# Normal for a trucking quote?



## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

westernbeekeeper said:


> Hey guys,
> I got a quote today from a guy north of me, he will haul bees for me at a rate of $2.80/mile for a full load. At 100 hives, the rate would be about $1.40/mile. Reasonable? Let me know what you think. Thanks.
> 
> P.S. He is experienced (5+ years), and has his own trucks, nets, straps, etc.




How many miles is this "load" _bee_ traveling? 2 or 2,000?


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

He'll travel 1300 miles to pick them up, and the bees will be riding the 1300 miles back to my place. Does that help?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

So you would be paying him to drive 2600 miles in total? At $2.80 if you have more than 100 hives on the trailer? But $1.40 if less than 100 are on the trailer? Or is he deadheading at $1.40 and hauling your bees for $2.80?

Can't he find a load close to where your hives will be picked up?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

$2.80 a loaded mile is a good price. I don't know why he would cut his price depending on how much room you use on his trailer. Unless he will also be hauling someone elses bees at the same time.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Yeah, I was surprised too. But he said that weight is a big factor, so a 1/4 load is a bit of a deduction.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

westernbeekeeper said:


> P.S. He is experienced (5+ years), and has his own trucks, nets, straps, etc.


Problem is, you don't. I'd be talking with the other beekeepers he has hauled for. 5 years still sounds fairly green to me.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> So you would be paying him to drive 2600 miles in total? At $2.80 if you have more than 100 hives on the trailer? But $1.40 if less than 100 are on the trailer? Or is he deadheading at $1.40 and hauling your bees for $2.80?
> 
> Can't he find a load close to where your hives will be picked up?


What I was saying is this: If he hauled a full load, it will be $2.80 a mile. But If he was hauling 100 hives (1/4ish load) he would knock a bit off the rate because of the light load. I will only be needing 100 hives, so that's what I got a quote for, at a buck forty a mile. Hopefully that helps!


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## Tom Brueggen (Aug 10, 2011)

I'm not familiar with bee hauling, but the fact that he owns his own equipment is a big part of that quote. This is not bee prices, but I think the other choice something like $100/hr. So figure up the round trip time and pick your poison. Tractor trailers like that get maybe 4-6 mpg and with the price of diesel, that might also help you understand his quote. That's also why he offered a lower price for lesser load, as he'll get better mileage.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Barry said:


> Problem is, you don't. I'd be talking with the other beekeepers he has hauled for. 5 years still sounds fairly green to me.


Yeah you're right. He hauls a lot of bees, but 5 years may be young in the business. It sounds like he knows his business, but I'll see if I can find out a little more.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

westernbeekeeper said:


> , at a buck forty a mile. Hopefully that helps!


For the whole 2600 miles?


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> For the whole 2600 miles?


Yep


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

so you are paying him $2.80 per loaded mile anyway. Or paying him to haul something towards where he will pick up your bees.

So, now that you know that $2.80 per loaded mile is a good price how do you feel about paying that price?

Really, when it comes down to it, if you are comfortable and confident having this person haul your bees what, w/in reason, does it matter what it costs you or what he charges? 

You are paying someone to do you a service based on so much per mile. What if he had simply said, "I will haul your bees home for you for $3,000.00."? There is a lot more to hauling bees than driving ya know.

Are you going to be on sight when the bees are loaded? Will you be loading them? Who will? Will you be spreading nets, installing load boards and straps, strapping down the load? What does the trucker expect of you other than handing him his earnings? Cash or check? Gonna give him a bonus for a job well done?


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

I feel good about paying that. I will be on site when loaded. I or a partner will be doing the loading. I'll be helping with the netting and strapping. 

Lotta good thoughts here. I'll be asking him a few more questions.


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

westernbeekeeper said:


> He'll travel 1300 miles to pick them up, and the bees will be riding the 1300 miles back to my place. Does that help?


You are paying him to dead head to Cali to pick up the bees? 1300 Miles empty and 1300 full coming back? Sorry ....... still working the pie off!!!!!!!


