Dump Truck Driver

DBE = Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. Basically just another equal opportunity program to benefit women and minority owned small businesses. They go to the head of the line in government related contracts.

My city got into a "huff huff" over it in 2013 for not automatically awarding 10% of it's contracts to minority owned businesses, even though the majority of the DBE businesses were lacking proper insurance & competent licenses specific to what they were bidding on. Many were handing in bids way below the material cost threshold and they were getting thrown out.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/11/beach-falls-short-minorities-getting-10-contracts

 

DBE might land you a few loads on goverment controlled jobs, but I wouldn't count on it being your main source of revenue. Most projects require companies with a fleet of dumps. You might get a few crumbs thrown your way. You can't compete against a company with 30-40 trucks that can operate 24/7 on a time sensitive project.

 

Do you have any experience in transportation or construction? What makes you think you should buy a dump truck?

 

USN is right. I used to haul for one of the rock quarry chains in Tennessee (Vulcan). If there weren't any asphalt jobs, and there never are in the winter, money was scarce. Then the bigger companies moved in and put most of the independents out. Most of the one truck operations have to have another plan, like pulling a backhoe to small residential construction sites and doing digging or fill work.

Dont just go out and buy a truck and think you will make money...you have to have a plan, a good plan to make it in the dump truck market. Even if you bought a used truck at a decent price outright, you would starve to death.
i wanted to buy a dump truck, but I am glad I didn't. Just about everyone I knew doing it went bust.

 

Hi Shaiskills, I did a lot of dump truck work, and with out fail, it's the most cut throat trucking business there is. A lot of the business is done by bid, and many times, these O/O's have done it for a long time and know the companies and ins and outs. It's very hard to get into that. It's feast or famine. If you were to buy a dump truck, I'd go the tractor/trailer route. Then, at least, you could lease the truck doing something else. Nowadays, you have to be able to do a lot of different things. Good luck.

 

So you are going to buy a trk. and then claim DBE, Welcome to America..
Hope you know how to bid the job, Oh that's right, you will always get some of the work, because of the Goverment hand out programs, While the rest of us smucks are out here trying to make a living fair and square

 

I'm looking at something similar in Illinois. If you'd ever like to to discuss plans or tactics send me a PM. I suggest not buying anything until you know the business.

 

Smart person, Check the business you want to start. See if there is a need and call for that business in your area.
Think outside the box so to speak.