# Trucking Bees from CA to East Coast



## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

I have a friend who runs a small trucking company. He has an offer to bring a semi load of bees back to the east coast. He has no experience in hauling bees. He asked my advice since I suppose he thought a beekeep would have some knowledge of this. I pointed out that I had not a clue as to how to go about it. The beekeep who is bringing the load back is supposed to meet him in CA and ride back with the driver so that will probably help. But basically he is concerned about the kind of permits that he would need to bring bees across the Country. I was pretty certain that he might need a health certificate from CA - but I really have no idea. Since I suspect that several of you are involved in trucking your bees I might know some folks with some pretty good advice. I told him that it might be helpful to know what route he would take back from CA - he seemed to think that I40 down through TX looked pretty good. I'd appreciate any advice or info that you guys have and I will pass this info onto him - since he is my friend.


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## Lark (Feb 4, 2010)

We haul bee all over the U S I think the only place he would need a permit is Fl.the beekeeper would have to get that Thanks Larkin with Kee Bee Express LLC 940-759-2163


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## beedave (Apr 23, 2006)

A health certificate from the County Ag Commissioner in the CA county of origin will probably be sufficient for any of the states coming back. I80 might be easier on the bees if the weather has started to warm up. Depends on when you are hauling and where from.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

If you truck bees across country I would use team drivers. The 2.5 day trip with a team is so much easier on the bees vs 5 day trip with single driver. AAfter using team drivers I hope I never have to use a single driver again! Left Florida MOnday night at 9:30, went thru ca ag station Wed at 5 pm and bees in orchard Thursday morning!


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## humbee (Dec 12, 2010)

Does anyone know how much it would cost to truck a semi from the california valley to NY state ?
how many 8fr pallets would fit on a semi, double stacked, or triple?
when would be the cut off time in the spring to keep it safe, do to temperature ?
does anyone ever team up to share the load or be willing to deliver a couple hundred full frame nucs ?
thanks in advance for your time and help.


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

More than the heath certificate I would worry about him getting me my bees alive. Make sure he has good netting, knows how to tie down a load, not to park in the sun in the middle of the day, and to get a hose so he can wet down the bees in case he gets stuck in some state inspection area or breaks down on the side of the road.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

humbee said:


> Does anyone know how much it would cost to truck a semi from the california valley to NY state ?
> how many 8fr pallets would fit on a semi, double stacked, or triple?


Around $2.50 per mile.
8fr pallets? You mean 6 8frame hives per pallet? About 12 or 13 rows of pallets. Two story colonies? Story and a half? What? Three high for doubles.

Why do you want to ship bees to NY? Moving here yourself? Got a customer here?


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

sqkcrk said:


> Why do you want to ship bees to NY? Moving here yourself? Got a customer here?


So many Questions... You writing a book Mark.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

A book mark? Yeah, I'm writing a book mark.  heh,heh. 

No, just curious. I know beekeepers in NY and they are pretty territorial. Maybe it's that way everywhere. I also wondered if I had missed something and someone is running 8 frame 4 way pallets.


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

i would expect to pay anywhere from $2.50-$2.80 a mile. diesel prices are killing truckers


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

gregstahlman said:


> $2.50-$2.80 a mile. diesel prices are killing truckers


Go Go Go


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## happybees (Oct 30, 2007)

Keith Jarrett said:


> So many Questions... You writing a book Mark.


Can anyone suggest a good book for commercial beekeeping? I read the ABC last edition. 
I remember, when many beekeepers on this forum were suggesting Keith to start selling pollen sub, then he did. Maybe, he wants to write some books too. Books are good business.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Yeah 2.50 + is pretty much the rate any more. A couple years ago when fuel prices dropped about a dollar a gallon I had a large trucking outfit that was still holding on to the higher prices and told me they wouldnt be going down until the end of the spring hauling season because it just wouldnt be fair to the earlier customers. Wow how noble of you I told them


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## mnbeekeeper (Jun 30, 2010)

wow we must have a little secret cuz we only paid 2.05 a mile for all 4 loads to cali this fall.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

mnbeekeeper said:


> only paid 2.05 a mile for all 4 loads to cali this fall.


Man... Is your 'PM' box going to be full.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Those deals don't usually last too long, what always happens is they start swapping stories with other truckers and it isnt long and they have the same rates as the other big haulers. Don't mean this to sound too negative. The good haulers are worth the extra money, my gripe is when some guy just wants to get in on the good bee hauling rates and shows up without a veil or any knowledge of the do's and don't of bee hauling or even how to net a truck. All they know is that it pays good.


