Pulled the plug

Well guy’s I’ve pulled the plug, it just wasn’t worth the hassle anymore,there was still a bit of profit but my diesel costs had gone up from 55ppl in late 2004 to 77ppl in Dec 07.
The quarry gave us a 6p per tonne increase in Aug and I’ve heard another 5p per tonne increase in Jan after I told the area manager the rates were a disgrace and my truck was going in the Autotrader that week.
Bordertrucks Renault dealer in Carlisle have bought the complete outfit and I’ve just bought a 2007 Honda Accord 2.2 C-tdi sport and I’m going to buy a 2007 4 berth touring caravan tomorrow and enjoy what money was left in the business for the family after the tax/Vat man has been squared up

When things were good they were really good as my record gross was £1100 (ten loads of tarmac) in one day from 5am until 9pm (two drivers) when the tarmac spreader crew went for an Irish blacktop laying record and we got it by laying 3500 tonne of tarmac in one day with one spreader.
I also had plenty of £0 gross days too

I hope Trucknet admin will be able to put up some photo’s for me as I can’t fathom it out

There are a couple of very large dual carriageway tarmac laying jobs coming on stream in a couple of years for “Whitemountain Quarries” who I did most of the work for so never say never,but the next time it will probably be an 8 wheeler bought cash and take it from there.

I forgot to add in my best ever month was August 2005 were the truck earned over £10’000 gross.
Between myself and a part time driver we had the Foden and Kel-Berg T99 working every day for 3 different quarry companies on 3/4 big road tarmac jobs.

The guy’s on the spreader teams love to see a fleet of artics turn up loaded with tarmac/asphalt on the weekends, (if theres plenty of room ) so as they can get the required tonnage down and quit early for the bar

Sorry to hear this Big Truck, good luck for the future. You’ll probably come to realise it is the best decision you’ve ever made, I know I did.

ALL the best for the future Big Truck,

Big Truck:
I hope Trucknet admin will be able to put up some photo’s for me as I can’t fathom it out
:

il do it for you if you email them to me.

il send you a pm with my email address.

good luck.

well done, good luck.

Sorry to hear that Big Truck, all the best for the future.

All the best for the future BT, always good to get out while there’s money left - but did you really have to buy a caravan with it

I like the sound of that honda b.t. Reckon it’ll ■■■■ diesel allright

Sorry to hear you’ve packed it in, glad you seem like you got out while you were still ahead though.

I’m sorry to hear you’ve had to quit but I’m glad you got to choose to go rather than forced out as in my case

jessicas dad:

Big Truck:
I hope Trucknet admin will be able to put up some photo’s for me as I can’t fathom it out
:

il do it for you if you email them to me.

il send you a pm with my email address.

good luck.

Thanks very much JD,I’ve e-mailed you some photo’s.

Sorry to hear your pulling out,but its certainly not getting any easier to make money from transport,but its good you got out when you want to go,wish you all the best at whatever you choose to do.
regards derek

Thanks very much for the well wishes there guy’s.

At the end of the day I’ve been very lucky and got out before I really could off got my fingers burned.
From my original £4800 that I put into the business in Oct 04, there was just over £20k left in the bank this morning after all the bills have been paid some 3 years and a couple of months down the line from starting.
I didn’t think that was too bad for a one truck operation with no nights out that paid me an hourly rate when I drove it and paid my driver his wages for 16 months.

BTW,
it makes some difference now that I’ve sold up,the biggest one is not jumping two foot in the air when my mobile starts ringing wondering if its my drivers name on the screen

here we go… ive also put them into the photo forum.

send me some more if you want. it only takes 10 mins

How many have the thrown it in this year?
Good luck in whatever you do next Big Truck, and I hope it wasn’t the Renault that finally finished you?
Enjoy the phone peace, that’s one thing I’ll never get sick of, that and being able to take my kids to school, when I have to, or be home early for em, if need must.
As everyone has said, Sorry it’s over, but a least you’ve got out when the gettings good.

renaultman:
Good luck in whatever you do next Big Truck, and I hope it wasn’t the Renault that finally finished you?

Thanks,
no I was quite happy with the Renault even though I had the nightmare with the diff, I would buy another but it would have to have the “drive line top-up warranty” again without a doubt

JD,
many thanks for putting up the photo’s,
its rather ironic that now I’ve finally got some pictures up on Trucknetuk I’ve gone and sold the thing
Don’t think it looks too bad for a quarry truck.

Big Truck:

renaultman:
Good luck in whatever you do next Big Truck, and I hope it wasn’t the Renault that finally finished you?

Thanks,
no I was quite happy with the Renault even though I had the nightmare with the diff, I would buy another but it would have to have the “drive line top-up warranty” again without a doubt

JD,
many thanks for putting up the photo’s,
its rather ironic that now I’ve finally got some pictures up on Trucknetuk I’ve gone and sold the thing
Don’t think it looks too bad for a quarry truck.

Certainly does, did you get the bumper raised? it looks higher than mine did, which was one of it’s biggest drawbacks for me.

Big Truck:
Bordertrucks Renault dealer in Carlisle have bought the complete outfit

The trailer is in CM this week, but no sign of the unit.

Best of luck for the future.

Paul

well theres me thinking you had your niche opeation boxed off now, Im sorry to hear that you have come to the end of the road.

You have though done well for a one man operation and by the sound of it you had had some good paying days.

However I think you have made the right decision if its not going to be as profitable, and with fuel looking likely to increase yet again I think there may be a few more following you. Hopefully it will be their decision and not somebody elses.

Good luck to ya now.