Hundred dollar trucks hauling wood!

[mills]

Along the same lines... What is the loggers liability if one of these $100 dollar trucks is involved in an accident with your logs on his truck? I refused to do business with one guy until he got a better truck, but even now I have serious concerns about his mechanical abilities, or worse, his give a #!*. I would like to get completely out of the trucking side, but haulers are hard to come by.

[Woodhauler]

Very few old beaters on the road here now.  There are also fewer small production loggers so the loggers left require a trucker that is punctual and reliable.  Keep providing a good service, keep the truckers whine to a minimum and you will continue to have work.

Anyone you cuts wood should also have the privilgde of hauling wood! When you pull up to a pile that looks like a bomb went off you might whine alittle! My better wood pile come from guys that have drove/owned log trucks!

[Firewoodjoe]

No such thing as a cheap truck. Around here we're running 11 axle and 164,000 lbs. "cheap" is $100-150,000 new is $400,000. I see your point and yes it hurts your business or just makes everyone in that particular business look bad but those 100 dollar trucks have all the same exspencss as a $400,000 dollar truck. Except the payment. If your a good business you will still be around when they aren't and it'll make you even better in the long run.

[Ford_man]

Timberlinetree Do not wave anybody past you if you are moving. If a deer jumps out of the ditch and they hit it it is your fault. Don't ever signal anybody to pass.

[Dave Shepard]

I've driven a lot of miles on tractors and backhoes. I just chug along as fast as I can, and don't worry about holding anybody up. If they can find a passing zone, good for them, but I am just as entitled to the road as they are. ;)

[beenthere]

I think Idaho has a law (and a good one IMO) that if a vehicle (truck, tractor, farm machine, whatever...) is holding up more than 4 vehicles that they have to pull over and let them pass.

These days around here, there is more farming going on at long distances (large dairy herds) and large honey wagons, combines, grain hauling rigs, etc. plugging along on busy roads with lots of hills and long stretches with no-passing. Most of these slow rigs do NOT pay road taxes so..

I appreciate a wave to pass, as often cannot see what is ahead and the driver going slow can see. And also, can understand with the crazy sue-happy, and court system we have, that it is a risk to wave someone ahead. I do wave and also get out of the way if possible.

[thenorthman]

Very few old beaters on the road here now.  There are also fewer small production loggers so the loggers left require a trucker that is punctual and reliable.  Keep providing a good service, keep the truckers whine to a minimum and you will continue to have work.

Anyone you cuts wood should also have the privilgde of hauling wood! When you pull up to a pile that looks like a bomb went off you might whine alittle! My better wood pile come from guys that have drove/owned log trucks!

This here is why I do my best to make a solid and clear landing logs are always at least pointing mostly  one direction and close enough the loader can reach them... I don't produce much more then a load or two a week and the last thing I need is the few self loaders around deciding they don't need my loads.

Granted there have been a few that where not the prettiest in the word and one that was a game of pick up sticks (from the tractor days... bucket quit working and could no longer stack logs...)But if I know there is going to be an issue I make sure I'm there to fix or help as much as possible.

[Gary_C]

Last night I drove off the scale in the mill and there was one of those trucks with all the chrome and lights sitting right smack in the middle of the road along the chip pile waiting to scale out. So I had to drive on the shoulder around the outside to get around him and it's a good thing it was frozen. I should have pulled up in front of him and made him go around me but the loader operator was waiting for me and then the trucker probably would have whined for an hour before moving.

DanG'ed truck drivers.  :

:D :D

[sawguy21]

No such thing as a cheap truck. Around here we're running 11 axle and 164,000 lbs. "cheap" is $100-150,000 new is $400,000. I see your point and yes it hurts your business or just makes everyone in that particular business look bad but those 100 dollar trucks have all the same exspencss as a $400,000 dollar truck. Except the payment. If your a good business you will still be around when they aren't and it'll make you even better in the long run.

