Hauling wood

Wow a newb wanting to haul logs. Takin a big bite there aren't you?

I used to have a buddy that hauled logs in the PNW, I don't know what it's like in the south but he had some "exciting" stories to tell.

..... any way...... if it were me I'd hit up the logging companies 1st and see who they use and then go there and apply. As a newbie what you're going to be looking for is a company that will hire you.


my $0.02

......... Jim

 

Wow, those guys down there scare the crap outta me. I'm used to being around loghaulers, so I'm not completely ignorant. But why do they, and how do they, get away with hauling those pole logs the way they do? It always looks like they are ready to slide right out of the racks, especially with the way they're tied down on the trailer!

 

I followed a log truck the other day and the logs in the center were only resting on the others with their weight, the strap going over the whole load missed several of them. Funny thing is right behind him was a LEO(undercover), and even though the truck driver braked and turned into a place right in front of him with no signal the cop just sped around him and kept on going lol.


However, here in NC I have seen the troopers having a field day with the log trucks at checkpoints on 2 lane roads, practically pulling slack adjusters before the trucks even came to a stop lol.

Those log trailers take some beating.

I have heard some are paid hourly and some by the load, they don't travel great distances from what I can tell.

 

Yepper, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!!!!!

 

i hauled logs for about a year in the early 90's.. very top heavy, hot dirty , dusty & muddy work. you spend a lots of days sitting at home when the mills are on quota ,or its too wet for the loggers. you will know your local DOT officers on a first name basis. and if you ever turn the truck over, expect to be buried under a pile of logs for a few hours. other than that, i hauled around 2 loads a day, around 450 miles( keep in mind half of that was empty , no revenue miles). i was paid 30 % of the gross revenue of the truck. loggers pay different. we averaged 1.80 a mile on any thing over 40 miles. short hauls paid $80 min. this was 17 yrs ago, so im not sure of todays rates.

 

Wow............Top Heavy....Dangerous as heck !!!!!!

 

Nice thing about it, you're home usually at night!!

 

Where I live, I see about 100-120 loads of logs go by a day. Most are owners of the truck, and work from 4-5AM till 4-8PM, 5-6 days a week. Drop and hook in the woods(swamp), live unload at the mill, about 30-60 minutes on average at each end.

Owners can Gross about $4-500 a day, give or take. Fuel runs close to $200. So, if they don't break anything, they can do fair. Non of these guys have truck payments, if they did, they couldn't haul logs.

Once in a while they'll hire a driver, and pay him about $100 a day. After the driver wrecks, the owner goes back to doing it himself !!!

Non of these loggers are lazy, and the owners are darn good drivers. Most of us couldn't do what they do.

Good Luck, this is in North Central Florida-Palatka.

Your mileage may very !!