Running your own Artic Lorry

[Bald Rick]

Ruminating about this one.
Anyone considered or is running their own articulated lorry?

See, for some reason, hauliers think that the Sainted Isle is somewhere in mid Atlantic despite the fact that there is dual carriageway all the way to our farm barring the last 3-4 miles so they heap on the coals to bring in loads.
Going forward, we think straights are the better buy and blend ourselves plus we use a lot of straw - up to 4 loads a month as feeding heifers on straw plus bedding some sheds plus potentially hauling to a slurry nurse tank.

Be interested to hear from anyone doing this. Guess backloads (or out loads I suppose) are the key?

 

[Headless chicken]

I think the thing you need to be careful of and part of the reason I’m hesitant on buying more of my own kit is not having time to run it then having it sat there or not being mechanically minded enough. Personally I’ll buy more cows and let my contractors take care of the rest

 

[Cowski]

How much freight goes through Holyhead to Dublin? Must be a chance for some backloads there coming in to you? Either that or you need a quarry or clay pit near you so you get back loads from that. Wouldn’t want a brand new tractor unit and multiple trailers stood round or running empty much so then it’s how much hassle do you need keeping old gear going and do you have someone in mind to sit behind the wheel.

 

[7610 super q]

Will it enable you to wear a Burt Reynolds mustache, chat on the CB about smokey bears up your back door, talk to other drivers about back loading reefers, and such ?
Can't go wrong then, IMO.

 

[ollie989898]

Finding a driver might be interesting. Keeping the outfit up to scratch also takes some doing. If you aren't look from making an actual profit from running the thing I guess it would be easier. Maybe laise with a local company who are close to you geographically- promise you will give them all your work? They don't mind what they haul so long as there is a shilling in it. Trucks can be surprisingly cheap given how fast they go and how much they can move at a time.

 

[Fergieman]

We used to run one, and sold it in 2008. One unit 3 trailers (Bulker, flat and stock) 6 weekly tests, trailers standing about doing nothing, empty running about and to make it really pay you have to be prepared to sleep away some nights. Havn't regretted getting rid of it.

 

[chaffcutter]

We started off with and old but sound and CHEAP unit and a similar bulk trailer with a part time driver and it didn't matter that it wasn't running all the time because it was cheap. As soon as you start getting more expensive stuff about the standing costs and depreciation starts to bite. When they break down they are expensive to fix and if you have to employ a driver that will kill it for what you have in mind.
If you have a farm worker who will get an HGV licence possibly at your expense ('000's) they will probably then leave to go full time HGV driving as it pays better and for less hours, so it comes back to bite you.

Sorry to be so negative but been there ....

 

[Ducati899]

I’ve got my licence.....where do I apply [emoji12]

 

[ollie989898]

I’ve got my licence.....where do I apply [emoji12]

They let you drive a truck as well!! You're like some kind of farming version of the stig?

 

[Rossymons]

They let you drive a truck as well!! You're like some kind of farming version of the stig?

Some say his favourite cow is a spring calving jersey X and that his soil is so fertile it only needs one straw of semen!

All we know is he's NOT the Stig but he IS the Stigs rural cousin!

 

[roscoe erf]

They let you drive a truck as well!! You're like some kind of farming version of the stig?

 

[Ducati899]

They let you drive a truck as well!! You're like some kind of farming version of the stig?

Love anything with wheels me [emoji12]

 

[Nearly]

@Spud

 

[vantage]

I thought if you're a "Kite" farmer,you have to have an artic!
It might be useful hauling the slurry many miles away,hauling the silage in,hauling the feed and straw in. Go on, you know you want it.

 

[Spud]

We have seven of the things! Has it's + & - , more later. This has been discussed umpteen times on here, do a search

 

[Beef farmer]

We have seven of the things! Has it's + & - , more later. This has been discussed umpteen times on here, do a search

As a spud farmer or dairy farmer?

 

[Davy]

By the time you get set up with the unit and trailers, whatever regs/licenses you need, pay a driver and fuel/insure the thing, will that all cost less than what the rates your currently being charged? Unless you get a lorry bought for buttons and it rarely breaks down.

 

[Spud]

As a spud farmer or dairy farmer?

??? Diversification - we haul mostly grain, but a decent lump of sugar beet, and a few spuds and some fert too. Had a truck since the 60's, grown from one artic in 1991 to seven today.

 

[early riser]

Directly beneath this thread is another by the same poster entitled 'Days like these' where he talks about how stressed he is...........

Just saying

 

[dinderleat]

Step back and look at what your actually trying to achieve. Instead of trying to make more money with more work why not try to make more money with less time /work?