Hiya Guys, A friend and I are looking into the Tarmac Contract Haulier Scheme and after talking with them abit and some current drivers doing this, thought I’d ask on the forums. Any recommendations? Anybody done tipper work for them? We are in the North West so anybody know what the work like is up here?
Thanks for your advice and inevitable warnings 
Matt.
There was a few threads n here about this the general consensus was its a complete waste of time.
I was on that scheme from 1990 till 2000 so my knowledge is a bit out of date, but I don’t think it has changed that much.
If you are not self -employed at the moment and don’t have much of a deposit for a truck it is an easy way into being an owner/driver, and when there is plenty of work you can earn a lot of money.
The big downside is that when work is scarce Tarmac make it difficult to go out and find work elsewhere.It is also difficult to get out of the contract except when you have finished paying off your truck.
I have no idea what work is like in your area but if you have the ability to find your own work then you are better off as an independant with a variety of customers, because then you can have whatever truck you want(Tarmac are always pestering you to get a newer one,but forget to tell you that they get a commission from the dealer) and run your business the way you want.
I always felt that I was just a Tarmac employee with none of the benefits but carrying all the risks.
HTH
Thats really helpful Sea, thanks What area where you in? We are based North West. Just having a look at the contract now (it’s a good job I study Law) it says we can terminate the contract giving 3 months written notice. Obviously termination would mean having to get our own contracts to pay for the vehicle. Would you say that this sort of scheme is good as a spring board into the world of O/D and making a few contacts?
They do mention a Minimum Monthly Revenue which is an interest free loan to our business just so we can keep vehicle payments/insurance etc up to date. Obviously times were different when you were with them but how much would you make a month?
I should bring up at this point my friend and I aren’t overly bothered about making a big profit for ourselves, for varies reasons. We just don’t want to lose money, with this type of scheme are we likely to lose a lot of money?
Thanks for your advice,
Matt.
almost-truckin’:
We are based North West.
Bit more specific? Manchester way? Liverpool? Clitheroe way?
almost-truckin’:
Would you say that this sort of scheme is good as a spring board into the world of O/D and making a few contacts?
Possibly can be. However, its also quite easy to slip into the pattern of just working for Tarmac and nobody else ever because they usually provide a reasonable amount of work to keep you ticking over. The truth of the tipper game is that when one quarry is busy busy then they all tend to be and you can’t be in two places at once!
almost-truckin’:
I should bring up at this point my friend and I aren’t overly bothered about making a big profit for ourselves, for varies reasons. We just don’t want to lose money, with this type of scheme are we likely to lose a lot of money?
If you’re not bothered about making money, then why are you bothering? You could quite easily lose a lot of money, especially if you have a big accident in the early stages of the contract when the value of the asset is considerably less than the amount of money you owe on HP.
Seagoon:
when there is plenty of work you can earn a lot of money.
I would dispute that with the way the rates are now. You can make a decent living but I wouldn’t go as far as saying that you would earn a LOT of money. I’m not trying to be pedantic, just giving my experience (I wasn’t a contracted haulier, more a regular but I felt I had a good idea of what goes on.)
Seagoon:
The big downside is that when work is scarce Tarmac make it difficult to go out and find work elsewhere.It is also difficult to get out of the contract except when you have finished paying off your truck.
The first bit can be true, depends what the weighbridge/call centre staff are like. If they are A-Holes about you going elsewhere, you might as well not bother - they have the power to make your life hell or at least give you all the rubbish as ‘punishment’ for getting work elsewhere. The second bit (from what I’ve heard) is most definately true.
Seagoon:
I have no idea what work is like in your area but if you have the ability to find your own work then you are better off as an independant with a variety of customers, because then you can have whatever truck you want and run your business the way you want.
I’m going to disagree. With work so scarce, each quarry firm will have its regulars and rarely look for outside haulage. You might get a few days, you might get a few weeks but (IMO) if you decide to get into the tipper game then you’re better throwing your lot in with one firm rather than being a ‘floater’. The advice you gave would stand up in times of economic prosperity but in my experience, at the present time, it doesn’t.
Seagoon:
I always felt that I was just a Tarmac employee with none of the benefits but carrying all the risks.
Absolutely spot on advice this ^.
Heya Hammer, thanks for the input. You do bring some very good points to the discussion.
Being more specific we are Manchester area. I was just reading that in 2010 Tarmac reduced their rates to £2.46 a mile radial and I presume it may have gone down now, so yeah perhaps a decent living but as you say, not a lot of money. I said we didn’t want huge profits not that we didn’t want to make money. Obviously profit would be nice but people don’t go into haulage to make huge profits.
This may sound stupid but if its your truck and Tarmac don’t have any work for a day, how do they know if you do go and do something for that day? I’ve only ever driven for big companies that use isotrack but do Tarmac insist on having any sort of tracking equipment fitted?
