Excessive travel time?

[Wayne Offiler]

I work alone, currently using a 48" WB (ZTR come spring); Can't see to get past 9 -10 lawns per day level. I'm wondering if my territory is too wide-spread. I radiate out about 5 - 6 miles in each direction from my house, so in total, at least 100 square miles.
I have several "clusters" of accounts, but may travel 15 to 20 minutes between the clusters.
Is this a good or bad concentration of accounts?

 

[Eric ELM]

A ZTR will help a lot, you won't get so tired mowing. You will be resting while mowing and saving up for trimming and blowing. Once you get all you can handle, start tightening up the area you mow and dropping the farther ones away. You will be able to do more lawns with the ZTR, you wait and see.

 

[gene gls]

Wayne: Don't worry about how many lawn you mow each day as long as you spend most of the day mowing.Some of these guys that do a lot of lawns are doing small ones.My route is 20min long on a main road and 2 miles off either side.You are off to a good start to get several customers in one area. The trick is to schedual as many as possiable in one area to make a days worth of mowing to reduce your travel time.I know guys that drive 1 hour just to get to thier customers. To me thats a waste but to each his own.

 

[dmk395]

Cutting out travel time is definately huge. One tip is to try and get into a new neighborhood while the homes are being built (if possible). The important thing of course is to do quality work, which gets neighbors referrals. I did this in a new neighborhood and now have 15 accounts within 1/4 mile of each other. With a 33 inch mower I can mow all of them in 2 days by myself!
Also when doing bids for jobs, just price it higher if its far away, give them a take it or leave it attitude.

good luck,
Dave

 

[jrblawncare]

Wayne I agree with all of the above,But what is so bad with 9 to 10 lawns a day if they are good ones and you work aloan?The zrt will help alot as Eric said it did for me!Myself,I try to have 2 to 3 days of cutting but I do other work as well..Lawn renovations,Design and plant installs.ect..This gives me a few rain days if needed and time for my other work.Good luck JOHN

 

[Runner]

If you're doing 9 or 10 lawns a day with a 48" walk behind, you're WORKING! There's nothing wrong with that! Keep up the work, and DON'T get discouraged. I wish I could find a couple of guys as hard working as you to hire!

 

[lawrence stone]

Wayne buy a trimmer trap sulky b/4 you go out and buy a ZTR.

 

[geogunn]

the problem is not how far you travel, it's how profitable are you when you are there!

there's a big difference in 8 or 9 yards a day at $30 a pop and the same number at $65 to $85 or more.

GEO