Bulk tippers Essex

[chaffcutter]

If we couldn’t do 14 plus full money loads a week with each truck there was no way it would cover wages, fuel and depreciation
Drivers are the key, ones who want to get the best from the truck are very rare in my experience (15 years running ten tippers).

 

[Tipperted]

I’ve been offered a couple of loads a day on grain, local work with no need for backloads. I’m not really interested in doing anything away from the south east, I’d rather stay local if it’s possible.

We started just doing a couple loads a day and working round other work often parking up, wasn't worth it to be honest we now run 7 flat out and its not too bad a living. I learnt you need to commit a lot of time to get something out of it.

 

[chaffcutter]

Fifteen years of the phone going at all hours from drivers, forwarders and farmers and it was never good news!
No driver ever phoned to say, ‘ I’m having a real good day, can you find me another load?’
More likely a breakdown, mill is full, etc etc!

OH was delighted when I retired from the truck job!

 

[mtx135]

I don’t think I could face running 10 alongside the farm work. I’ve got 2 good guys willing to drive and basically run themselves (I know this won’t actually happen) I’m really only thinking about running 1 for me and 1 other.

 

[Against_the_grain]

Was thinking alongside the same lines as you @mtx135. Just run a truck or two locally, buy 2nd hand so if we need to stand them they wont cost us in monthly lease payments. Also had plenty of people offer to drive despite not advertising any jobs.
Thought it would be helpful for moving our own stuff to the mill/port, or locally for other farmers, or compost, machinery, stone if we wanted..
Having spoken to plenty of people about it all but one has said its not worth the hassle. Cost wise we might save £2 at best per tonne hauling gain compared to a haulier, with all the associated hassle such as full mills/boat closed due to weather/punctures etc... Have come to the conclusion its just an easier life not to get involved.

 

[mtx135]

Yes I’m getting fairly mixed messages about it. The general consensus is don’t bother. The only thing still niggling at me to do it is the need for another income stream for me, whilst retaining some flexibility over driving for someone else.

 

[Against_the_grain]

Yes and despite all the negative comments it's still something that I think about a lot! I think if the rules were relaxed so that it was easier for farmers to haul their own goods on a much more irregular basis maybe on rebated fuel, certainly with less regulation (even more so than a restriced o licence)then a lot of farms would have one as they would be very handy. This would also be a subsidy of sorts on food production.
The problem is we can't have clapped out 44t vehicles charging around the roads

 

[chaffcutter]

If you ran one truck, driving yourself and hauling your own grain your trailer need not be TASCC registered so no extra expenses involved with that, also as not Reg you would be able to carry stuff banned by TASCC like compost, silage , anything on their banned list would not apply. Then you would be able to make the best use of your time and the truck.

 

[ollie989898]

If you ran one truck, driving yourself and hauling your own grain your trailer need not be TASCC registered so no extra expenses involved with that, also as not Reg you would be able to carry stuff banned by TASCC like compost, silage , anything on their banned list would not apply. Then you would be able to make the best use of your time and the truck.

How much is a second artic tipper trailer to have sat around if you want to haul the stuff on the banned list?

 

[JeepJeep]

How much is a second artic tipper trailer to have sat around if you want to haul the stuff on the banned list?

A Lot of miles pissballing about stringing work together for it before it's paid for itself.

 

[chaffcutter]

Plenty secondhandfrom £5k up, 10-15 for decent ones I would think.

 

[mtx135]

Plenty of nice trailers about for 10k if your used to buying ag machinery trucks look cheap.

 

[mtx135]

So the decision was made and a Lorry is sitting in the yard. The tascc registration is a slow and arduous task. As for the so called driver shortage, spent all day today looking for work that doesn’t need tascc to be met with, nothing going and oh you need ....... to cart that. No wonder we can’t get anything moved there is more red tape than farming!

 

[JeepJeep]

Could always polish it

 

[mtx135]

Could always polish it

For quite some time I guess. Still, nothing ventured and all that.

 

[JeepJeep]

I'd have had the work lined up first... Even Traction that paid its way until I found what I was after.

 

[mtx135]

I’ve got plenty of work lined up but I’ve been waiting nearly 5 weeks for a tascc audit, a scheme you can’t even apply for until the trailer sits in your yard.

 

[JeepJeep]

Magic... Keep Polishing

 

[SD 9378]

Good luck, quickest thing with TASCC is the invoice coming.

 

[mtx135]

You are right there. Had the invoice, paid the invoice, still waiting for the audit.