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

well said :applause: we had all our truckers dead head back to SD this fall to get our bees out of that place. took 7 loads down and that cost a pretty penny, but it got them out of there quick and there was no waiting around for them to get a load out of TX. i sure do wish there was a book out there!!!! sure would make things easier. i guess my brain is a book


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## gregstahlman (Oct 7, 2009)

i especially like it when you hire a new truck and you have to provide the nets!!!! had a truck 2 years ago that drove 90 miles to our place and the trailer wasn't even hooked up right. put on one stack of bees and trailer leaned really hard to that side lol. gotta watch some of them guys out there. i will pay the higher rates for quality trucking.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Quality pays, it doesn't cost. I agree w/ Greg.


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## Bob Nelson (Feb 10, 2005)

sqkcrk said:


> I also wondered if I had missed something and someone is running 8 frame 4 way pallets.


They do. Don't see many colonies run on 6 ways in this area. More common I believe with pollinators to increase timely handling by half. For nuc making and honey production like occurs between Midwest and East Texas the 4 way's ease of access trumps. And some of those are 8 framers.

Bob Nelson


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

happybees said:


> Can anyone suggest a good book for commercial beekeeping? .


The "Book of Hard Knocks" has been a good learning tool for me. It's a spendy book but it really helps you pay attention to what you do, why you do it, and what is going to happen after you do it.

"Listen to others and Don't listen to others" is also a good book. It's almost free but very hard to follow and understand. Once you figure this one out you should only need your bees to tell you what needs to be done.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

happybees said:


> Can anyone suggest a good book for commercial beekeeping?


Were there such a book it would be an interesting read. How about "Following the Flow"? There is also a book by a guy from VT which came out in '09 I believe, but I forget the title.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

SQCRK-Do you mean Following the Bloom by Douglas Whynott?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Yeah, that's probably the correct title. Is it still in print?


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

I just got it last summer(2010).


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## humbee (Dec 12, 2010)

When would be the late season to truck them east ?

does anyone have someone they would recommend to haul a load who would be good at it and worth the money?

do people run 8fr equip on the east ?

as far as people being "territorial" , I'm from california, so I know how that goes, but I learned bees from my dad in the seventies in nys and have plenty of family and friends all over new england. It's time for beekeepers to work together otherwise we will all go down. 
Do so appreciate the response and suggestions , have family there and my mom is old and want to bee around them.


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## 67630 (Jul 17, 2008)

What part of NY?


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## humbee (Dec 12, 2010)

a few in the hudson valley, a few in Vt, some over in NH.
grew up in southern hudson valley, miss that purple lossesrtrife honey, it was green like motor oil, but delicious .


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## humbee (Dec 12, 2010)

Does anyone have room on an existing truck headed east this spring ?
I'm an ABF member and have references and willing to work put any type of deal to get some of my bees to the northeast .
can anyone recommend a trucking team that has good referral for keeping them alive.


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## Radical Bee (Feb 25, 2009)

'Following the Bloom' can currently be purchased on Amazon for .13, there are several copies at that price but i do not think there are enough to qualify for free shipping.


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## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

_Can anyone suggest a good book for commercial beekeeping?_

Allen Dick's diary at www.honeybeeworld.com might as well be a commercial beekeeping book.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Radical Bee said:


> 'Following the Bloom' can currently be purchased on Amazon for .13, there are several copies at that price but i do not think there are enough to qualify for free shipping.


At 13 cents who needs free shipping?


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## LT (Aug 17, 2006)

Herb, Does the guy want to split a load 3 or 4 ways?


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## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

Larry.. that post was an old one... last January I believe 2010. It was in reference to the load that you split with us. I'll let you know if I hear of anything.

Herb


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## TSADAM13 (Jan 19, 2011)

jim lyon said:


> Those deals don't usually last too long, what always happens is they start swapping stories with other truckers and it isnt long and they have the same rates as the other big haulers. Don't mean this to sound too negative. The good haulers are worth the extra money, my gripe is when some guy just wants to get in on the good bee hauling rates and shows up without a veil or any knowledge of the do's and don't of bee hauling or even how to net a truck. All they know is that it pays good.


I can recommend an AWESOME company that Specializes in Bee Hauling. Frasier Transport out of Nampa, ID. 18007439599. Ask for Ryan or Dee. They have been hauling bees for 20+ years all over the 12 western states. They understand the issues that arise with transporting bees. On time every time.

www.frasiertransport.net


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