Hi all,
I think I’ve thought of everything, but thought I’d through it on here just in case anyone has any suggesstions.
I live in Devon countryside, ready to embark on purchase of a vacuum tanker with jetting unit.
Planning to go for a 4 wheeler as narrow lanes/tight gate ways.
I have been collecting names & phone numbers for cesspit emptying potential customers for 12 months (350)
I have been led to believe I will get a small amount of call out work from South West Water (no idea how much)
Any suggestions where else I might get work ?
I have recently taken my operators cpc
I am a qualified HGV mechanic (although I don’t paticularly enjoy it)
We have space for parking, and its an industrial building
Had quotes for ins
Vehicle choice in preferred order
Iveco = easy to work on, good mpg on local work
Volvo = easy to work on, reliable, spares supply good.
Man = Look nice
Any thoughts ■■
Hi,
You seem to have this well thought out. It’s a very specialised type of work and one that I have no direct experience of.
However, I sub-contract to a company based in the Devon countryside. I won’t name them but they have brown and yellow trailers and are based in North Tawton. 
I’m sure that if you gave their Traffic Office a call and said your thing, that they would be able to put you on to some leads. You know what it’s like in Devon, everything is done by word of mouth and insider knowledge. Most Devon people have at least as many contacts as they have fingers on each hand, i.e. six. 
As to what truck to buy, I really don’t know. They are all much of a muchness nowadays, the days of Volvo and Scania being the only reliable trucks on the road are long over.
Good luck!
Hi,
Thanks, I know who you mean regarding brown yellow livery, trouble is if I sub to a company that gets a call from the water company before I do then I’ll never get that call.
You know why we have an extra finger don’t you? It’s because we are constantly waving goodbye to you city folk. 
I doubt the brown and yellow company will give away very much work as they have their own tankers
gdl.uk.com/services.asp?articleID=197
Denis F:
I doubt the brown and yellow company will give away very much work as they have their own tankers
gdl.uk.com/services.asp?articleID=197
They do, and although I don’t have any connection with that part of firm (GDL is really several different firms trading under the same umbrella) they do have a business model which is heavily reliant on sub-contractors, backloads and ad-hoc work on the distribution and walking floor sides, so at the very least I’d say it would be worth a phone call to see if it was the same on tankers. Even if it isn’t, they are all pretty friendly in the traffic office and might be able to suggest something, or take the OP’s number down for future reference.
Give a Devonian a problem to look at and he will focus all three eyes on it.
Hi Muckspreader,
What a great idea and the best of luck in your new venture.
I don’t have any direct experience in your potential new market but a few ideas occur to me.
Please forgive me if I state the obvious !
Under EU directives farms can only spread slurry on certain months of the year. This leads to a rush of business during these months. Nowadays many farms and agri contractors employ a system of road tankers feeding a supply of manure to one centralised pumping tractor which then pumps through a large umbilical hose which can reach out along many fields away for discharge onto the land.
Perhaps this is one area where contacts can be made.
Landfill sites produce contaminated water called leechate. This has to be removed to hazardous processing facilities for treatment. Perhaps by approaching either the landfill operator or treatment operator this may also open new opportunities for you.
Finially , with all the disruptive weather patterns, flooding etc we seem to suffer nowadays perhaps by making contacts with your local government authorities, fire department and police offices and by making them aware of the local service you may offer this too may get you some lucrative work
Best of luck,
Bill.
Harry Monk:
Denis F:
I doubt the brown and yellow company will give away very much work as they have their own tankers
gdl.uk.com/services.asp?articleID=197
They do, and although I don’t have any connection with that part of firm (GDL is really several different firms trading under the same umbrella) they do have a business model which is heavily reliant on sub-contractors, backloads and ad-hoc work on the distribution and walking floor sides, so at the very least I’d say it would be worth a phone call to see if it was the same on tankers. Even if it isn’t, they are all pretty friendly in the traffic office and might be able to suggest something, or take the OP’s number down for future reference.
Give a Devonian a problem to look at and he will focus all three eyes on it.
They may do, obviously sometimes they find it cheaper to use subbies than having their own vehicles, but I think they’ve already got the council contracts
Why would you want to tell anyone in your area of your intentions to start up when your so close to getting started they might beat you to it,from what i hear if the brown and yellow lot saw someone thumbing it they’d buy a taxi incase someone else did.
Thanks to all of you,
Thanks to Billy some good ideas.
Dan why tell anyone what I’m doing.
My logic is Its not what you do Its the way that you do it that makes you better or worse than the next man.
More OD’s less work for the big boys, few years down the line they may pull out completely.
I see drivers every day that probably wouldn’t make it as an OD personality, customer service, heavy right foot.
- now to the nitty gritty Dan, how many potential OD’s can afford to buy a decent wagon, an 08 vacuum with whale kit,
full set of pipes and a recycler with good jetset will cost in excess of £100,000
I think anyone starting as an OD in any municipal service either needs to be a mechanic or be married to one.
Dan Punchard:
Why would you want to tell anyone in your area of your intentions to start up when your so close to getting started they might beat you to it.
If it’s a race you carry on I’m but a mere tortoise.