iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Fuel Prices

Started by Autocar, September 08, 2012, 05:16:51 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Autocar

I looked at some storm damage timber this morning its fifty miles north of me. I filled my pickup and it was a hundred dollars for twenty five gallion. It rainned two and a half inches yesturday and I jumped across the creek ok the timber was damaged pretty bad with very little grade. So I'll ask the question how far can you truck thirty cent pallet logs when you pay fifthteen cents for them. I figure theres five loads at one hundred miles round trip. Ive bought timber from these folks once before and hate not to show some interest in it [ Afarid I won't get a chance on there next harvest which should be a dandy ] but at the same time Iam not in the business to lose money eather. My tri axle gets five mile a gallion so thats around twenty gallion a trip times five. I pretty well know the answer already but just thought I would hear some of your thoughts. To finish my rain story I came back to the creek it was almost bank full I ended up walking out to the north road and crossing the bridge and then walking back east to my truck along the creek ,but one thing about the walk it didn't cost me four dollars a gallion to do it  ;).
Bill

redprospector

Fuel prices are rugged right now! In my experience transportation is usually the biggest expense in an operation anyway.
If it's only 5 loads, and you think it will secure your chances of their next harvest, then it may be worth the loss. Just call it an investment.
You're the only one that can make that decision, but like you said, you're not in the business to loose money.

Andy
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

Ken

I have to agree with redprospector on this one.  Sometimes it's worth doing a job for nothing or even losing a tiny bit if it "should" lead to future, larger, profitable contracts.   Not all clients will remember you doing them a favor but many will.

Lots of toys for working in the bush

stoneeaglefarm

Fuel amd markets, and then tonight 2 to 3 inches of rain, I think we all must be one of 2 things, set in our ways or know other way, Look forward to things getting better, Our prices for fuel went up 45 cents in the last month, Bummer when ya already bought the lot for a set price, Lets hope in all settles out come winter.

PAFaller

Hurricanes in the gulf certainly arent helping, but I think much of it is speculation. Im not really in favor of the government running things, but when you know there are pretty healthy reserves in many places you wouldn't think the market would still have such volatile price swings.
It ain't easy...

James Arsenault

On-road diesel, here today: $4.17 a gallon. Ouch.

HiTech

Fuel for on road diesels here is $4.15 to $4.24 a gallon. I know a guy that spends around $10,000 a week for fuel...I cringe to think of that. lol He moves a lot of wood and chips but he still can't be making that much after all is taken out. I bring fuel to my skidder in 5 gallon jugs, he uses a 10 wheeler with a fuel tank on it. I sometimes think the small guy doesn't have a chance. Probably the best way for the small guy to survive is get paid so much a thousand to cut and take the firewood. Let the owner market the logs.

Woodhauler

I am using 350-400 dollatrs a day in one truck! Kinda takes the fun out of it! >:(
2013 westernstar tri-axle with 2015 rotobec elite 80 loader!Sold 2000 westernstar tractor with stairs air ride trailer and a 1985 huskybrute 175 T/L loader!

Jamie_C

Diesel today is at $1.356/L here, converted to US Gallon and US$$ it's in the range of $4.90/gallon

two tired

and here i am complaining about paying 3.89 at the pumps for diesel.
when wondering about weather conditions call the dog in and see if he is wet

HiTech

No matter where we are or what we are paying, it amounts to someone's Greed. Wait till we see what food costs this winter because of the draught. Just when you can reach the top rung of the ladder...someone knocks you back down.

redprospector

Wow, there's a lot of negative in this thread.
Come on guy's. When fuel was around a buck a gallon there wasn't a lot of need in trying to figure out a way to be more efficient. At $4 and then some it's a challenge to figure out how to keep swimming with the added weight. Yeah it's tough, but it's what we do. I can't think of anything else I want to do anyways.

Andy
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

ely

its hard not to be  negative about fuel prices when there is really no need for the high prices other than they have determined that the market will bear the load.
everyone has to skrimp on other things in order to make ends meet, or even get close to touching these days.

Woodhog

You really should not go around trucking at a loss...

In a perfect world the price of fuel would make no difference to the trucker, if you know all your operating costs down to the penny, just add or subtract a fuel surcharge to the invoice.. the end user would have to cough up the surcharge or the load would not get moved..

However................. we all know how trucking works in the real world..............!!!

Thank You Sponsors!