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Ben: Keep these numbers in mind. A fully loaded truck will net around 48,000 lbs. Currently that load will be shipped and charged one way only at an average rate of around $2.80 a mile. You should be trying to share a load and pay a proportional share with someone that you know and trust. He should be dealing with folks in California that will tell you where they are and be willing to give you a contract. I understand you are in a difficult situation size wise. You have worked hard for what you have, make sure you look out for Benjamin.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Yes, that's right. $2.80 times 2600 miles is $7,240.00/100 hives or $7.24 per hive. How does that look to you? Did I figure that correctly?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

But $1.40 times 2600 miles is $3,640.00 or $36.40 per hive for 100 hives. :lookout:



westernbeekeeper said:


> I got a quote today from a guy north of me, he will haul bees for me at a rate of $2.80/mile for a full load. At 100 hives, the rate would be about $1.40/mile.




Mark, $7,240.00/100 hives = $72.40 per hive


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## Haraga (Sep 12, 2011)

I would assume he will charge 2.80 a loaded mile. The trucker will find his own load back out of Cali.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> But $1.40 times 2600 miles is $3,640.00 or $36.40 per hive for 100 hives. :lookout:
> 
> Mark, $7,240.00/100 hives = $72.40 per hive


That's what I came up w/ the first time I did it by hand. Shoulda used a calculator.

Looks pretty expensive to me when you look at it that way.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Haraga said:


> I would assume he will charge 2.80 a loaded mile. The trucker will find his own load back out of Cali.


Assume all you want. It isn't what he said. westernbeekeeper is going to be charged for the round trip.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

My *guess* is that there may have been _miscommunication _somewhere along the line, and Ben may have bee offered $2.80 per mile for a *full load*, one way; and as an alternative, offered $1.40 per mile, one way, for a *partial load* of 100 hives with the expectation that the trucker would fill out the load with smaller loads from other shippers.

Asking the trucker to clarify would be the best choice at this point.


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## grozzie2 (Jun 3, 2011)

Haraga said:


> I would assume he will charge 2.80 a loaded mile. The trucker will find his own load back out of Cali.


Dunno much about the trucking biz, but, I've been writing and paying invoices in the aviation industry for 30+ years. In our industry, aircraft is billed out at a mileage rate, and, customer is billed for the round trip. If it's 1300 miles one way, final invoice will be for 2600 miles, plus various other things that get tallied on along the way, ie holding time during load/unload, airport fees, and quite a number of other little things that tend to add up. Assuming that a mileage rate is for one way is the quickest way I know of to get to a huge sticker shock after the fact.

In a case like Ben, doing this for the first time, with a very limited budget, it is not at all unreasonable to ask for an acutal quote in writing, to move X amount of stuff, from point A to point B, with a final bottom line fixed number for an 'all in' quote. In fact, because of the first time and limited budget nature, I think it would be a big mistake to NOT get an all in firm quote, before committing to anything. Not just a 'so much a mile' conversation, but a written quote with terms and conditions clearly spelled out in regards to transit times, equipment, departure point and destination.

Sticker shock is MUCH easier to deal with, for a hypothetical trip in the future, than it is trying to deal with it after the fact, when the invoice arrives for a trip alrady run.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

grozzie2, I pay my trucker to haul my bees. It's up to him to find a paying load to get himself close to where my hives are. If not, he can charge me a deadhead fee (running empty for those who don't know the term) from somewhere to where my hives are.

I think that is what most professional truckers do. Independent truckers anyway. But I am also sure that there are various ways of doing things.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Honey-4-All said:


> You are paying him to dead head to Cali to pick up the bees? 1300 Miles empty and 1300 full coming back? Sorry ....... still working the pie off!!!!!!!


Yes, that was the plan. What I'm hearing is that I could do better than that, huh? I just figured that I'd have to pay that empty way sometime, either being the trip there or back. But I don't have to? Sounds like I may have better options.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> Westernbeekeeper is going to be charged for the round trip.


Right


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> But $1.40 times 2600 miles is $3,640.00 or $36.40 per hive for 100 hives. :lookout:


Does that seem high? As is mentioned earlier, this is my first time having bees moved any significant distance. (Other than the 100 nucs I hauled 3 hours south by myself.)



Haraga said:


> I would assume he will charge 2.80 a loaded mile. The trucker will find his own load back out of Cali.


