# Start Trucking your own bees TODAY!



## dbest (Aug 9, 2005)

Start your very own trucking company with this turn key operation: (sarcasm needs a font!)

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2443642&


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Hey, I know some commercials that do this-truck their own bees successfully. TED


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## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

Not that I want to buy it. But how much was it? Did not see a price. I can go from poor beekeepr to poor truck driver beekeeper.


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## dbest (Aug 9, 2005)

Ted Kretschmann said:


> Hey, I know some commercials that do this-truck their own bees successfully. TED


We do, I'm sure about the "successful " part. Our rig is a little newer and nicer looking. Check the trucks pictures post.

Its listed for 5,900, If you click the link there are several pics.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

been there and done that with a ref trailer. today its not the cost of a truck. make this truck dot legal and pay the insurance. now it maybe cheaper to have it hired.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

The price looks good, but that truck is an orphan. That would only compound any problems that will arise. It is not a common brand, like a Peterbuilt, Freightliner or Mack.

Crazy Roland


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## dbest (Aug 9, 2005)

Its a volvo same kind my dad drives. They're quite easy to fix they have NO bells or whistles.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

I may be crazy, but that hood badge sure reads "WHITE" to me. If it is really a "White/Volvo/GMC", I would still be concerned. Not my first choice, but the Cummins/Fuller 13sp is hard to beat. 

Crazy Roland


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

the only thing a truck mfg makes is the frame and cab. the drive train is standard with other brands of trucks.


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## high rate of speed (Jan 4, 2008)

Trucking some of your own bees and all your equipment is fine.but all your ducks have to be in a row.A sub hauler can still do it cheaper.


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## RogerCrum (Jun 19, 2011)

I had the Volvo version of that 1987 tractor but with a Caterpillar 3406B engine. It was bullet proof, ran it for 1.2 million miles with little serious trouble. It was the only one of my 9 tractors that would start below zero and it never had a block heater.

You can certainly haul your own bees for less than paying an owner-operator particularly if you can avoid going through a freight broker. A broker will mark up the cost by at least 15%. Just avoid the temptation to hire a driver and try to "run the system" during times when the truck isn't hauling your bees. 

I have run trucking operations with over a thousand drivers, owned my own small company, owned a logistics and freight brokerage. As far as straight costs go, you can do it yourself cheaper with well maintained older equipment that is dedicated to the task. Stray beyond that core activity and all bets are off.


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

always figure it is pretty expensive to have the beekeeper driving semi's and instead of doing bee work. use to haul all our own bees until about 6 years ago. was just too much chaos and quality of our work was compromised. just not worth it


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## RogerCrum (Jun 19, 2011)

Greg, 
I understand your decision to spend your time on your core competency. That is something that must be weighed against the premium cost of outsourcing the transportation. I imagine that decision might be made differently for various sized commercial operations.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

anybody out there run a 28 foot bed on a ten wheeler?


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

i completely agree that it would have to be based on how big your operation is and how far of travel it is. in the spring we have around 14 loads of bees to haul back home. basically for us it came down to bees close to swarming in texas because we couldnt get them out soon enough. and then they got back to SD on the verge of starvation. we were just spread to thin to be able to take care of things properly. we do however haul all our own equipment still


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

not quite sure Keith but i believe we run 26 or 27ft beds on our trucks. i would have to measure. i do know we haul 18 4-way pallets of honey and have enough room on the back for a single row of fume boards


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Greg, I know some cab over hay haulers that run 28 foot, but I don't care for cab overs, just wondering if anybody out there run 10 rows back on a ten wheeler, and what there wheel base is.


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## dbest (Aug 9, 2005)

My Dad's truck is 27' 6" he runs 9 rows of four ways with W clips. He also stacks triple deeps 3 high, he's a little nuts. It may be genetic.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

dbest said:


> My Dad's truck is 27' 6" he runs 9 rows of four ways with W clips. He also stacks triple deeps 3 high, he's a little nuts. It may be genetic.


I was thinking of going 10 rows four high. Where's Tim the tool man Taylor when you needem.


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## high rate of speed (Jan 4, 2008)

those cab over hay haulers are 235 to 245 inch wheelbase.probably didnt help but thats what they are.


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## busy bee apiary (Aug 7, 2010)

I run a 26' bed with 9 rows of ten framers on the new truck but with good bees three high your always over weight on the steer or drives. My old truck was 23' with 8 rows and you always seemed to be on the safe side unless they were lead heavy. If I were to do it again I'd just go with the 8 rows for a ten wheeler.


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

we will go 3 high on doubles 9 rows back which is 216 hives. or as singles will go 5 high 9 rows back which is 360 hives. with that many hives and a trailer and bobcat make the truck ride like a cadillac lol. with the air ride and our pallet design we only tie the back row and everything ride beautiful. would hate to think about tieing all them rows of bees. must be time consuming. occasionally have gone 3 high with doubles with a medium of honey on each hive. that was definately a new experience. love pulling the nutz out of those internationals


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

whats the difference in your pallet design that keeps them from falling off the truck?


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

busy bee apiary said:


> Ithree high your always over weight on the steer or drives. If I were to do it again I'd just go with the 8 rows for a ten wheeler.


The avg ten wheeler should have a useful carrying load of somewhere in the 30-35 thousand, So, a nine row, three high = 216, the avg weight per hive would have to be 145-150 plus to be over weight. Not sure that's going to happen in Calif.


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

I passed two loads of bees headed out of Hartford CT a couple of days ago. Pretty late to be headed south, maybe it was just empty equipment, but the loads were both netted. 

You don't want to haul across country overloaded, you will get a dozen tickets and take all the profit out of your pollination contract in a hurry. Max weight for the interstate system is 80K. Depending on how you are loaded you can be well under 80K and still be over loaded on one axle set. OK is about the worst stickler in the country on weight... Ohio is pretty tough at the scales also. They will ticket you for being 1 lb over and inspect the truck and issue a 10 safety violations on top of it.


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## busy bee apiary (Aug 7, 2010)

Keith Jarrett said:


> The avg ten wheeler should have a useful carrying load of somewhere in the 30-35 thousand, So, a nine row, three high = 216, the avg weight per hive would have to be 145-150 plus to be over weight. Not sure that's going to happen in Calif.


. Lol those would be big bees maybe to much weight! Guess I was going on 46500 for the gross with 20000+/- for truck with a steel bed. That's 34000 for the drive and 12500 on the steer. That's the magic number in montana/north Dakota figured the same for California


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

federal law is a Max of 12 K on the steer. That is what applies on the Interstate. Interstate weight limits are usually lower then state weight limits. For a semi I think its 34K per tandem and 12K on the steer. That would be for a tractor and 53 ft trailer


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

Here are the fed Guidelines and formulas. http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/publications/brdg_frm_wghts/index.htm


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

front axels weights, I could be wrong but here in Calif they have up to 20,000lb front axel weights. The cement trucks here are GVW 60,000 with a twenty front and a booster. Why would they have many 14,600 front axel if they could never use them? Not sure about all of this.


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## AstroZomBEE (Aug 1, 2006)

Where is it stated that 12k is the max for a steer axle?? i know that is most common in Semi's but i run strait trucks with 14k and 16k front ends to help spread the load.


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## bluegrass (Aug 30, 2006)

I am only talking about a semi, sorry thought that is what you guys were referring to.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Bluegrass, some semi talk & some ten wheeler, it's all good.


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