I own a logistics business that (up until now) exclusively ran Van’s and don’t have any experience in the HGV sector. Our fleet is predominantly made up of owner drivers working across the country.
We recently won a large contract in Bradford and need to truck parcels daily into our regional hub in Shaw - 30 miles (which is typically done by vans but volumes are large for this client). Also due to the size of the client I have agreed to place a member of staff in the warehouse to act as a liaison / account manager.
I was hoping to try and combine the roles - so the driver would help in the warehouse during the day and drop the load off at the end of the shift.
The question are;
Would this regular work appeal to an owner driver - regular work / low miles?
Is there a big pool of owner drivers out there?
Where would you suggest I look for Owner Drivers with Tractor Units
I presume I will need to supply the trailer - any advice on where to get one and how much?
m1cks:
Would you not be better subcontracting the haulage to a local firm and provide the warehouse guy yourself?
Exactly, what’s the point on paying for a truck and trailer to sit there all day, then to nip down the road at the end of it?
Do you need a trailer there all day, a few hours or just an hour before departing? Can a trailer be left unattended or would it get in the way? Find out the answers then get some quotes from local haulage firms.
Again get quotes for you supplying the trailer as well as them, but unless there’s a massive difference, let them sort it all out.
The logic in using an owner driver is that the trailer will need to be there all day and on occasions it maybe a double load - so if it quickly fills, they can drop a load off midday and then return. The volumes fluctuate daily and with little notice - so an owner driver would offer more flexibility at short notice.
We are also getting haulage quotes but interested to see the price comparison??
This sort of job is bread and butter for a small haulier. My last employer had two ongoing contracts very similar. A trailer was left permanently at the customer’s premises and in one case the load was brought back to the yard every evening for onward delivery. In the other, the customer would phone when the trailer was nearly full, and we would go and swap it for an empty. We took the full trailer to his other warehouse across town, waited for it to be unloaded, and then carried on with the empty trailer.
Bit less for seven?
Have you considered the Time-and-a-half for Saturday mornings and the Double Time for Sat afternoons & all day Sundays?
And the fact that you will have to provide cover for when your regular driver has his weekly breaks?
as daft as it may sound, 300 might not be enough if you were tied there all day - most people have at least a couple of hundred quid in standing costs before they even turn a wheel per day, you might be better getting an o licence for a couple of trucks, then get your self a cheapish truck (you can buy mine for 12 grand) and just keep it in house. that way if it costs you 270 per day to run, your 30 quid better off… just thinking out loud.
I assume the £300 estimate is based on a guy in the warehouse all day and standing charge.
If we were to forget the warehouse support and just look for haulage contract (Monday to Friday) - ie turn up at 4.30pm, hook up, drive 30 miles and unload - I assume it would be considerably less?? Previously we have transported a trailer as a one off between Newcastle and London for £330…
edwardj:
Dont you just love it when companies “win” contracts but have no idea how they are going to do the job or how much its going to cost!!
In all fairness this does sound like an existing client giving him more work than they previously did. It also sounds like they can service the contract with vans but he’s looking to make it easier with bulk shipping.
How will companies ever grow if they’re not prepared to stick their neck out and start thinking big?
I assume the £300 estimate is based on a guy in the warehouse all day and standing charge.
If we were to forget the warehouse support and just look for haulage contract (Monday to Friday) - ie turn up at 4.30pm, hook up, drive 30 miles and unload - I assume it would be considerably less?? Previously we have transported a trailer as a one off between Newcastle and London for £330…
M
yes that would have been to tie up a man and truck (+ trailer) for a full day. you could more than likely find someone to do it as a collection on their way back to Manchester from the east if you want it the cheapest way.
