# Total Newb Question



## LongNosePete (Jun 24, 2020)

Hello everyone,

First time poster, long time viewer. I have a general question regarding the hay hauling business..

Firstly, I have to ask if this is even a lucrative business plan? I am only interested in hauling and won't be farming hay myself. I absolutely don't mind and welcome the long hours of hard work, if it pays off at the end of course .Also, what general knowledge base would I need to be successful?

Are their load boards for hay haulers? Or do the hay haulers move their own chow?

Besides a truck and trailer, what sort of other equipment would be needed?

I am simply trying to draw a business plan and would love feedback from experienced folks here.

Thank you for any advice. It is much appreciated!!


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

First welcome aboard.

Second, hope you ether haven't bought any equipment or you have other ventures to use equipment in or your rich uncle just died. At least in my area.

My local ag college, publishes a custom rate chart each year, latest one shows large RB at $3.75 per loaded mile, ss bales at $2.55 per loaded mile. You could plug in what your area has for rates to see if it fit's your business plan. What the chart doesn't show is who is loading/unloading (especially ss bales  ).

My son does most of the ss bale deliveries in my situation. Sometimes makes a few bucks, sometimes does a lot of work at less than a dollar or two an hour (and he is charging more than $2.55 per mile). An example: got stuck with trailer, lady's help didn't show up, had to carry 250 bales, 100 yards across a muddy yard and get buddy to come and pull him out. What he figured to be an 1 1/2 hour job, was more than 8 hours.

Note to himself, checks if help is there now, BEFORE hand and scopes out delivery area (usually) before arriving with wagon/trailer (not always YET, see my post of what's in your shop  ).

i'm not saying you couldn't make a buck or two. I'm just saying there could be some 'headaches' that you might want to consider.

Larry


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## LongNosePete (Jun 24, 2020)

I was referring to simply buying a semi truck and trailers and delivering/hauling hay for the local farms in OR.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I have no idea as to the economics of it all...but it should be like hauling anything else with the exception that it would probably be nice if you had a 4wd truck  
102" wide for sure....load straps and plenty of them. 
Unlike most loads, hay will compress and expand as the truck moves. It's a really great idea to stop every 150 miles or so and check the straps and integrity of the load. 
I don't know about any load boards or such for haulers....
I think most haulers are moving other folks chow....but I'm sure some of them move their own chow  
Good luck, not a lot of margins in hay, probably follows vertically into the hauling of the chow, but like I said, the economics of it are lost on me.


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## Ray 54 (Aug 2, 2014)

The west coast is 3 string bales block stacked with NH bale wagon ,or big square bales. Most truckers that move hay regularly need a a hay squeeze to load and unload the 4 ton blocks. May be able to get loaded in bigger hay growing area by someone just running a squeeze. But most truckers don't want to unload 400+ 100 lbs + bales by hand.

Look for hay brokers that may be looking for another truck and have the hay squeeze available to load and unload.


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## LongNosePete (Jun 24, 2020)

Ok. Thank you for the feedback.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Don't know how far north you want to work. The Willamette valley has a whole bunch of straw that gets moved after harvest.


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## LongNosePete (Jun 24, 2020)

I prefer work in OR. So I dont mind, its just finding accounts/contacts to keep me busy.


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