That is true to a point. Fuel, insurance, tires all cost the same but that new truck with the big payment should still be rolling while the 89 Kenworth with a million miles will be in the shop again waiting for an engine rebuild or a new transmission, rear ends etc. The other issue is emissions, the older trucks will need to be upgraded or forced off the road. A local hauler is running a beautifully restored 57 KW with a 335 and 5&4, he can't haul commercially after January 1.

[treeslayer2003]

a 1957? i like to see that

[lopet]

X 2

But if he's making a living hauling logs, he probably has another two or three more trucks and the 57 is just a toy  ;D

[luvmexfood]

No matter what the business, with the lack of jobs, some one is always around to undercut you. Just to try to make some money to survive.

[BargeMonkey]

 I know in my county, if you pass a farm tractor on the road, and he didnt pull over to let you pass your in a world of trouble if an accident occurs, its clearly stated in the "right to farm law" in NY. We avoid moving our discbine alone because of idiot drivers, had a good screaming match 2yrs ago with a guy from the city, troopers gave the guy a "failure to keep right ticket", and wreckless driving, after he passed and caused a fender bender.  :D

[sawguy21]

a 1957? i like to see that

Here ya go


 
Let's try that again. That one is a little out of focus


 

[LeeB]

Now that's a showpiece.

[treeslayer2003]

a 1957? i like to see that

Here ya go


 
Let's try that again. That one is a little out of focus


 

i bet that truck is in better shape than most 5 year old trucks on the road.

[luvmexfood]

SWEET truck. 8)

[customsawyer]

That is a nice truck. To bad they have to take it off the road.

[barbender]

That truck is some sharp! My grandad had an old Diamond T that I wanted to restore, it had those same classic body lines. He sold it last summer, the guy that bought it has a better chance of actually getting it done. I wouldn't have had time until I'm about 70, if even then :

[Ianab]

Here's one for the older truck fans  ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzWroYex3tM

And from the same guy, one of their newer trucks. You can see where they are hauling out of, so the 600+ hp and fancy gadgets do get used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9zvnjM9xq0

[Ken]

Very few old beaters on the road here now.  There are also fewer small production loggers so the loggers left require a trucker that is punctual and reliable.  Keep providing a good service, keep the truckers whine to a minimum and you will continue to have work.

Anyone you cuts wood should also have the privilgde of hauling wood! When you pull up to a pile that looks like a bomb went off you might whine alittle! My better wood pile come from guys that have drove/owned log trucks!

Sure wasn't trying to insult you in any way.   Just making the point that the good reliable guys always have work.  However, that being said I am at the point now where our truck is nothing more than a very expensive convenience.  Much easier to have somebody else focused on keeping my landings cleared.

[Firewood dealer]

What are those guards across the windshields in that vid. of the old trucks?

[CCC4]

I know of a concrete/rock quarry company that has several of their trucks on blocks because they have to steal tires, brakes etc... I truely love to see the "Little man" with so much work he can't keep up!

[Ianab]

What are those guards across the windshields in that vid. of the old trucks?

The stone guards?

A lot of back country roads are still coarse gravel, so if you are hauling logs / cattle / fertiliser it's hard on windscreens. See the 2nd clip and you get the idea.

[Woodhauler]

Very few old beaters on the road here now.  There are also fewer small production loggers so the loggers left require a trucker that is punctual and reliable.  Keep providing a good service, keep the truckers whine to a minimum and you will continue to have work.

Anyone you cuts wood should also have the privilgde of hauling wood! When you pull up to a pile that looks like a bomb went off you might whine alittle! My better wood pile come from guys that have drove/owned log trucks!

Sure wasn't trying to insult you in any way.   Just making the point that the good reliable guys always have work.  However, that being said I am at the point now where our truck is nothing more than a very expensive convenience.  Much easier to have somebody else focused on keeping my landings cleared.

Maybe i should have worded my post different! Sick of the guys that think i'm getting rich! zThey get a 10-20 thousand dollar truck, start cutthoarting and only last 6-12 months!