Dump Truck Business

Dump truck work is a cut throat business. Everyone is stabbing each other in the back to get the work. It is seasonal, and weather dependant..

I did dump work for about 2 years as a company driver.. We got $65 a hr for a tri axle dump back in the 90's.. It had beter be more than that now.. You can easily use 50gals of fuel a day.. Your always running overweight, and often off road.. where tires get cut and you get flats quite often..
I don't know where you live but I did the dirt and asphault thing in New England.. (Me, NH, MA.).. We were exempt and didn't need logbooks.. I often did 15 hrs a day.. Jobs went 24hrs. or until the job was done... We slip seated our trucks.. I would do as much as I could and then someone else would jump in the truck when I got in the yard to go back out there..
It's rough on equipment.. You need to spec your truck 4 what you'll be doing.. What works for asphault will not work for demolition..

 

You can work a dump rain or shine.

I used to work flood control in the winter in SoCal when the contractors were slow.
With flood control you run the pizz out of your rigs...no sitting.....keep it moving or the county boys will report you and you're off the job.

 

There can be problems working "rain or shine".

You cannot pave in the rain or real cold (snowing) weather.

You cannot haul in the deep mud.. (You just get stuck off road)

Most jobsites (especialy union jobs) won't work in the rain.. (They go home with pay You, on the other hand have no benifit like that)!

Everyone with a dump truck is trying to get the jobs. When I did it we had company radios. (Not CB) We could use repeaters all over the state and talk to one another. I would often get pulled from 1 job to go to another that paid better. I couldn't tell anyone where I was going.. Just had an appointment of somthing, flat tire, ect.. & signed out of that job and went to another..

You can make $$ but you have to be a go getter, and "work" .. make contacts, and beat the bushes for work when times are slow..

 

Maybe in the East it's that way.
I have made money rain or shine with my dump until the bottom fell out of construction and the bottom feeders drove the rates down to unsustainable conditions for most O/O's.
Current rates the bottom feeders running:
Ten wheelers $45-55 per hour (I ran my dump for $80-85 per hour)
Super tens $50-60 per hour
End dumps $55-65 per hour (I ran my end dump for $90-95)

It had very little to with supply and demand at first. Even when most were running the rates I ran, a few were low-balling us especially the super tens who claimed they could hold as much as a low-side...legally.

There is some work being done on the highways here and I don't recognize any of the rigs anymore. Quite a few are "Nafta" trucks with their "Frontiera" plates.

 

Are you looking at owning a tandem or end dump? Framed or frameless? If I stay in trucking long term I would like to have my own frameless dump. Here in central Illinois you have your choice of grain hauling, lime, coal, and the usual sand and gravel going to the cement plants. I have to learn the business end of the industry but I was a company driver for two years and ended up as a trainer. Unfortunately I had to quit because I was only making about $8.50 an hour. If there is grain farming in your area look at being a grain hauler along with the other work.

 

There is a lot of that here in Oregon I didnt think to look into that route. I guess i need to make a run out to farm counrty and see what i an find out! Thanks for the good info!

 

Something that no one has mentioned is waste. I see a lot of dump trucks in this area with waste hauler permits. There's a question in there some where. lol.

CL

 

Just checking with you guys.I would like to find a long term job for my dump truck.Its been sitting in my driveway since June 08.I would relocate for the right job.I have done some checking in the hurricane areas but haven`t found anything.Maybe ya`ll know somebody and could point a broke driver in the right direction?Went over the road when I parked in June,but it doesn`t do it for me anymore.I have alot of money invested in this truck and the best way for me would be to work it.Not much going on in the last couple of years in my part of Va.I greatly appreciate any leads.Hope this is okay to post here.

 

rjones,

I'm down 81 from you in the Wytheville area... used to live over the hill from you in C'ville.

I'm going to start checking locally about some gravel hauls as I'm hoping to get into the dump business in 6 mo- 1yr myself. A lot of my wife's family hauls coal/gravel in the coalfields down this way. I'll keep you updated as to what I find out.

 

Hay all I'm new to the site.well not really I've been reading for a while just thought I would sign up today..Anyway I'm also looking some dump truck work I have a tri axle and I' have not worked since Nov. 08 and man the bills are still coming..If anybody has any near or around nc I would be glad to come to u.Thats not a problem for me right now cause I need the work...