Fema Debris Hauling

I checked into this after Katrina . There is good money for the prime contractors but not necessarily so for the trucks that subcontract . Deals I heard of paid by the load , not by the hour . Waits at landfills could be long . Housing will be scarce and expensive . I'll pass (again)

 

Not to mention the L O N G wait to get paid..... (Usually 90 days for the contractor to get paid, then you get paid)

Been there, done that, I'll pass on doing ANYTHING related to FEMA work!

 

You got that right Id say the contract was already decided before ike even entered the gulf.

 

Yep.. When I work the fires under Forest Service contract, it takes 60-90 days to get paid, and I get paid direct.

 

BIG 10-4 to ALL the above!!!!!!!!!!

 

I have seen a bunch of guys fall into the FEMA Trap after a major disaster. Being here in FL I have been through many hurricanes including the whopper of '91 - Andrew. Everyone went there, and Katrina, to make their next million. Every single one I know of, without exception, went broke or nearly broke.

For the trucks, you need big dump bodies. They pay by the yard. Usually they have a spotter on a stand who estimates your load % of capacity. After hours of waiting you will fill it to the gills, stuff it as much as you can, only to find that the spotter estimated you at 60% full. Tires will be flat daily, etc, etc... its a dream that turns into a nightmare.

I just talked a friend out of buying a $70,000 high cube truck and trailer combo to go to work on cleanup in the gulf area. He wanted to buy 2, but he bought only 1... saved him half the expense and misery!

If you want to capitalize on the situation, go into the roofing business.

 

Last couple of days, I have been running I-10, hauling base oil from southeast New Orleans, LA to southwest of Lake Charles, LA; almost traveling one side of the state to the other, and it is a nightmare! Convoy after convoy of disaster relief vehicles rolling about 45 mph, which naturally bottlenecks all the traffic. Traffic jams give you plenty of time to listen to the FEMA horror stories that are already starting to circulate on the CB radio. Apparently NOBODY learned from the Katrina/Rita fiasco.

 

I wonder if the same situation with Katrina will happen again in TX.
I went onto several dump truck forums where there were promises of work by brokers. Drivers and O/O's made beeline for NOLA worked, paid by the load and some never got paid what they were promised or never got paid at all.
These drivers all came back signing the blues warning other drivers to stay out of NOLA.

I think I'll stick to freight this time around as well.
At least there aren't as many sack of $*&^ lying brokers as there are in the dump biz.