Hauling animals

[TexasRancher]

I sure wouldn't mind making a few local trips with my truck-trailer for $2. mile empty weight and $3 mile loaded-weight until I knew how things went. I wouldn't feel bad charging $600. for 1 calf.. Whether it be 6 cows, 3 bulls, 12 calves, or two little piglets...whatever the weight up to 6,000.lbs...would be the same price. Up to 500 miles a day (empty and live-loaded weight) would be my maximum mileage I would want to do. Of course since I'm a small outfit, bargain price, I would want them to sign a waver...releasing me of any negligence if their animals did get harmed-hurt during loading-transport and unloading.

 

[kenny thomas]

I sure wouldn't mind making a few local trips with my truck-trailer for $2. mile empty weight and $3 mile loaded-weight until I knew how things went. I wouldn't feel bad charging $600. for 1 calf.. Whether it be 6 cows, 3 bulls, 12 calves, or two little piglets...whatever the weight up to 6,000.lbs...would be the same price. Up to 500 miles a day (empty and live-loaded weight) would be my maximum mileage I would want to do. Of course since I'm a small outfit, bargain price, I would want them to sign a waver...releasing me of any negligence if their animals did get harmed-hurt during loading-transport and unloading.

I know of nobody that charges for empty miles. All hauling I know of is figured on loaded mile only.

 

[kenny thomas]

Gosh you do put on the miles. Were you delivering a trailer from Virginia to Wisconsin?

Wednesday, Delivered a trailer from TN, which is only 12 miles away to Wisconsin. 905 miles.
Wednesday night, Traveled 90 miles south and picked up a repair and brought back Thursday.
Friday took a flatbed to Charlotte NC and picked up a load of aluminum.

 

[kenny thomas]

If I was do start doing that kind of small work I'd get a little 2 horse bumper pull trailer behind much smaller truck

The truck is a Duramax with 503,000 miles and gets 22 mpg with a trailer. 28 with no trailer.

 

[kenny thomas]

Assuming 500 miles round trip and 10mpg hauling a trailer/load, est fuel cost is $250-$300 depending on gas vs diesel. Plus wear and tear on vehicle, insurance, etc and the 9+|- hours of your time. When you add the profit and overhead to the direct cost of the trip (fuel, tolls, etc) and your price may be on the low side. Esp your 1 animal quote.

If the truck only got 10mpg I wouldn't be considering it. It will get 22 pulling an empty 20ft cattle trailer and 28 without a trailer. Broke in pretty good at 503,000 miles.

 

[Brute 23]

My complaint about hauling per loaded miles is if it's 30 miles from my house to the place to load up. Then 100 miles to drop off. Then its 130 back to my house. The 60 from the trailer to the load point is not free. I understand that can be built in to it but that distance is different every time.

I understand that how professional haulers do it but I don't. The millage starts when the truck starts and ends when the truck ends. It's a lot cleaner for me. With Google maps we can all type in a route and see the miles.

 

[kenny thomas]

My complaint about hauling per loaded miles is if it's 30 miles from my house to the place to load up. Then 100 miles to drop off. Then its 130 back to my house. The 60 from the trailer to the load point is not free. I understand that can be built in to it but that distance is different every time.

I understand that how professional haulers do it but I don't. The millage starts when the truck starts and ends when the truck ends. It's a lot cleaner for me. With Google maps we can all type in a route and see the miles.

Totally understand what you mean.
In my trailer pulling job sometimes I drive 900+ miles not hooked so that means no pay. But it all works out in the year.

 

[Warren Allison]

My complaint about hauling per loaded miles is if it's 30 miles from my house to the place to load up. Then 100 miles to drop off. Then its 130 back to my house. The 60 from the trailer to the load point is not free. I understand that can be built in to it but that distance is different every time.

I understand that how professional haulers do it but I don't. The millage starts when the truck starts and ends when the truck ends. It's a lot cleaner for me. With Google maps we can all type in a route and see the miles.

Back in the early 2000's I had a trailer dealership, and the delivery like Kenny does was $1.84 a mile. No telling what it costs now. I charge the equivalent of $2.50 a mile round trip now for hauling horses or cattle. If I am asked to pick up a horse near my house, and carry him to LA ( lower Alabama) then I tell them $5 per loaded mile. If someone wanted me to go to LA and pick up a horse and carry it a few miles down the road, I'd tell them $2.50 per mile round trip. But, if I was a full time horse transporter....stayed on the road weeks at a time,etx..I would have to charge the going rate, and I'd have to hunt back hauls, or a horse to pickup at destination A to carry to destination , and try to find one at destination B to haul to C etc, working my way back home with a horse(s) on it as much of the miles as I could. close to my home.

P.S. And that is you loading them and you have 15 mins from the time I pull up. After 15 minutes it is $25 for every 15 minutes I am there. I always ask, when they call, if the horse loads or if they have facilities and someone to load cattle, but people aren;t always truthful about that.