I just assumed it would be round trip. Is something else normally the case?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Ben, read this current thread:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?291094-Commercial-trucking-costs

Note the per mile prices referred to in post #1. Those are one way, loaded prices. In most cases, the trucker will find a different load to haul on his return trip, although it may not be a _direct _return trip.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Thanks Rader,
I have been keeping a lazy eye on the thread , subscribed to it and more than occasionally taking a look through it.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

westernbeekeeper said:


> I just assumed


That's a recipe for disaster! Like has been stated, until you have a working relationship with someone, get it all on a paper contract.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Yeah, you're right; shaky foundation. Good point. I would say sorry, but don't have anyone to apologize to but myself.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Did I miss a mention of a transit time limit? I may be crazy, but can he take 2 weeks while he finds other items to fill his truck? Quarter full trucks don't make much money.

Crazy Roland


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Before you screw up your arrangement, $2.80 per mile from pickup point to delivery point is a good price. If you have a firm agreement w/ your trucker and are happy w/ the arrangement don't mess things up w/ too many questions or "I heard from some friends of mine that such and such."

This is your first load on a semi. You are learning the ropes. Education is expensive.(a sqkcrk maxim) Too bad you don't have a full load so that the per hive cost is better. But that's the way things are.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

It's only a good price if everything is out on the table and no unexpected "that will be extra"! Ben isn't in a place to be able to take much of an education expense. How do you see Ben "screwing it up"?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Oh, I am sure he won't. I am sure that he is much better at asking questions in a way not to ruffle anyone's feathers than I am.

If this trucker is any kind of trucker he will have a contract and bill of lading. 

western, do you have all the right paperwork allowing you to enter CA and to transit from CA back home? NY State does inspections of migratory operations and issues health certificates which are sent to the State that hives are going to, such as SC in my case.

I don't know exactly what CA requires, but I understand it is quite demanding. NY to SC is a piece of cake. SC to CA requires a lot of work and State to State communication and assurances.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Barry said:


> How do you see Ben "screwing it up"?


If it ain't broke don't fix it. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.(an icon maybe?)

If you are happy w/ the arrangement too many questions might make the trucker anxious or suspicious and want to back out. I'm just urging caution.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> I am sure that he is much better at asking questions in a way not to ruffle anyone's feathers than I am.


Aw come on, you're not too bad! 



sqkcrk said:


> If it ain't broke don't fix it. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.(an icon maybe?)
> 
> If you are happy w/ the arrangement too many questions might make the trucker anxious or suspicious and want to back out. I'm just urging caution.


Good words.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> westernbeekeeper, do you have all the right paperwork allowing you to enter CA and to transit from CA back home? NY State does inspections of migratory operations and issues health certificates which are sent to the State that hives are going to, such as SC in my case.
> 
> I don't know exactly what CA requires, but I understand it is quite demanding. NY to SC is a piece of cake. SC to CA requires a lot of work and State to State communication and assurances.


To be straight forward: I don't. I will be taking hives out of CA (getting them from Dave Mendes), and bringing them here to WY. Do I need papers for that? Not saying I don't, just needing honest input. I will be researching in this area. Any help as to WHAT paperwork I need would be so great.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

You'll have to ask someone else. You may not want to ask WY if you don't want to be denied entry for lack of paperwork. CA aught to know. Any of the out of state beekeepers who take hives to CA aught to know.

Best wishes. Isn't life interesting?


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

sqkcrk said:


> You'll have to ask someone else. You may not want to ask WY if you don't want to be denied entry for lack of paperwork. CA aught to know. Any of the out of state beekeepers who take hives to CA aught to know.
> 
> Best wishes. Isn't life interesting?


Thank you! Same to you. Copy that!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

A friend of mine bought a semi load of hives out of the almond groves. A friend of his went to the groves and picked them out one hive at a time. Is that your arrangement? If that isn't being too nosy.

The seller loaded them, netted them, and sent them on their way. Pretty sure the buyer paid the trucking cost.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Any help as to WHAT paperwork I need would be so great.

Here is a start:


> 11-7-302. Importation of bees, combs or hives.
> 
> (a) A beekeeper shall notify the department and request an inspection to be conducted at any specified registered location or holding yard not later than fourteen (14) days after entry of any colony into this state.� Following an inspection for colony health, the department may issue an export certificate for any colony imported into Wyoming. An export certificate is valid for one (1) year and allows export from and re-entry into Wyoming at any port of entry.
> 
> ...


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Thank you Rader, very helpful.


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## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

I do not think I would want to be paying for the dead head. Experienced truckers have ways of getting a load. They have contacts.

We brought a load from CA to NC for about 12.50 per hive if I remember correctly.


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