Log Trucking Costs

[jocco]

Sounds like a miscommunication, if you are that unhappy find another outfit we all have had people/companies you just can't work with. In some areas it is getting very hard to find trucking as already said. Others the truckers will put it in there contract and deduct trucking off the top!!! JUST AS AN ASIDE A SIMILIAR BATTLE TOOK PLACE MANY YEARS AGO BETWEEN TWO LOGGERS ONE TOLD THE OTHER "IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT GO OUT ON YOUR OWN" HE DID!!! AND WENT ON TO BE THE BIGGEST LOGGING CONTRACTOR IN THE STATE!!

We are using dropdecks with racks a welding shop built and side loading with my compact track loader..the bigger saw logs don't take much time at all to load out maybe 25 or 30 minutes it's the small eight or ten foot firewood processor logs that take more time due to more per load.. I have a truck dolly like the ones the ups and FedEx trucks use when pulling two smaller trailers in tandem we could put under the trailer while loading and then pull out from under to back the trucks in and hook em up and they could take off..my dad also has motor graders and dumptrucks for his excavation business so building a deck that drains well and rocking it with white rock so we have a nice area to park would be no problem and that's why I got aggravated when they wouldn't drop empties and take fulls because it would pickup production and benefit both of us..idk
it's not a big deal but come on you know if you want to charge extra it's nice to tell them in the beginning instead of just putting it on the bill and saying surprise and also the whole deal about being able and setup to drop but they wont

[Jamie_C]

I realise that when people are just starting out you have to use what you have to get the job done but if those were my log trucks sitting waiting to be loaded by a skid steer then the bill would likely be closer to $100/hr for each truck. Log trucks make money by hauling wood, our trucks average about 10 minutes getting loaded and that is for about a 35 tonne payload (77,000 lbs) on average. They are expensive pieces of equipment to have parked waiting for an improvised method of loading.

[Gearbox]

Now that I hear how you load you are getting by cheap . Just pay them or find someone else to haul . I wouldn't let anyone move my trailers with a dolly . How are you going release the brakes to move them . Loading without being hooked up how will you know if you are loading to light or to heavey [air guages need air] .

[OH logger]

I load most all my logs with a t770 bobcat that I have piled up when the semi gets there. unless I have to carry them a little ways I can load a truck in 10-15  minutes or so. they are better and faster than most give credit for. we load on dropdecks mostly also. these new bigger skid loaders aren't your grandpas skid loaders ;D. I sometimes have my payloader at the job and unless the logs are huge I load with the bobcat if given a choice. cody; if you don't have your logs sorted and piled when they get there I would try that. I know it stinks to handle the logs one more time but it may eliminate the retention fee  :-\

[Autocar]

I will second what Ohio Logger says that Bobcat track load blows me away the size of logs it will handle and I fell it is twice as fast as a rubber tired loader.

[Gearbox]

If you guys can load 25+ ton in 10 min. I think every one should get rid of there loaders . It took me 15 min to put 25 ton of tree length on a trailer with a Barko with a heel .
Gearbox

[Jamie_C]

We use a 2154 John Deere log loader, best our loader guy has done is a 5 bay trailer with a 40 tonne payload in about 6 minutes

[snowstorm]

We use a 2154 John Deere log loader, best our loader guy has done is a 5 bay trailer with a 40 tonne payload in about 6 minutes

how big is the bucket on that thing??

[Jamie_C]

I forget the capacity but it's big enough he can span the full width of a log trailer with it. If the drivers have trouble turning in bad spots he simply picks the back of the trailer up and swings it around.

[snowstorm]

so it opens to 8ft or more. must have the big chains on it to hold the wood down if it isnt full. thats a big crane

[NWP]

What kind of logs are you loading and what type of mill are they hauling to?  What does the mill have to unload with?

[Peter Drouin]

I forget the capacity but it's big enough he can span the full width of a log trailer with it. If the drivers have trouble turning in bad spots he simply picks the back of the trailer up and swings it around.

I like to see a pic of that loader.

[supertrucker]

I don't think they are far out of the ball park, I charge by the ton to haul peoples wood or chips, most of the time I figure an hour from when I get to the wood lot till I leave with a load, (strait trailer with no loader) If the wait is longer than that, bad loader operator, slow chipper exc, the price per ton goes up. 400-500$ per load is what I try and get depending on the milage.

[D2 Cody]

Thanks for all the replies guys..after hearing all the replies I realize everyone's points and have learned what we can do to improve stuff on our end to fix some problems and speed things up..I felt bad bringing the subject up but being young and only a couple years under my belt I needed the advice and knowledge. I hope to improve from what I have learned and get thing on track and keep the wood moving..thanks guys

[cutterboy]

Cody, you're going to do OK. You have enough sense to listen to those with the knowledge. Just remember, when someone does something you don't like and don't understand, talk to them. Let them know how you feel, but also listen to what they say and you probably can work things out to satisfy both of you.

Good luck, Cutter

[Ken]

I use self loading log trucks with trailers and they try to average 30-32 mt/load (33-36 ton).  Although the trucking distances vary I try to ensure that the trucks make around $100/hr.  With fuel prices down truck margins have been considerably better considering earlier last year the fuel prices were consuming 40-50% of the overall trucking cost.  I know from experience how much it takes to keep a log truck road worthy and productive which is why I don't have my own any more. 

[OH logger]

ehp just tell the truckers if they have pontoons and/or a helicopter they should be ok ;D

[starmac]

Whole different type of trucking and logging operation than what I am used to. Dropdecks or flats can not even get to the woods where we are hauling from. I don't know anybody that uses a front end loader to load either, except for some of the firewood guys that uses short log small trucks, they do haul some short saw logs too though.
If you have a convertor dolly, I could see dropping trailers, but I have been burn't hauling freight dropping trailers, you always have at least one unpaid trip, that is the best you can hope for.