since you already have a truck and trailer...

[AndrewLawn]

i was just wondering,pretty much everyone in this business has a truck and trailer,right?well,how many of you still profit of it during the "off-season" by hauling stuff for people.For example if they buy a sofa and chair from a company in town,and that company charges a $100 fee to deliver the sofa and recliner or whatever,why don't you say,"hey,ive got a trailer,I'll do it for $75".You're saving the customer some money and making money for yourself.Whats the problem with that?just wondering,anyhow,advice/tips/comments/question/ and derrogatory(sp) remarks about my mother are welcome:)

[KirbysLawn]

since you already have a truck and trailer...

.....why not start a lawn business? That seems to be the theme around here!

Sorry, that was not really about the topic but that is the first thing I thought of when I read the title. :D

[75]

I suspect rules & regs vary from state to state (for that matter, I ain't even from the same country as you! ;) ) but I would check out the rules governing hauling "for hire" first.

To the best of my knowledge, carrying your own equipment as required to do your job is a different set of rules from hauling someone else's freight for a fee. In essence, you're required to play by the same rules as the trucking companies. (And there are lots of rules - I drove the big 'uns for a few years before deciding it wasn't for me!) Your insurance coverage may not include freight hauling.

I don't want to sound negative by posting this, just don't want to see anyone get in trouble with the DOT! About 10 years ago, not knowing any better I leaped at the opportunity to use my truck & trailer for a hauling job and ended up having to pay a couple of fines :confused: . The total $ for them, as I recall, was about the same as what the job made me................. :(

To repeat: I don't know what the rules/regs are in your area, just check things out first!

[Avery]

Off season? What is that??:confused:

[Toroguy]

Andrew,
I Drop the insurance and let it sit in the cold for the winter. It serves as a back-up if my auto should fall into disrepair.

If you can make extra money haulng mdse. for people that is fine. What happens when they want mdse. shuttled while lawn season is in full swing?

Now for some derogatory comments:

4+2=7

[mowerconsultant]

In most states you must be licensed and insured to do any commercial hauling.
I myself am, I occasionaly will haul specialty pieces on my trailer.
I keep this to a minimum because I do not want it interfering with my main business.
Make sure you are properly insured for anything that may happen while you are hauling, or while it is in your possesion.
Most insurance agents can insure you on a per item basis as needed.
Perfect example: Just this week I hauled a 1888 Silsby horse drawn fire steamer, the value of this antique is over 100,000.00, I purchased insurance and added it to the cost of the job.
Cost to move this unit to a show and back (about 8 miles of driving total) was 480.00, insurance alone cost me 210.00
I haul this unit yearly to this one show for this customer, and he is happy to pay.
Here are a couple pics of the unit I hauled.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1249267&a=9515351&p=50089817

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1249267&a=9515351&p=50089818

[Henry]

Do you think there's a guy on a trucking site saying "since I have a truck and trailer, maybe I could cut lawns for 75% of what the lawn pros are cahrging"?

[lawnboy82]

mowerconsultant, that thing is beautiful. how do you get it up onto your trailer? only time i will move stuff for people on my trailer will be a mower that i have to take to a repair shop, or something really small, and if i do that 2x a year ever that is a lot. um last night however a friend of my family had a boat that they needed moved. so we hitched their trailer up to my truck and dropped it at the lake. no money exchanged hands.

[mowerconsultant]

Luckily....getting out of both buildings there was ramps, so I backed the trailer up the ramp a bit and let the ramps down....We had to use his custom made guide ramps, that steamer wieghs 6000 pounds, better to wreck his ramps rater than my gates......lol..

[cantoo]

mower consultant, I bet the big truck guys are calling you a scrub as they drive by you in their big rigs. If you check out the trucking sites you will find a picture of your "bicycle" pickup truck and trailer there. haha

[MOW ED]

Where did that steamer go?
Is that a private collector or a FD showing it?

Seeing that classic makes a guy wonder about the history of that unit.

Very neat!

[mowerconsultant]

MOW ED,
This unit is owned by a individual, private collector
He is part of a antique fire apparatus club.
I hauled it to a show for him. (New York State fire chiefs association annual show at the state fairgrounds here in Syracuse)
I know a little history on the unit,
Built in 1888 put into service the same year...In Seneca Falls New York
Cost then was 3000.00
Sold at auction in 1952 to collector in Arizona for 28,000.00
Sold again to current owner here in Syracuse for 60,000.00.
Current value 100,000.00.... offers of purchase stand for around 110,000.00 But he will not sell unit.

[ron]

Have truck and Trailer will travel..
This would be to your advantage when doing liiight haulin especially after a storm.Last season I made $450.00 for two halls to the dump of tree debrie...so use this to your advantage.....

[BobbyBcuttin]

During the winter i deliver furniture for a liqudation company in town. The contractor that does in uses pickup's only so in bad weather he can not make the deliveries. I have brought home as much as 800 dollers for a long day of deliveries think what you want but next winter i'll be doing it again.