Pricing Bulk Commodity deliveries.

Looking for some insight on pricing out hauling bulk commodities for people as I am starting to do more and more of it.

The main one I am hauling more of now is fiber for bedding. I max out at 80k with the wetter stuff before filling the trailer (belt) but for dry stuff when filled to the total 72 yard capacity I'll be about 75K.

When we would send the truck and trailer out for chopping we would charge $95/hr with a driver and fuel. That was for the old trailer which held a similar amount but was an apron that didn't seal well or have a tarp.

I've heard a couple locals with smaller end dumps say $4/loaded mile. One of the recent jobs I took on had a guy quoting him $100. That trip is 25 miles and takes about 35 minutes. I do not know what the $100 quote had for a trailer.

What I am wondering is how others bill for the time spent waiting for the load. I get loaded immediately but it usually takes a good 30 minutes or so. I assume when people are quoting loaded miles they just figure in their costs for deadheading back? The advantage I have with the belt is the ability to be back in, unloaded and on the road in about 5-10 minutes as it unloads very fast compared to others hauling with walking floors.

I just want to make sure I don't set my price point too low, I do not necessarily need the work. The truck stays plenty busy doing our current work for the farm, but I don't want to say no to everything as I wouldn't mind getting into more trucking and being able to utilize our stuff a little more. I am not afraid to turn the work down if a fair price cant be met.

Do I figure a base charge for a certain radius then x amount per mile afterwards since everything is always picked up at the same place?

With this type of setup, would you simply charge by the mile? Do you factor in the amount you can haul? I would be looking at hauling other products in the future that will be different as well.


Thanks.

 

Wont be hauling for any large companies, just to small farms. Most of them just want a number on what it will cost. Any ideas on where pricing is at for short loads. I would think $4 a mile with sitting time figured in to only go 30 miles would be much different than $4 to go 1000 miles.

Thanks.