with a plan. Obviously planning to run frameless dumps. Also any advice other than the standard youre out of your mind (Im aware of that, my S/O always reminds me haha) Im trying to ride out the fuel hike until it drop (If it ever does) Thanks in advance

Replied on Sun, May 08, 2022 at 08:53 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I NOTICED YOUR ADDRESS SAID CHICAGO, ILL. I KNOW LIKE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAUL GRAIN INTO CHICAGO ON SIDEKIT FLATBEDS AND HAUL STEEL BACK OUT. NOT SURE IF THAT IS DONE ANYMORE OR NOT. THERE MIGHT BE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMODITIES YOU MENTIONED WITH A BELT TRAILER. EASIER SAFER TO UNLOAD AND CAN UNLOAD IN BUILDING EASIER. I WORKED FOR A GUY BACK IN THE 90S THAT OWN CONVERTIBLE HOPPERS SO HE WAS ABLE TO HAUL SOME VAN FREIGHT IF HE COULD NOT FIND PAYING BULK RETURN LOADS. I HAVE A FEELING THINGS MIGHT START TO GET ROUGH AND REAL TOUGH HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD NOT BE IN ANY RUSH TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW STUFF RIGHT NOW. BUT I AM NO GOOD MANAGER OF ANYTHING EITHER SO I HAVE NO GOOD IDEAS OR ADVICE.

Replied on Sun, May 08, 2022 at 08:53 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I NOTICED YOUR ADDRESS SAID CHICAGO, ILL. I KNOW LIKE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAUL GRAIN INTO CHICAGO ON SIDEKIT FLATBEDS AND HAUL STEEL BACK OUT. NOT SURE IF THAT IS DONE ANYMORE OR NOT. THERE MIGHT BE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMODITIES YOU MENTIONED WITH A BELT TRAILER. EASIER SAFER TO UNLOAD AND CAN UNLOAD IN BUILDING EASIER. I WORKED FOR A GUY BACK IN THE 90S THAT OWN CONVERTIBLE HOPPERS SO HE WAS ABLE TO HAUL SOME VAN FREIGHT IF HE COULD NOT FIND PAYING BULK RETURN LOADS. I HAVE A FEELING THINGS MIGHT START TO GET ROUGH AND REAL TOUGH HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD NOT BE IN ANY RUSH TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW STUFF RIGHT NOW. BUT I AM NO GOOD MANAGER OF ANYTHING EITHER SO I HAVE NO GOOD IDEAS OR ADVICE.

Replied on Sun, May 08, 2022 at 05:55 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Never let your fuel be more than 27% of your daily gross. Currently costing me 74 cent evevy mile we run Set up a separate maintenance account. Weekly deposits in that account. Do your own maintenance Pay your self like an employee. Companies profit ain't your profit to spend. Stay out the chrome shops. Set goals for short term and long term. Read read read read about other successful companies. Work your Axx off. It's a grind.

Replied on Sun, May 08, 2022 at 05:55 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Never let your fuel be more than 27% of your daily gross. Currently costing me 74 cent evevy mile we run Set up a separate maintenance account. Weekly deposits in that account. Do your own maintenance

Pay your self like an employee. Companies profit ain't your profit to spend. Stay out the chrome shops. Set goals for short term and long term. Read read read read about other successful companies.

Work your Axx off. It's a grind.

Replied on Mon, May 09, 2022 at 08:23 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "I NOTICED YOUR ADDRESS SAID CHICAGO, ILL. I KNOW LIKE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAUL GRAIN INTO CHICAGO ON SIDEKIT FLATBEDS AND HAUL STEEL BACK OUT. NOT SURE IF THAT IS DONE ANYMORE OR NOT. THERE MIGHT BE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMODITIES YOU MENTIONED WITH A BELT TRAILER. EASIER SAFER TO UNLOAD AND CAN UNLOAD IN BUILDING EASIER. I WORKED FOR A GUY BACK IN THE 90S THAT OWN CONVERTIBLE HOPPERS SO HE WAS ABLE TO HAUL SOME VAN FREIGHT IF HE COULD NOT FIND PAYING BULK RETURN LOADS. I HAVE A FEELING THINGS MIGHT START TO GET ROUGH AND REAL TOUGH HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD NOT BE IN ANY RUSH TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW STUFF RIGHT NOW. BUT I AM NO GOOD MANAGER OF ANYTHING EITHER SO I HAVE NO GOOD IDEAS OR ADVICE." I believe there is someone doing the grain / steel hauling sort of in reverse. Probably grain byproducts, not grain. Hauling steel back in a bulk trailer. Convertible hoppers out of Spring Valley?

Replied on Mon, May 09, 2022 at 08:23 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "I NOTICED YOUR ADDRESS SAID CHICAGO, ILL. I KNOW LIKE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAUL GRAIN INTO CHICAGO ON SIDEKIT FLATBEDS AND HAUL STEEL BACK OUT. NOT SURE IF THAT IS DONE ANYMORE OR NOT. THERE MIGHT BE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMODITIES YOU MENTIONED WITH A BELT TRAILER. EASIER SAFER TO UNLOAD AND CAN UNLOAD IN BUILDING EASIER. I WORKED FOR A GUY BACK IN THE 90S THAT OWN CONVERTIBLE HOPPERS SO HE WAS ABLE TO HAUL SOME VAN FREIGHT IF HE COULD NOT FIND PAYING BULK RETURN LOADS. I HAVE A FEELING THINGS MIGHT START TO GET ROUGH AND REAL TOUGH HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD NOT BE IN ANY RUSH TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW STUFF RIGHT NOW. BUT I AM NO GOOD MANAGER OF ANYTHING EITHER SO I HAVE NO GOOD IDEAS OR ADVICE."

I believe there is someone doing the grain / steel hauling sort of in reverse. Probably grain byproducts, not grain. Hauling steel back in a bulk trailer.

Convertible hoppers out of Spring Valley?

Replied on Mon, May 09, 2022 at 03:18 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. yes i worked part time one winter for moeller farms out of spring valley, MN. back in about 1998 i think and they did the convertible hopper thing. He is no longer in business. I will bite my tongue on how they ran their business.

Replied on Tue, May 10, 2022 at 09:57 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "I NOTICED YOUR ADDRESS SAID CHICAGO, ILL. I KNOW LIKE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAUL GRAIN INTO CHICAGO ON SIDEKIT FLATBEDS AND HAUL STEEL BACK OUT. NOT SURE IF THAT IS DONE ANYMORE OR NOT. THERE MIGHT BE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMODITIES YOU MENTIONED WITH A BELT TRAILER. EASIER SAFER TO UNLOAD AND CAN UNLOAD IN BUILDING EASIER. I WORKED FOR A GUY BACK IN THE 90S THAT OWN CONVERTIBLE HOPPERS SO HE WAS ABLE TO HAUL SOME VAN FREIGHT IF HE COULD NOT FIND PAYING BULK RETURN LOADS. I HAVE A FEELING THINGS MIGHT START TO GET ROUGH AND REAL TOUGH HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I WOULD NOT BE IN ANY RUSH TO GO OUT AND BUY NEW STUFF RIGHT NOW. BUT I AM NO GOOD MANAGER OF ANYTHING EITHER SO I HAVE NO GOOD IDEAS OR ADVICE." I'm actually based in Central Illinois. I don't know why but sometimes it says I'm in Chicago

Replied on Tue, May 10, 2022 at 09:57 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

I'm actually based in Central Illinois. I don't know why but sometimes it says I'm in Chicago