# Travel Time? Mileage?



## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

I tedded 25 acres tonight that was 7.6 miles from my farm for a dairy farmer neighbor. It took me 5.5 hours total, and almost a half tank a fuel. This was done at the USDA average rate of $8/acre. 

Is it typical to charge a travel time or mileage fee for doing contact work? Or you just go with the standard rate within a "reasonable" distance, whatever that might be? Or, is the rate the rate, and it's up to me to take the job or not if it's too far away?


----------



## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

You go with whatever you need to come out ahead. I don't charge travel time but if fields are scattered the clock doesn't stop. I charge fuel and I also charge by the hour not acre. To many variables and I'm going to get paid for my time.


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

“Typical” is probably going to be regional and related to the amount of competition in your area. The average rate is also going to be heavily influenced by people running bigger/faster equipment than you. The seven miles wouldn’t bother me a whole lot depending on the scope of the job. What size rig are you running? Sounds like it took a lot of time and especially fuel.


----------



## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

Travel time was about 20ish minutes, there were a bunch of stop signs and waiting for traffic… using my new 75 hp tractor and 4 rotor H&S tedder. It would have gone faster if when it was mowed it was windrowed tighter instead of spread out, short stubble made getting good pickup difficult.

I also need light bars, I could not see off to the sides at all when making turns…


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I’m doing custom work for 25 acres and if I break it down by time I’m making around $100/hr. If it’s much less than that then it’s not really worth it to me. I still have to pay my help and the fuel, and then my own time.


----------

