trucking rates

[rook]

It seems to me trucking rates are increasing faster than the rise of diesel. West of Edmonton, a few years back a 35mi haul was $4/t, not it's $9 or higher. Sure, diesel has doubled, but it is not the only expense and I doubt the other expenses have doubled.

What I need is a neighbour who burns purple and will give me the good neighbour rate. What's going on in your area or what am I missing? I think I could make a truck pay at those rates.

[clancey]

I hear wages in Alberta and British Columbia are going through the roof. That is scary because it will add to inflationary pressures, which, along with proposed personal income tax increases, will really squeeze people a lot more.

More importantly, as inflation rises, so may interest rates. There is something so Mulroneyesque about the economic and federal tax situation.

[TOM4CWB]

Rook,

Purple diesel can only be used to haul your own produce you have grown.

[Jagfarms]

Drivers wages have also increased. If you own the truck and have to have to pay a driver I would say the wages to get a good driver have almost doubled in the last 10 years. If you get a green driver that you do not have to pay as much they are hard on the truck and cost you more money for repairs.

It is hard almost impossible to compete with the money being paid to drivers in the oilfeild. I farm and I custom haul grain., Whem I first started trucking I would hire drivers in the summer time when I was farming and just drive in the winter months myself. As the driver's wages went up I was figured out I was losing money to pay a driver and it was better to leave the truck sit in the summer time. I started that in the summer of 2005 and will do it again this summer and I am way further ahead.

The driver who had worked with me trucked in the oil field over this last winter and he was getting paid around $40/hour. They get paid every hour they work. Lots of times when a you truck grain to a terminal there is line ups hours long. Most drivers would like to get paid for sitting in a line up. The truck does not make any money in the line up. I paid a % what the truck made but it still was not even close enough to compete with the oilfield wages. I do not blame the drivers I would do the same thing myself and so would most people go where the money is.

I am thinking myself I should park my truck and just use it on our farm and get a job in the oilfield. I would be way further ahead as far as $$$ go.

[rook]

Tom I know I was just kidding.

Thanks for the comments on labour. There's no doubt that's a huge factor anywhere in Alberta and probably starting in SK. If I were driving I could probably make a go but I have to do some soul searching if driving truck all winter is what I want to do.

[GrainVac]

Ask a commercial carrier about plate fees, insurance and inspections, pretty sure those have more than doubled in last ten years, then ask how much more $ if you hire someone under 25 or without a squeaky clean abstract...