Single axle day cab/40’ ground load

[Bigfoot]

I am about a year from retirement. I am considering getting a single axle day cab and 40' ground load trailer. I'll need a CDL I'm sure, as well as getting myself versed in all the do's and don'ts. Assuming I could get over those hurdles, and conquer the learning curve.......I wonder if I could get 3-4 loads per week? Any experience out there?

 

[Aaron]

Maybe it is different for you, but few people have yards set up to handle a 1 ton pulling a 30' gooseneck, let alone that kind of set up.

 

[5S Cattle]

Plenty of sale barns in your area? I'd start there

 

[Bigfoot]

Must be a bad idea. On to the next one.

 

[J&D Cattle]

I see way more hired 28'-32' trailers around here. Those guys stay busy with a couple different barns around the area. Like Aaron said above most couldn't get a 40' in a place.

 

[DLD]

You could sure find 2-3 loads a week (or more) for that 40' ground load around here. You could also stay just as busy you wanted to be with a 32' gooseneck, but I'd think you'd be able to charge a little more for the ground load. The gooseneck would be a little cheaper to buy, and a little easier to get around.

 

[True Grit Farms]

You could sure find 2-3 loads a week (or more) for that 40' ground load around here. You could also stay just as busy you wanted to be with a 32' gooseneck, but I'd think you'd be able to charge a little more for the ground load. The gooseneck would be a little cheaper to buy, and a little easier to get around.

Around here most guy's are happy if they can make the payments on the truck and trailer hauling cattle.

 

[jltrent]

Get your CDL and haul more than just cattle.

 

[Aaron]

Get your CDL and haul more than just cattle.

I would think there would be more value in hauling items from auction sales on a flat deck trailer. If I bought a piece of equipment from 200 miles away, I would be quite happy to pay to have it hauled.

 

[uplandnut]

I would think it would be a better investment to get a tandem axle day cab and a flatbed/stepdeck. You can haul your own hay on it, and at least around my area there is a pretty high demand. I know they are getting between 2.50 and 3.50 a loaded mile depending on the load.
Been thinking of getting my own to haul in the winter, just hard to stomach the investment to haul for half the season.

 

[littletom]

Here they run 32' and straight cab dualy pickups. Lot more than a retired pepsi truck but 4x4. Main one stays busy that and keeps pot load of feeders all he does.

 

[DLD]

You could sure find 2-3 loads a week (or more) for that 40' ground load around here. You could also stay just as busy you wanted to be with a 32' gooseneck, but I'd think you'd be able to charge a little more for the ground load. The gooseneck would be a little cheaper to buy, and a little easier to get around.

Around here most guy's are happy if they can make the payments on the truck and trailer hauling cattle.

I was thinking that Bigfoot had originally asked if we thought he could get 2-3 loads a week (I looked back and it was 3-4), so I meant one could meet that expectation. And could exceed it considerably if you wanted. Doesn't seem to be much point if you're just meeting expenses, unless you're just looking for something to do...

Here, it's pretty easy to find someone with a 32' gooseneck and a four wheel drive one ton to haul for you. There aren't as many ground loads available, and it's sometimes hard to find one when you need them.

 

[Texasmark]

Considerations would be having to have a CDL or not, Class A or B, hazmats, air brakes, regular medical condition screening, etc. Lots of delivery folks of all disciplines of articles are using p/u trucks with bumper pull for light loads like commodity deliveries to grocery stores (rather than vans) or goosenecks for heavier things, especially construction materials around here. Since larger P/U type chassis are becoming popular, load sizes can be increased and you have the upkeep of a p/u, not of an OTR tractor-trailer. CDLs aren't required for these here......as I recall.

If your plan is to run OTR then you need accommodations on the truck, even if it's only a bunk behind the seat on a cabover. Back in '90 when I was looking, Coke-a-Cola was selling single axle, "daytime" cab chassis combination tractors, 250 range HP, for $6k just a few years old with very low miles, well maintained.....passed as I was doing rock bucket work and needed 400+HP and tandem axle.

I had all of the above at one time and were terminated when the state found out I was no longer driving....ok since I'm 77 and don't need nor want to.....and by their doing that, I wasn't tempted to do things like you are suggesting.

Another thing is road rage. P/U chassis is a different mind set and you aren't posing the same obstacle to the average driver of a low to the ground sedan, shiny new this or that, hot rod, etc. Some people just go nuts when a semi pulls out in front of them, or they come upon one on the roadway.

 

[callmefence]

Bto row crop
Buddy of mine just dropped 600 acres of rented row crop land and bought him a dump truck to haul road base on the side.

 

[SmokinM]

Is retiring to be a truck driver really retiring? Retiring to spend a couple days a week at the sale barn making some spending cash is more like it to me. A good one ton and a 24' trailer and you can take a load every day there is a sale without the investment. Make the cash with what you have. People charging $3 to $3.50 a mile for that rig and a 40' is probably not gonna get you much more. I would assume there are plenty of cattle around you but what size are the operations? Also on local haul deals you have look not at miles but time and do a flat load charge. That works out here. You don't get rich but you can supplement what you have saved and do something you enjoy. Buy a good 30' flatbed to go with it and haul some hay also and you can stay busy as you want to be. Wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose.

 

[snoopdog]

Lots of ways to go about it, I could stay busy with that rig, as busy as I wanted to be. We have a sale here every day within 40 miles and a sale everyday within a hundred. If thats what you want to do , go for it, get in with the salebarn reps and do it!