I appreciate all your honesty
They do mention a Minimum Monthly Revenue which is an interest free loan to our business just so we can keep vehicle payments/insurance etc up to date.
Have you checked to see this isnt just an amount coming out of your “reserve” and you have to replenish it the next month.
I was a mixer driver with Topmix and they used to do that to us when work was short.
I have checked, it doesn’t come out of the reserve but its equally rubbish, its an interest free business loan. So either way paying it back. So what’s the work like freelance instead of being tied to a contract?
Thanks
almost-truckin’:
Heya Hammer, thanks for the input. You do bring some very good points to the discussion.
Being more specific we are Manchester area. I was just reading that in 2010 Tarmac reduced their rates to £2.46 a mile radial and I presume it may have gone down now, so yeah perhaps a decent living but as you say, not a lot of money. I said we didn’t want huge profits not that we didn’t want to make money. Obviously profit would be nice but people don’t go into haulage to make huge profits.
This may sound stupid but if its your truck and Tarmac don’t have any work for a day, how do they know if you do go and do something for that day? I’ve only ever driven for big companies that use isotrack but do Tarmac insist on having any sort of tracking equipment fitted?
I appreciate all your honesty
Unless its changed in the past 3months, Tarmac pay tippers on road miles. Maybe the reduction in radials relates to mixers.
Tarmac contract wagons have to be fitted with Isotraks (again unless thats changed recently & I don’t think it has).
I see a major problem to this idea but I’m not saying it on here. If you want, you can PM me and I’ll give you a bit more info.
“This may sound stupid but if its your truck and Tarmac don’t have any work for a day, how do they know if you do go and do something for that day?”
They want you to be sat by their weighbridge/plant so that should an order come in they can take it on.
The Tarmac -Lafarge joint venture is going to happen soon.What happens then is the question !!!
They want you to be sat by their weighbridge/plant so that should an order come in they can take it on.
[/quote]
that about sums it up!
remember some tarmac plants (eg bredbury) have hauliers with quite a large number of contract vehicles, not a big problem when things are busy but it can wind you up if you are parked up for ages when the larger hauliers vehicles keep getting loaded!
to buy a new 8 wheel tipper you are looking at 100k+ so even second hand a fair investment to “not make much money”!
i know a fair amount about this tarmac contract haulier set up as i often drive and maintain contract tippers! if you need more info pm me!
Moose:
that about sums it up!
remember some tarmac plants (eg bredbury) have hauliers with quite a large number of contract vehicles, not a big problem when things are busy but it can wind you up if you are parked up for ages when the larger hauliers vehicles keep getting loaded!
to buy a new 8 wheel tipper you are looking at 100k+ so even second hand a fair investment to “not make much money”!
i know a fair amount about this tarmac contract haulier set up as i often drive and maintain contract tippers! if you need more info pm me!
That’s a big part of the problem these days, the cost! Luckily we bought our truck ourselves but run it in Bardon, it’s an 05 and fully paid off now, but no plans to change it as it’s lot of money to put down in these days.
Personally, I’d rather get the funds together and buy the truck yourself instead of going via Tarmac/Bardon/whoever, as it gives you a lot more freedom (and often a better price!)
There is an article about being an O/D with a tipper in this weeks Commercial Motor.
I just bought the latest issue of commercial motor for that article and there are 2 pictures of me in it. The first issue I ever buy and I happen to be in it. What are the chances haha.
Dave the Renegade:
There is an article about being an O/D with a tipper in this weeks Commercial Motor.
It’s interesting to note that none of the O/Ds they interviewed for the article seemed to think it was a very good idea…
Paul
I think things are a little up in the air at the moment (Lafarge joint venture, Retford and Ettingshall offices closing, all Lancashire units are to be run from Tarmac Northern) who knows how they may come crashing down. I suppose what ever happens they will need trucks. Have you asked about opperating a walking floor trailer, i think they are really pushing them. P.M. me if you wish.
Tarmac duck:
I think things are a little up in the air at the moment (Lafarge joint venture, Retford and Ettingshall offices closing, all Lancashire units are to be run from Tarmac Northern) who knows how they may come crashing down. I suppose what ever happens they will need trucks. Have you asked about opperating a walking floor trailer, i think they are really pushing them. P.M. me if you wish.
What do you use a walking floor trailer in the quarries for 
Sure the price of one of them new and the unit to pull it, not mentioning the reduced payload or the maintenance to keep it running long term for quarry rates 
Or are you talking about one of those non-tipping aggre trailers with the moving belt floor
Are they not mega money compared to a normal tipper plus a pain in the arse hauling tarmac 
Ref the article in CM, could,nt agree more with what was written. 
tarmac has all changed now, my mate has a couple of trucks on there, you dont just work in your area if you want to earn money, if a contract finishes in one area you either go home at 1pm or work where the work is, most of the money is in night work too, other than that they are safe as you can get to get your money every time but you wont get rich